Wetsuit thickness for Australia

[freeze43]

Hi, I'm brand new to scuba diving and I was wondering what sort of thickness a wetsuit I should purchase.
I live in Sydney Australia, and plan to dive there as well as up in Queensland. I'd like to do it all year round in Sydney if possible (water temperature gets to about 14 C in winter).

If I added a hood to the mix for colder situations, what thickness wetsuit should I purchase and what is a good brand?

Many thanks.

 

[Agility]

For 14°C 7mm is the minimum IMHO, consider an additional ice-vest. Hood and gloves are important at that temperature.
Good fit is more important than brand, you should go to your LDS and try some on.

 

[Griffo]

I doubt one suit will do you - Qld is a very large place with a wide range of water temps! Brisbane divers tend to dive in 5mm steamers (wimps) in Summer and get into thicker suits or dry when it gets "cold" in winter when it hits 19C. I personally can handle down to about 19C in a 5mm before it becomes a problem. 19C is about the lowest in Brisbane, it gets warmer the further up the coast you go, no way you'd want to be in a 5mm off Cairns in Summer!.

Below 19C that I get into a 5/7mm semi-dry and a hooded vest - they make a big difference. I've dived this down to 15C although on on skills dive - where you don't move as much and thus generate less heat - I ended up blue and shivering at this temp.

So for Sydney you'll probably want a 5/7 semi or similar for the colder months, and a 5mm steamer for the warmer. I would wear a 5mm over the 5/7 any time I could due to freedom of movement and loss of lead.

What you should do is ask your LDS what they rent, and what they wear. Everyone is different, but that should give you a good idea.

Check out wetsuitewarehouse - they are in Brisbane, but sell online. They are generally much cheaper than your LDS. Also look to buy "out of season". So buy the thinner suit now when it's cheap and unpopular, and the thicker suit in Summer etc. When I first started diving my LDS suckered me into a $700 semi dry. Once I learnt a little, I got a 5mm, a 5/7 semi, and the hooded vest for the GF for under $500.

Another option is these guys who will make you a custom fit wetsuit (not a semi though, shame) for around $350 -> http://rubberjungle.com/

If you have to do with one suit - get the semi dry, and a good hooded vest like a Sharskin or Probe or separate hood and vest. That way you can switch out the layers. In the worst case, you can cool down by flushing the suit, you can't warm up in a thinner suit.

 

[SubMariner]

Hi, I'm brand new to scuba diving and I was wondering what sort of thickness a wetsuit I should purchase.
I live in Sydney Australia, and plan to dive there as well as up in Queensland. I'd like to do it all year round in Sydney if possible (water temperature gets to about 14 C in winter).

If I added a hood to the mix for colder situations, what thickness wetsuit should I purchase and what is a good brand?

Many thanks.

Have you ever considered a shell dry suit? By varying the clothing underneath, it will handle a much wider temperature swing than a single neoprene suit.

FWIW,

 

[TMHeimer]

14C is about 56F. I HAVE done that in my shorty, but usually use the top to my 7 mil wetsuit for core protection. I use the hood always for 2 reasons--Heat loss is greatest from your head and it keeps water from getting too far in my ears. I do use a swimmers cap in the tropics just for the ear thing. Of course, everyone has a different cold tolerance. How long can you stay in at a given water temp. when just going for a swim? Perhaps the only way to know exactly what you need is to rent different stuff at first and see how you do?

 

[jmneill]

I use the hood always for 2 reasons--Heat loss is greatest from your head.

This theory our mom shared with us has been debunked, however you wouldn't find me in 14c w/o a hood.

 

[mac.calder]

I'm in Perth - Water Temps between 16 and 19deg C at the moment... Most of the guys here dive a 3 and 5mm over each other during winter - personally I dive a radiator 1.5mm (manufactured in Freemantle) shorts and long sleeved top with a 3mm over it and don't have too many issues with temperature.

 

[phuonguyen]

I doubt one suit will do you - Qld is a very large place with a wide range of water temps! Brisbane divers tend to dive in 5mm steamers (wimps) in Summer and get into thicker suits or dry when it gets "cold" in winter when it hits 19C.

Wimps?? Where are you getting this? I think you're a little jealous that Brisbane has real sunlight that you can tan on
I dive in Summer, boardies and a rashie! And maybe a 3mm for deeper dives! In winter, I tend to go for my 5mm Semidry, but I'm buying a drysuit soon.

Check out wetsuitewarehouse - they are in Brisbane, but sell online. They are generally much cheaper than your LDS.

+1 for Adreno for wetsuits. If you're up here, check them out, they have a large range of suits that you can try on in store, they've got some great deals as well as staff... I know the management.

And I would suggest a shell drysuit with different undergarments, just like SubMariner, if you're set on only one suit.

 

[Griffo]

Wimps?? Where are you getting this? I think you're a little jealous that Brisbane has real sunlight that you can tan on
I dive in Summer, boardies and a rashie! And maybe a 3mm for deeper dives! In winter, I tend to go for my 5mm Semidry, but I'm buying a drysuit soon.
.

I am.. just not jealous about the food scene, the cafe scene, or the night scene, or anything else really apart from the weather hey (i'm actually from Brisbane, so am allowed to pay it out).


Actually I consciously didn't reccomend a shell suit as how many newbie divers want to sink $2k+ into a suit and undergarments.

 

[XS-NRG]

Yup 7mm for Sydney based on that temp. QLD is vast and varies. I dove in a 5mm in Coffs Harbour and even in the Whitsundays but have a friend in Cairns that bikini dives with no suit at all. It will vary. You won't want a 7mm for those really hot dives 24+ but will find it nice for 14 C dives. If you move around alot then renting may be a better option but if you find yourself staying in one spot I'd invest in the suit needed for that area. Or just get a drysuit ;-)