Wetsuit Thickness for New England

[MAKO Spearguns]

Most of our customers would choose a 7 mm suit. We offer full suits in 3, 5 and 7 mm. Our largest mens suits, will fit a diver somewhat over 250 lbs. Perhaps this will work for the OP and avoid a custom suit?

These suits are VERY warm and will leak almost zero water if the fit matches the diver reasonably well.

Men's Yamamoto 3D Reef Camo 2 Piece Open Cell Wetsuits

Yamamoto Neoprene is the best and most expensive neoprene in the world. NO OTHER SPEARFISHING WETSUIT HAS MORE STRETCH, COMFORT, WARMTH OR DURABILITY

makospearguns.com

 

[TrimixToo]

Before I went dry, I used a 7mm farmer john with a 3mm vest that had an integral hood with a 7mm cold water hood over it and 3-finger gloves to dive in Maine, even in the winter (one you get 20' deep the water is warmer!). When I was *ahem* younger, that was enough to keep me warm provided I stayed active throughout the dive. There's a brand of 3-finger gloves that are semi-dry and better than the others but I don't recall what it is just now. If Evie Dudas is still working (Dudas Diving Duds) I believe she makes custom suits.

As I got older and started doing deco, wet suits became the wrong answer for me, but if you're a warm diver they could remain a reasonable answer for you. Bear in mind that the deeper you go the less insulation a wet suit provides.

But dry is definitely the right long-term answer for New England, just as it is for, um, old England.

 

[CT-Rich]

I dive a 5mm in the summer and have a dry suit for the rest of the year. diving between end of October and early May is pretty dull. most bigger critters are in deeper water. I would recommend taking a look at the 7mm Henderson wetsuits. They give a pretty good size range and are comfortable. If you they can't fit you, I would start looking at a dry suit. I have been reading a lot of good things about the Seaskin drysuits out of England, very reasonably priced for a custom. If you are going to go a lot of wreck/ tech, dry may be the way to go. if you are doing some local (read Rhode Island diving) 7 mm will be okay most of the time. If you are going to drive north to Cape Anne, dry would be best, but I have gotten by up there with a wetsuit.

 

[BigMooseWarning]

Thank you, everyone, for your answers. I will start shopping around. I just got my first set of scuba gear and most likely will do some pool diving over the winter to get used to the new set! That will hopefully give me enough time to save up for a dry suit. I have been reading mixed reviews on the Seaskins; are they really that good? It's hard to believe something could be so much cheaper yet of the same quality!

 

[Boarderguy]

I have been reading mixed reviews on the Seaskins; are they really that good? It's hard to believe something could be so much cheaper yet of the same quality!

Go with Seaskin. They are fantastic and about $3-4k less than a custom drysuit from the local LDS supported brands. Here's a couple threads to go through. Enjoy

Review - Seaskin Nova drysuit

I ordered a new Seaskin Nova (trilam) drysuit at the beginning of June. It arrived last week. I took it up to the Saint Lawrence River and did 7 wreck dives from Fri to Mon (yesterday), as part of an Advanced Wreck Penetration class with @Trace Malinowski. I am VERY pleased with how it worked...

scubaboard.com

Just got my new Seaskin Nova -- a brief follow-up thread

Since the original thread devolved and got locked, I'm posting a new thread to report the results of my back-and-forth with Seaskin/Aqualand about the round vs. oval cuffs. Aqualand's sales manager, Onur, is a super-nice fellow, and he was more than willing to make things right. Shipping the...

scubaboard.com

 

[MB NZ]

Wetsuit for New England is called drysuit

Sounds just like old England.

 

[BoltSnap]

Sounds just like old England.

With a little different accent

 

[Bubblesong]

Besides in-water comfort, also consider when you get out of water, because changing in the parking lot on a cold windy day is not nearly as awful in a drysuit and cozy fleece undergarment.

 

[MB NZ]

Besides in-water comfort, also consider when you get out of water, because changing in the parking lot on a cold windy day is not nearly as awful in a drysuit and cozy fleece undergarment.

I'm very pro-drysuit for coldwater diving, but when I'm freediving in coldwater, I'll leave the wetsuit on and put a Surf-Fur coat on over the top. When I get to my car, I get in as I am and crank the heater right up. A cold, windy car park is no place to be getting naked! Wetsuit comes off in the shower.

 

[lexvil]

Thank you, everyone, for your answers. I will start shopping around. I just got my first set of scuba gear and most likely will do some pool diving over the winter to get used to the new set! That will hopefully give me enough time to save up for a dry suit. I have been reading mixed reviews on the Seaskins; are they really that good? It's hard to believe something could be so much cheaper yet of the same quality!

Where have you seen “mixed” reviews?