Wetsuit thickness for Costa Rica?

[Mr. Sunday]

What wet suit thickness do you guys suggest for June in Playa del Coco Costa Rica?

I have a 3/2 and a 4.2mm. Both full suits. Also have a 2mm hood and a 7mm hood I can use as well.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Yes I do realize it varies from person to person but am wondering what is typical.

Thanks!

 

[szohn]

I dove with a full 3mm when I was there in November. I got cold on some of the dives which were usally about 45 minutes long. As a comparison I dive with no wetsuit or skin at all in Caymans and Cozumel doing 4-5 dives a day in june and wear a 3mm in Hawaii both winter and summer.

I see your from PNW, so I sure you are probably used to colder water diving than I am (i'm from ohio but never dive here).

 

[Diver Lori]

I froze in Costa Rica on the night dives, and was a little chilled on the day dives. I wore a 3mm jump suit. For comparison, I wear a 3mm jumpsuit and little cap hood in Belize, Roatan and the Caymans during the summer months and am just right. For the night dives I add a hooded vest.

For me, when I go back to CR, it will be a 5mm for sure. But I have been known to bring both a 3mm and a 5mm when I wasn't sure and it's paid off.

 

[puravida02]

I dive regularly in Guanacaste between May and November (when the water is normally warmer) with a 5/4/3 wetsuit, which is perfect for me. It's frequent to hit very cold thermoclines. I tend to get cold more easily than most people and still I don't really need a hood between these months. Between December and April, different story: a hood helps a lot and I wouldn't recommend anything lighter than an 5 mm wetsuit.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

Thank you for the advice. I think I am going to go with the 4.3mm full and I will bring a light hood just incase I get cold on some of the deeper dives.

What was you overall opinion of the diving? I know its not typical tropical diving. Thanks again for you help

 

[oly5050user]

just got back 2 weeks ago, took a group of 35 people,dove with sea safari out of villa sol hotel,used 3 boats..diving in my opinion was so-so..saw some large rays not too many..1 white tip reef shark..water was cold...68 degrees at 60'..many thermoclines..visibility poor at 20-25'..sota like diving here on the south shore on the san diego wreck out of Long island..wore a 5/3 suit with a polartech skin and 3/5 hooded vest..diving was a little bit of a disappointment,but I am spoiled since I worked for a time at St thomas and have run trips all through the islands..rest of the country was fun.Horse riding,zip lines volcano tours hot springs white water rafting all cool..San Jose is one big getto..do not plan on spending much time there..had to work camera 2-3' from subject to get image I care for..

 

[szohn]

Here are some pics from my trip last November. I saw more large animals on that trip than all my other trips combined. Definitely do the Bats and Catalina, thats we saw that mantas, schools of bat rays and the bull sharks. The viz definitely isn't the caribbean and it changes on each dive. The worst we had when we were there was about 20' with the best being about 80' averaging around 40'.

http://www.toptown.com/Default.aspx?tabid=570

 

[Rich Coast Diving]

Hi kgdiver,

I'm a spoiled diver as well because I used to dive in the Carribbean every day for the last 6 years.
I've moved to Costa Rica and must say the visibility is not the greatest, but the big fish defenitly make up for it. Sahrks, rays, dolphins....

At this moment I dive with a 3mm long and am ok most of the time, I do always take a hooded vest just in case.
We can take you to the bat islands and keep our fingers crossed that we encounter the bull sharks.
This month we're in a transistion period, the manta's are leaving and the bull sharks over coming over. so............
Make sure when you book a trip to the bats to get a dive shop with a permit. Ask and pay your $6 entrance fee. If they don't charge you this fee, they are not allowed to visit the Bats. (it's a natural park) Of course we have a permit, so you're more than welcome to come dive with us at RIch Coast Diving!
Have fun in COsta RIca!

 

[Mr. Sunday]

Rich. I will keep that in mind. Thanks, thats good information.

szohn those are great photo's. Thank you for sharing your trip.

 

[puravida02]

..San Jose is one big getto..do not plan on spending much time there...

Nice comment...

Costa Rica is a Third World country, that usually means that you won't find the wealth you see in the northern hemisphere. Still, generally people understand this and visit these countries respecting their realities. Don't know where you stayed while in San Jose, but I think that the considerable foreign community that lives in San Jose finds enough reasons to live in this "getto".