Wetsuit for Bahama's in October

[bvbellomo]

I signed up for Blackbeard's liveaboard in the Bahama's in October through a local dive shop. The dive shop recommended at least a 3mm full wetsuit, with the comment that an experienced diver who takes this trip often always wears a 5mm.

Blackbeard's website says "water temp 78F-82F - Skin or Shorty". They recommend this for November which they say is 75F-80F and jump right to a 5mm for December 73F-78F.

Most of the dives are pretty shallow, but at least 1 wall dive is deeper. I have no idea how much temperature changes with depth in the Carribean.

Lake Erie has an average maximum surface water temperature of 74F, and I swim comfortably in swim trunks all day without feeling cold at all.

I am tempted to bring both a 5mm and the thinnest suit I can buy, wetsuits are cheap, at least compared to everything else. But space is at a premium, both on the airplane and the boat itself.

 

[flyboy08]

Me, it would be a rash shirt and shorts....I might bring my Sharkskin pants, but doubt I would use them unless I’m doing 4 dives a day. The water will surely be 80 or above in October,

 

[Hoag]

The last time I was in the Bahamas (on the Aquacat), was late October / early November 2017. Water temps were about 77-78F, and I wore a swimsuit, rash guard and a 3mm vest.

Have a great trip.

 

[Bald Wookie]

Lived there over Jan - June (the coldest water months), dove throughout in a 3mm Scubapro. Granted it fit me very well, which helps a lot.

 

[GrafCanuck]

Everyone's temperature tolerance is different. I was in the Turks and Caicos a few years ago with the water temps in the 76-78 range in October. My ScubaPro 3mm full was sufficient. However, I mostly dove twice a day. The few times when I dove 3 times in the day or at night I was cold after the dive. I noticed roughly 1/2 of the divers had 5mm suits and many of them were from Florida. The old saying here on ScubaBoard is that if you are too hot then you can cool down with a little water in your suit. However, once you are cold, you are done. If you go with 3mm then might be advisable to have a hood, vest or a combo. Just saying my 2 pennies.

 

[bvbellomo]

I got a Cressi Bahia 2.5mm in X-Large, but it isn't close to fitting. It says for up to 73 inches, and I am a fraction under 72, but it isn't nearly long enough. Maybe it could fit a really skinny 73 inch girl - no traps, no delts, no balls - but it is marketed as a Men's product, and says weights up to 210lbs.

Going to a XXL adds a full 2 inches of width. It is hard to say how much height it adds, as inches and cm measurements don't agree. But both sizes are a minimum 70 inches, so maybe I don't get any height. I know to some extent suits stretch, and a tall thin guy and a fat short guy can wear the same suit.

I am about the most average shaped 6 foot tall guy - well over my ideal weight, but still thinner than most people, some muscle, but not comparable to body builders.

I expect to be 10-15lbs thinner by my trip.