ajduplessis
Contributor
Anything under 15 celcuis is drysuit territory no matter how you look at it.
Wetsuit for 5 celsius water
- Thread starter kasper wendelboe
- Start date
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I dove 10 degrees Celcius in 7 + 7 mm wetsuit (Farmer John + Shorty) + a 3 mm hooded vest + 5 mm hood + 5 mm gloves + 2 mm socks + 5 mm boots.
Fit is king. If the wetsuit fits like paint to your body, try it. If not forget diving in those conditions until you can afford a decent drysuit AND the corresponding interior.
Fit is king. If the wetsuit fits like paint to your body, try it. If not forget diving in those conditions until you can afford a decent drysuit AND the corresponding interior.
TrimixToo
Contributor
When I was young and indestructible and could only afford a wet suit, it's what I used year round. In Maine. In the Atlantic, under the ice in lakes, you name it. I could do two dives a day if someone had a spare tank. That said, I rarely dove deep back then (there's only so much air in a 72, after all). I had a 1/4" farmer john in the days before 7mm suits, with a 1/8" vest having an attached hood, and I used a cold water hood over that. Comfortable? Well, no. But I wasn't shivering at the end of the dives, either, even in winter.
When I got back to diving in my 40's, I immediately bought close cousins to what I'd dived before. I wasn't in my teens or twenties any more, and I found that I was really cold after Dive 2 in the spring and fall in the Atlantic from NJ North. Winter diving was Right Out. Then I started to go deeper and as the suit compressed thermal insulation lessened considerably. A dry suit soon followed. Two more followed that one. I gave away my wet suit after not using it for 5 years. I dive dry in Florida now, with a skin under the suit so it doesn't chafe. It's just a part of my diving system now and I see no reason to go wet.
This is a long preamble to me saying that those who wrote you were firmly into dry suit territory are right. If you don't like your dry suit, maybe it doesn't fit you very well. Mine is more comfortable than a wet suit and more flexible than a wet suit. The biggest drawback is increased drag, which I don't mind compared to being cold.
When I got back to diving in my 40's, I immediately bought close cousins to what I'd dived before. I wasn't in my teens or twenties any more, and I found that I was really cold after Dive 2 in the spring and fall in the Atlantic from NJ North. Winter diving was Right Out. Then I started to go deeper and as the suit compressed thermal insulation lessened considerably. A dry suit soon followed. Two more followed that one. I gave away my wet suit after not using it for 5 years. I dive dry in Florida now, with a skin under the suit so it doesn't chafe. It's just a part of my diving system now and I see no reason to go wet.
This is a long preamble to me saying that those who wrote you were firmly into dry suit territory are right. If you don't like your dry suit, maybe it doesn't fit you very well. Mine is more comfortable than a wet suit and more flexible than a wet suit. The biggest drawback is increased drag, which I don't mind compared to being cold.
How deep? I'm fine in 10°C/50°C water down to about 15M/50' with a custom 7mm 2-piece farmer and pull-over jacket. I can only take about 5 minutes at twice that depth.
That's an important clarification, thanks.
I stay really shallow when cold in a wetsuit. Generally, above 80ft and most often in the 30-40ft range. Hit an unexpected spring at 90ft once in a 7mm farmer john and no hood. Horrible experience when unprepared.
Helps the wetsuit compression and keeps me away from needing deco on longer dives, particularly in 0 viz.
Decompression, zero-vis, and freezing water... that is commercial diving in hot water suits territory. You are doing this for fun, right?
Decompression, zero-vis, and freezing water... that is commercial diving in hot water suits territory. You are doing this for fun, right?
I'm Canadian, just diving the water available. Yes, the majority is for fun... I have fantasized about hotwater suits though.
...Fun, and occasional search and recovery efforts. Also teach kids with special needs basic scuba but for them we stay in warmer water (60°+)
OP
kasper wendelboe
Registered
Ok. Got a neoprene drysuit.... Next question, how much extra lead should i use. 2 kilos more? Will the weight belt an isue? Being a drysuit
It's hard to say. You have the answer. Make a buoyancy check at the beginning of your first drysuit dive and find out how much weight you need.
OP
kasper wendelboe
Registered
Will there be issues with the belt falling of or anything like that?
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