What exposure suits are needed for these temperatures?

[maaaarius]

I'm planning on buying some exposure suits but is a bit unsure about what I need. Seems like I need a least two suits, or maybe even three. Hopefully "just" two.

The thing is that I would like to dive in Norway where the temperature range from 1-22C (33-72F), but also in warmer water where the temperature lay around 23-30C (73-86F) like in Asia. So now I wonder if I can cover the whole temperature range with just two suits, or if I need three. Two or three, what kind of suits should I go for? Wet or dry? How thick? With or without hood, boots, glows and so on. I would like to dive all year around. I'm a skinny guy and I freeze very easily.

The reason I ask here is because the people in Asia were I recently were knew nothing about cold water diving and there was no help to get on that subject.

All answers are highly appreciated.

 

[fdog]

This should do it:

>Shell type dry suit
>3mm full wetsuit

All the best, James

 

[The Kraken]

Dry suit with hood, of course, and thick gloves. Not going to get into the shell//neoprene//compressed/crushed neoprene diatribe. But with varying undies for conditional comfort.

4/3 full suit, with hood and golves optional.

the K

 

[scubadobadoo]

What the guys said above. Adding hood or gloves to the 3mil or the dry suit can really make a huge dif. Below 78 and I am diving dry without the hood or gloves. Above and I have a 3mil with or with out hood or gloves. Using a trilam will make your dry suit experience a little more flexible as far as temps are concerned. Personally, I would be hot in a neoprene dry suit above 70f, but that's just me. However, I would buy a dry suit according to the temps you will usually be diving, not the warmest temps. Many other factors, oh crap, I got into it...lol.

 

[The Kraken]

Hawwrrr, hawwrr, hawwrr. . . .
Scubadobadoo . . . you bit ! ! ! !

I always go just 1mm thicker in warm water because the surface temp is no indicator of the bottom temp.

Remember, you can always let water in to cool off, but youse aint' gonna git warm under water once youse git cold!

the K

 

[maaaarius]

Thanks for all the input. It looks like I will be using a dry suite in Norway the entire year since we rarely have temperatures above 20C, and like I said earlier, I freeze very easily. At what temperatures do you recommend using hoods and glows? At what temperatures do you think a 3mm full wet suite will be too cold?

Let's say 23-25C (73.4-77F) will be to cold with 3mm full wet suite (I have no idea if it will be too cold or not) is there anything I can put on under the wet suite to make it warmer so I don't have to buy another wet suite for this small temperature range?

 

[airsix]

>Shell type dry suit

No..... A Norwegian should wear a vulcanized VIKING drysuit!

-Ben M. (diving in the same Viking suit since 1987. Last dive: Monday. Next dive: Saturday)

 

[pterantula]

Let's say 23-25C (73.4-77F) will be to cold with 3mm full wet suite (I have no idea if it will be too cold or not) is there anything I can put on under the wet suite to make it warmer so I don't have to buy another wet suite for this small temperature range?

You can always buy a skin/1mm suit, or a rash guard (or do people consider them the same thing?...), but if the 3mm is snug it might get uncomfortable.

I dove 77F (25C) waters with a full 5/4 suit, which might be on the warm side - especially before you hit the water - but it was advised by my dive shop who warned me 77F isn't as warm as it sounds, especially after many repetitive dives leeching your heat progressively (I booked diving for every day I was out there). By day 7, I felt quite comfortable.

 

[TheRedHead]

Let's say 23-25C (73.4-77F) will be to cold with 3mm full wet suite (I have no idea if it will be too cold or not) is there anything I can put on under the wet suite to make it warmer so I don't have to buy another wet suite for this small temperature range?

If you tend to get cold, I would wear a 5 mm at those temps.

 

[divingjd]

I've done a lot of diving in the Caribbean in the winter, when the water is usually about 78F. I usually wear a 1 mm hood, which helps a lot and it not expensive. If I get too warm, I take off the hood. I've done it several times during a dive. I have done a little diving in 74-75F water in the same gear, but never more than a single day with only two dives. It was OK, I was a little cool. I think I would have been cold doing more diving in that temperature. You could add a skin, but it is not clear it that it really makes you warmer. Some say it does, others say it does not. You could also add a 3mm vest or a hooded vest. This would probably work for this temperature range.