Wetsuit Thickness (2mm vs 5mm)

[EireDiver606]

Cold? Wearing a 5mm in 30 degree water?

I’m deeply confused

 

[TMHeimer]

Cold? Wearing a 5mm in 30 degree water?

I’m deeply confused

30C= about 86F. 91 or 92F is the water temp. where you can stay in indefinitely with no suit at all. So I guess there could be someone who eventually gets cold with a 5mm if they made like 10 dives over 2 days. Big stretch though. You do have to consider air temp. as well. The DM with me in Panama hid under a bench because he was cold in the rain. Was funny--I asked him what he was doing down there.

 

[charlier]

Air temps in Indonesia, 29*-31*C with high RH. Many LoB’s provide warm towels and shower between dives. Five dives per day are uncommon in Indonesia.

 

[outofofficebrb]

As with many things in this world...just because it isn’t for you doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else. Wear what you want to wear and whatever makes you warm and happy. No need to justify why you want to wear whatever you want.



As for Indonesia LOBs...the ones I have been on offer fresh rinse showers on deck but discourage you taking a hot shower in your room between dives because of the limit of how much fresh water they can make a day. 15+ people each taking a hot shower between and after dives = a lot of water.

 

[charlier]

As with many things in this world...just because it isn’t for you doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else. Wear what you want to wear and whatever makes you warm and happy. No need to justify why you want to wear whatever you want.



As for Indonesia LOBs...the ones I have been on offer fresh rinse showers on deck but discourage you taking a hot shower in your room between dives because of the limit of how much fresh water they can make a day. 15+ people each taking a hot shower between and after dives = a lot of water.

outofofficebrb - many LoB's provide warm showers on the dive deck. I agree that its not a good idea to drip water within the dry areas of the boat and in your room

 

[CT-Rich]

I dove in Rhode Island in a 3mm last summer pretty much all July and August. But I’m from the area and grew up there. I’m also am a big guy at 220 lbs and they were shallow, Above 40’. Criticizing some one about there cold tolerance a half a world away seems pretty judgemental. If someone is from an area where temperatures seldom are below 70F, water temps may seem chilly. He asked for recommendations. A 3 or 5mm suit will probably be good. As was pointed out, a 2mm suit will be useless at 100’ because of compression. I also imagine those balmy surface temperatures won’t penetrate that deep.

 

[TMHeimer]

I dove in Rhode Island in a 3mm last summer pretty much all July and August. But I’m from the area and grew up there. I’m also am a big guy at 220 lbs and they were shallow, Above 40’. Criticizing some one about there cold tolerance a half a world away seems pretty judgemental. If someone is from an area where temperatures seldom are below 70F, water temps may seem chilly. He asked for recommendations. A 3 or 5mm suit will probably be good. As was pointed out, a 2mm suit will be useless at 100’ because of compression. I also imagine those balmy surface temperatures won’t penetrate that deep.

I use my shorty for those CT shore dives I do each July--don't even bring the 7 mil anymore. Often I am hot gearing up even in the shorty. 85-90F air can be nasty.

 

[EireDiver606]

I dove in Rhode Island in a 3mm last summer pretty much all July and August. But I’m from the area and grew up there. I’m also am a big guy at 220 lbs and they were shallow, Above 40’. Criticizing some one about there cold tolerance a half a world away seems pretty judgemental. If someone is from an area where temperatures seldom are below 70F, water temps may seem chilly. He asked for recommendations. A 3 or 5mm suit will probably be good. As was pointed out, a 2mm suit will be useless at 100’ because of compression. I also imagine those balmy surface temperatures won’t penetrate that deep.

Who did that?

 

[charlier]

I dove in Rhode Island in a 3mm last summer pretty much all July and August. But I’m from the area and grew up there. I’m also am a big guy at 220 lbs and they were shallow, Above 40’. Criticizing some one about there cold tolerance a half a world away seems pretty judgemental. If someone is from an area where temperatures seldom are below 70F, water temps may seem chilly. He asked for recommendations. A 3 or 5mm suit will probably be good. As was pointed out, a 2mm suit will be useless at 100’ because of compression. I also imagine those balmy surface temperatures won’t penetrate that deep.

For Indonesian waters, the SST is ranges between 27*-30*C. The air temperature is 27*-34C*, with high relative humidity. At 40 m, the water is temperature is still 27* to 29* C. During upwelling, the internal waves produce cold temperatures - but that is not typical of most diving in SE Asia.

 

[Lorenzoid]

For Indonesian waters . . . . During upwelling, the internal waves produce cold temperatures - but that is not typical of most diving in SE Asia.

I was warned about those upwellings or confluence of currents or whatever it was that made some dives in Komodo surprisingly chilly, and I was glad I took my 5mm. I'm sure it's not typical of the SE Asia region as a whole. But if I could only have one suit to dive everywhere in the temperate-to-tropical world, it would be a 5mm.