What can of exposure suit for MA/RI?

[learn2turn]

Hi, I'm not a diver but hope some day to learn. I'm curious about what's needed to dive in MA/RI. I'm sure it depends on where, time of year, how deep, etc. What I'd like to know is if you were a new diver diving in SW trips in MA/RI during reasonable weather, say May or June thru Sept, what kind of suit would you want?

If anyone would explain for the various types of sites available, what suit you would need that would be great.

 

[mfalco]

a 7mm suit with sepaerate boots, hood, and gloves would do the trick

 

[Lursxt]

which vendors would call a 'semi-dry'. I have a henderson 7/5mm. I've dove from late april through early november on cape anne in water as low as 47deg. I've been confortable. I also wear a 3mm core warmer which is a vest, underneath my wetsuit when the water gets colder than 50deg. That's what I'd recommend for a wetsuit. If you can get a good fitting one the integrated hood lets in much less water down your back! Of course boots and gloves are necessary as well. I have 7mm boots and a pair of 5mm and 7mm gloves. Right now I'm wearing the 5mm because the water is relatively warm and they offer better dexterity. Henderson and Pinnacle are good places to start looking.

 

[Rainer]

If I were to dive wet here, I'd wear a 7mm + hooded vest (6/4mm). Even during the "warmer" season, I dive dry. Don't forget, water at depth is still quite cold. We had 44F on Burnham's last week at 115'. Even in 50-60' in Boston Harbor we hit 48F a few weeks ago. That's DS time.

 

[Lursxt]

That's true. I should preface that most of my diving is shore diving.

 

[Rainer]

If you absolutely KNOW that you're going to limit yourself to the "warm" season (roughly the months you suggest) and moderate depths (likely shore dives only), then Lursxt's recommendation is spot on. A 7mm suit with 5-7mm hood, gloves, and booties, plus an optional hooded vest is probably the cheapest (and quite reasonable) way to go. If you think there's a chance you want to do deeper dives, or dive year round, then put your money toward a DS.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Ide get a Bare Arctic 7mm ful suit for RI and a Drysuit for MA diving. A Bare Nexgen if you are on a budget.

 

[learn2turn]

One guy in a wetsuit shop in NJ that sells Henderson said that around there you'd need a 7mm farmer john and a jacket. WOuldn't that be colder than a one piece and then a hooded vest on top?

 

[Rainer]

One guy in a wetsuit shop in NJ that sells Henderson said that around there you'd need a 7mm farmer john and a jacket. WOuldn't that be colder than a one piece and then a hooded vest on top?

"colder"? In any case, a 7mm FJ will put 14mm over your core. That's more than a typical hooded vest + 7mm full suit (would be about 10-11mm over your core).

Edit: That said, I hate FJs. Pain to deal with.

 

[ScubaSarus]

For some reason, I seemed to get more water flushing with my F/J yhan my full suit so for below 60 I use a Bare full 7mm with the F/J top with cutoff sleeves. Works like a charm.