What do you consider "Cold Water" when wetsuit diving?

[gerryw]

Most of my diving to date has been in 11-12 deg (52-54F). I find that for one dive, I have no problem with a full 7mm with 7mm jacket. I have never tried colder, but I think I could stand several degrees colder.

However, for the second dive, I was always cold with the wetsuit. Even in what passes for winter in northern Chile, we have only small open boats and got seriously chilled in the wind and cool air heading back to the beach. We could not replace the lost heat during the surface interval and tended to enter the water already chilled for the second dive. The drysuit was the solution.

When the water in summer rises above 15C or so (60F) I consider switching back to the wetsuit. I prefer to sweat in that than the drysuit. Between the warmer water and the intense sun here, the drysuit is more than required.

Gerry

 

[Parrotthead]

i hate the cold with a passion but im geographically stuck with coldness in michigan. the water rarely gets above 70 and the thermocline doesnt get anywhere near that warm in most lakes. my first dive out into lake michigan this year the water was 38 degrees. our whole group of about 12 people dove it in wetsuits. we had a blast but we were all really cold.

 

[jeffrowland]

I did two dives this weekend off Pt. Loma in San Diego. The first was @ 100' low temp 51, second dive @ 97' temp was 48. I froze in a 7/5mm wetsuit. My buddies all diving dry and were yukking it up. May be time to invest in a drysuit.

 

[ScubaJorgen]

Ice dive
Past winter I did some ice diving in my wetsuit. I did not intent to. It was a dark night dive after a couple of days freezing, the point were we got in was open. We assumed the entire lake to be open. It was not. We went undeep at a point and encountered the surface to be frozen. It was not possible to punch a fist through. After a while we went back and found our way out.

I threw a heavy stone in the water. It sounded like clung.....clung.....clung..clung clungclungclungungungung. Not what we were used to really. At that point we realized the entire lake was frozen, except from the point we went in.

wetsuit
Ok, back to the topic: I used to dive in my 7-8 mm overall wetsuit whole year. Coldest water is 2-4 C. In winter I use a neprene undershirt and a pair of neprene socks. What really works for cold hands is a couple of mittens! I really can recommend them.

In coldest water: after 15-20 minutes occasional shivers start to occur. Dive ends after 30-40 minutes max. After that I still can stop shivering when I want to. I think when you are unable to control shivering you passed the line. Bad part is getting out of your wetuit and into your clothes. Water cannot get colder than a couple of degrees centigrade, air however can . Appart from a few fingers or toes I get warm shortly after the dive.

We are used to take hot coffee or choclate with us when it is cold. I can really recommend that!

This winter I repaired a hole in the fork (between the legs). Geeee that made great comfort for some body parts.....

 

[victoriawtx]

and that was COLD. The lake had a very distinct thermocline that was so shocking I almost forgot to breathe. LOL


BRRRRR!

 

[icebox]

call me a wimp, (I am) but if the water is anywhere 80 or lower, you will find mein my 7 mil suit. if it is 70 or less you will find me in my hood as well. I can not get used to gloves, but I am sure I would wear them if I am planning anything deep that is much below 70. If diving someplace exotic, I can dive in a 3 mil in 80 deg water, but I would be happier with my 7 mil on.

Mike

 

[Soggy]

icebox once bubbled...
call me a wimp, (I am) but if the water is anywhere 80 or lower, you will find mein my 7 mil suit. if it is 70 or less you will find me in my hood as well. I can not get used to gloves, but I am sure I would wear them if I am planning anything deep that is much below 70. If diving someplace exotic, I can dive in a 3 mil in 80 deg water, but I would be happier with my 7 mil on.

Mike

I, too dive in a 7mm for anything in the 70s or below.

Of course, I also dive in a drysuit in the winter in New England, so I have a wide variety of comfort levels

 

[FSUgly]

I'm a wimp! For me, if its below 72, it's cold!



Tom

 

[pt40fathoms]

I dive a 7mm with a 5mm hooded over-shorty in the late fall, winter, and spring. During the summer months, when the ice has melted and the surface water temp is about 55f and above, I dive my 5/4/3 with a bibbed hood. The thermal layer is about 25 to 35 feet and the water temp drops to 38f. I feel the temp drop in my 5/4/3, and I love it!

I have however purchased a dry suit. This unfortunately is a necessity for longer duration deco stops. I rarely get cold, but have to concede the need to go dry if I want to venture deeper, darker and colder.;-0 Even I have a limit to cold exposure, that limit seems to be about 1.5 hours in 38f water with a 7mm and 5mm hooded over-shorty.

I still dive wet, just cause I like the water and the streamlining a wet suit gives you. The dry suit is for the more extreme dives.

 

[Ronsch]

I'm with FSUgly. Us Tallahassee guys gotta stick together. Anything colder than 72 is cold but then of course I only own a 3mm suit and a skin. My philosophy is if it's too cold for 3mm it's too cold to dive. On the other hand, I will do multi-dive days with just my 0.5mm skin in 79-80F water with no problem.