Wetsuit and weights for Belize

[Hostage]

I just purchased tickets for Belize and I have a couple of questions.

I am wondering what wetsuit I should bring. I currently have a 2mm Shorty that I purchased for water sports (Rochester, NY). I think I do stay warmer than most people as I set my car thermastat for 65*. When I go to bed at night I sleep w/ just a sheet, while the g/f uses two conforters temp is about 72* in room. I am also planning on purchasing a two peice 5mm farmer john and jacket wetsuit for diving up in NY.

Does anyone ever rent weights, when they fly some where? With baggage not being free anymore, I want to bring only two bags at most.

Thanks in advance,
Hostage

 

[Doc]

Every dive shop in paradise has weights- usually included with any dive boat excursion.

Better dive ops will have sufficient rental thermal protection gear- sometime problematic if you are not a standard size.

After some logged dives, you will know what wetsuit (thermal protection) is required after ascertaining what the local conditions & water temperatures will be.

Even with your careful description of how you cover up when you sleep, you'll still want to know what the water temp will be.

Just when, exactly, were you planning the trip? This will likely predict the water temps and likely the surface weather- which is a big part of body core temp recovery from multiple immersions.

How many dives per day and at what pace were you intending? One in the morning and one in the afternoon could have a different answer than just doing 2 in the morning. Or 3 plus a night dive. Variable factor in.

Even with that information in hand, our answers, well meaning as they may be, will only be very subjective. Your experience will likely differ.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I am wondering what wetsuit I should bring. I currently have a 2mm Shorty that I purchased for water sports (Rochester, NY). I think I do stay warmer than most people...

I'd recommend nothing thinner than a 3mm full-length wetsuit.
I hear that water temps in Belize are usually in the mid-to-high 70s (°F). At certain times of the year, it can climb into the low 80s (°F).
For the most part, beginner divers tend to do shorter dives (30-40 minutes) and are usually kicking almost all of the time underwater. Not surprisingly, they can probably get away with less exposure protection.
More experienced divers tend to do longer dives and spend lots of their time underwater just hovering. For these reasons, experienced divers might require more exposure protection.
The more diving you do, the more exposure you might need. There's a big difference between doing 1 or 2 dives per day vs. 5 dives a day. The more time you spend in the water, the more body heat you can expect to lose.
I have no idea where you fall on the experience and diving-style spectra. You mentioned that you tend to stay warmer than most.
Personally, I use a full-length 3mm wetsuit with a hood when the water is approx. 80°F. I tend to hover 90% of the dive and my run times for a dive (when not restricted by boat gate times) are in the 80-90 minute range.

Does anyone ever rent weights, when they fly some where? With baggage not being free anymore, I want to bring only two bags at most.

I don't know any divers who take lead weight with them when they are flying to a dive destination. Everyone just rents lead at the vacation spot.
That being said, I do know divers who travel with metal backplates (but that is different). Obviously, you'll have to be careful not to exceed checked luggage weight/size dimensions. My girlfriend and I can generally fit both of our sets of warm water gear (backplates, wings, wetsuits, fins, booties, gloves, hoods, small save-a-dive kit, mesh boat bag, snorkel) into one large rolling piece of checked luggage (<50 lbs.)...along with a fair amount of clothing. We pack another piece of checked luggage with more clothing and other travel stuff. We hand-carry the rest of the dive gear (masks, UW P&S camera, regs, dive computers). This means that we are checking 1 piece of luggage per person for dive vacations. For international travel, the first piece of luggage can be checked for no additional charge. Contact your air carrier to figure out what the per passenger luggage allowance is.

 

[fjpatrum]

I wouldn't take less than a 3mm and hood if you're planning on doing multiple dives on multiple days. Personally, I get cold easily so I'd wear at least the 3mm and hood even if the temps are in the low 80s. I can get away with that into the mid 70s but need to bump up to 5mm in the low 70s, 7-10mm in the low 60s and much much more if it's colder than that. I pretty much always wear a hood.

I've used weights from wherever I'm getting my gas on the two different locations I've traveled to so far. No point carrying lead in you luggage.

 

[motorref]

Everyone is different, and noone's answer or experience will match your own; I just got back from the Bahamas last month, low 80's in the water, 70's at depth, and I was comfortable in a rash guard and swimsuit, but my youngest daughter was cold. In November I was there, surface temp was high 70's, depth mid -low 70's, and I was comfortable in a 3mm shorty. In April I was in Fort Lauderdale using a 3mm full wetsuit, with a dive skin underneath (more for ease of getting the full ws on), and I was nice and toasty.
Your best advice will probably come from the local dive operators and people who have been there.

Enjoy your trip!
KevinL

 

[TMHeimer]

I would wear a body suit only, but you'd need more. I do take my weights (13 pounds for my body suit). I either space them out in the 2 checked bags and carry on, but have put them all in either my carry on or the extra small bag (like a computer bag) you can bring. Once security questioned them in the carry on and made an arm motion to see if they could be used for no good. They let it pass. Seems unlikely you would use them to cause trouble as if the passengers saw that was your only tool of choice you would be swamped by irate people. I carried them because they fit pound-wise and I figured I'd have to rent that little bit of weight for 5 days.

 

[Bombay High]

How much neoprene you need depends on how much Bioprene your body already came with. It varies from person to person.

I just purchased tickets for Belize and I have a couple of questions.

I am wondering what wetsuit I should bring. I currently have a 2mm Shorty that I purchased for water sports (Rochester, NY). I think I do stay warmer than most people as I set my car thermastat for 65*. When I go to bed at night I sleep w/ just a sheet, while the g/f uses two conforters temp is about 72* in room. I am also planning on purchasing a two peice 5mm farmer john and jacket wetsuit for diving up in NY.

Does anyone ever rent weights, when they fly some where? With baggage not being free anymore, I want to bring only two bags at most.

Thanks in advance,
Hostage

 

[aquaregia]

I've been cold a lot, but I've only been too warm a few times. 7mm wetsuit at 82F was one. Another was in the drysuit with undergarments I use at 45F in water that was in the low 70Fs. I'd really err on the warm side of this one -- you can always flush some water through your suit.

 

[rameus]

you will definitely be able to get weights in belize... would be as if you brought sand to the beach ;-)

the wetsuit depends. i do not really like them (even if mine are quite comfortable) so i use them as little as possible. normally with the water being 65+ i would recommend a long one. 2mm if it seals good, otherwise 5mm. everything above 70 i personnally only dive with a rashguard, a hooded vest and shorts of course... the rashguard has been the best investment i made so far. it gives you an extra layer of clothing and isolates the water warmed up by your body better than just directly under the wetsuit.

Thomas

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I don't fly to dive (at least not yet), but still I usually use weights provided by the dive op. Except, I have started carrying four 1# weights. The reason is that (especially in summer, when I only use around 3 or 4#) I like to wear as little weight as is proper, and I like to be balanced. For me, this requires trim weights in various places. I don't know about Belize, but I have found that most of the Ops in the Florida Keys don't carry 1# weights -- and often run out of 2# weights (there are always plenty of bigger blocks).

So, if you like to use small trim weights, you might consider bringing a few.

Blue Sparkle