Wetsuits

[Dave85]

Hey guys, I'm somewhat of a newbie but have been getting alot more into diving lately. I have previously rented my gear, and am thinking of buying my own. The main question I have is will a 7mm suit with a hood be warm enough during winter in socal, or do i need to go thinker or even to a drysuit. Also, would you recommend wearing a 1.5mm top under it when its colder?
Thanks

 

[Cyclops_Diver]

Howdy!

I'm a newbie myself, but I've got a 7mm suit with integrated hood and I haven't been too cold on any dive here yet. I just wear my UDT's underneath and havent thought of layering the suit. I reckon it depends on your preference and tolerance of cold temperatures?

I am quite interested in seeing what others have to say though!

 

[alibi 2]

I live in Central CA, monterey area..I have always worn a wetsuit even diving So Cal which is warmer..here the temps right now are about 58 degrees but last winter we were diving in temps of 49 degrees..I've always worn a 7mm suit

My first suit was a custom White Stag (they werent making womens suits in '74 so to get a good fit you had to go custom)

My current suit is a Scuba Pro Everflex. We all three dive with the Everflex and love it...it is a 7mm suit in layers..the hood is attached to a vest...the suit itself is a one piece that zips up the back over the hooded vest ...it is very warm and flexible..which makes it comfortable to wear in or out of the water...I have rarely been cold in this suit and I also wear it up north in Mendicino to Ab dive...

 

[Mark Vlahos]

When I lived and dove in SoCal I started using a good Xcel wetsuit. It was an 8/7/6 single piece suit with attached hood and a zipper across the chest. The suit kept me warm in the water. I eventually switched to a dry suit for the winter (and summer too) because I was warmer on the surface between dives. I found that on multiple dive days the wetsuit was not enough for the last dive of the day. A dry suit with good undergarments however meant that when I entered the water for the second or third dive, I was just as warm as I had been when I started the first dive.

A dry suit will almost certainly be more expensive so you need to decide for yourself, but my experience has been that I am more comfortable in a dry suit in the cool waters off of Southern California.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Codyjp]

I started out with a 7mm and a hooded vest. it was mostly warm enough but I found that deeper then maybe 80' and the compression of the suit caused parts of me to get to small so I moved on to a drysuit and am happy with that so far. One of my dive buddies has a semi-dry suit and it seems quite nice. I am not sure of the brand but that would be worth looking into as well.

 

[Ayisha]

My group will be coming to SoCal in about 1 1/2 weeks. We regularly dive to those temps (38F+) up to low 70's in Ontario (Canada). For the water temps expected in SoCal in the winter, I would wear a 7mm 2-piece wetsuit with hood and gloves, and neoprene socks (very warm!). Some of my buddies, on the other hand, will be wearing drysuits.

If you're considering buying a wetsuit, a good choice is a 7mm full wetsuit with a core warmer. It is much more versatile than a farmer john style (overall pants with shorty jacket) because each piece in a classic farmer john style 2-piece suit is not very useful by itself. It's also got double the thickness of the 1-piece at the torso, keeping you warmer.

The 7 mm full wetsuit (with sleeves) is perfect by itself and can be worn with the core warmer (overall shorty) when diving colder temps to keep your torso warm. It's much more practical and versatile.

Fit is very important in keeping you warm. If the wetsuit fits you snugly (without being constricting), you will have less cold water transfer and stay warmer. Lobster claw gloves will keep you warmer than 5-finger gloves, but I'm fine with gloves even to 38F. Eating well and dressing/keeping warm between dives will keep you warmer for your next dive. Neoprene socks dry quickly, travel well, and keep your feet warmer. Your cold tolerance will determine if you need a drysuit to stay comfortable...

 

[dpbishop]

I dove So Cal in a 5 mil for 28 years, just upgraded to a 7 mil. (it was a gift) I never got cold enough in the 5 mil to bother me, in the 7 mil I'm comfortable all winter and a little to warm in the late summer. Wet suit diving is eaiser then dry suit diving, and less expensive, so try a 7 mil first. If you decide to go dry later you still have the wet suit for when it's warm. One thing about the 7 mil, it takes about 5 more lbs of lead to get me down.

 

[Teamcasa]

A perfectly fitting wetsuit works for me. However, I do chill a little if I spend too much time in one spot video taping at depth. During a normal dive I am fine. I will also reiterate a perfectly fitting suit is the key to warmth. So unless you have an off the rack body shape, get a custom one made. I used New Wave Wetsuit, very good outfit.
That said, I am beginning to think a drysuit is in my near future.

 

[jmichaels]

7mm should be good especially in layers. A multipiece package will allow for all the layering you need as well as options for other climates!


Something like this should do well for you.
7mm 2-Piece Wetsuit Package

 

[Scuba.com]

A 7mm one piece suit with a hood is typical for SoCal diving. A hooded vest can be used for extra warmth. The Hyperstretch material is the most comfortable. Gold Core or Insta-Dry will be the warmest.
scuba gear package - Wetsuit at scuba.com