Wetsuit layering

[FishDiver]

I use a 5mm wet suit for most of of my diving. It gets a bit chilly below 18 degrees.

Do the tropical lycra or "stinger" suits add any warmth if worn beneath a wetsuit? How about the thin lycra/fleece vests?

I had thought that nothing but neoprene worked when wet, but my LDS is pushing the fleece stuff. I figured if fleece works, might as well get the tropical suit and use it alone for warm water diving as well as an undergarment.

 

[spectrum]

Trust your instincts here ,don't let yourself equate topside garments with dive wear. Lycra, fleece and the like have no insulating properties and can actually promote the movement of water. Polyolefin layers such an Aeroskin are said to be of some value and are neutral with respect to buoyancy.

Consider adding a hodded vest to kick that suit up a notch.

Pete

 

[DiveMaven]

My husband is in the same situation as you and we've decided that adding a vest is the best way to go (hooded or not). He doesn't need to get a thicker full suit, just needs a little extra core warming power, so we're buying a vest he can layer.

 

[jbichsel]

In my experience, dive 'skins' have had no effect on warmth or limiting movement of water. I find them usefull for somewhat helping to ease the entry and exit of wetsuits and protecting from sun and jelly fish in warm waters.

I agree that a hooded vest is the way to go. I have 7mm and 3mm hooded vests and these were probably the best investments i made as far as comfort and flexibility. It really allows the ability to adjust for various temps. I can mix and match between 7mm or 3mm full suits and the 7mm and 3mm hooded vests.

Remember that the majority of heat loss is from your head.

 

[HowardE]

I use a 5mm wet suit for most of of my diving. It gets a bit chilly below 18 degrees.

Do the tropical lycra or "stinger" suits add any warmth if worn beneath a wetsuit? How about the thin lycra/fleece vests?

I had thought that nothing but neoprene worked when wet, but my LDS is pushing the fleece stuff. I figured if fleece works, might as well get the tropical suit and use it alone for warm water diving as well as an undergarment.

Most wetsuits warm your body because of the layer of water between the suit and your body. When you wear a "skin" or lycra suit underneath your wetsuit, you are breaking that skin to suit contact, thus defeating the purpose of your wetsuit.

Like everyone said so far... A good hood can make a difference, and/or a 7mm suit, or even better to stay warm is a dry suit with some nice fleece underneath.

 

[jiveturkey]

Most wetsuits warm your body because of the layer of water between the suit and your body.

Actually, it's the air bubbles in the suit that keep you warm. The water is an evil that should be avoided if possible. Since this is difficult to achieve with a wetsuit, you just want to minimize the movement of that water.

 

[spectrum]

Most wetsuits warm your body because of the layer of water between the suit and your body. When you wear a "skin" or lycra suit underneath your wetsuit, you are breaking that skin to suit contact, thus defeating the purpose of your wetsuit.

Like everyone said so far... A good hood can make a difference, and/or a 7mm suit, or even better to stay warm is a dry suit with some nice fleece underneath.

Greg is right. Your body tolerates the water and the suit provides the unsulation. The water acts much like heat transfer compound between a power transistor and a heat sink. The water readily takes your body heat and conducts it to the inside surface of your wetsuit. The insullation provided by the gas bubbles in the neoprene is what lets that film of water get nice and warm.

It's all about minimizing infiltration and flushing. Fit is nearly everything.

Pete

 

[JodiBB]

I wear a .5 mm isotheram suit under my 7 mm (I'm in chilly So Cal waters) and even when the water hits 50 degrees, I still find it manageable, where many of my dive buddies with just the 7 mm suit find the waters cold...it seems to help me a lot!

 

[pfriedel]

Yeah, I dove yesterday for the first time with my 7mm bare hooded shorty over my 7mm wetsuit. Between all the skin seals and the tightness of the shorty over the wetsuit, I don't think my swim trunks even got wet during the dive. I was cozy down to 52F (11C) and could probably have hit mid 40's (7C) before my gloves became the weak point in my thermal protection.


Mind you, it takes a ton of weight to sink 14mm of xl wetsuit. *sigh*

 

[TeddyDiver]

Mind you, it takes a ton of weight to sink 14mm of xl wetsuit. *sigh*

Hmm.. about 32lbs