what thickness wetsuit do you use??

[Fishkiller]

Ok here's this question for you all to reply to.

I have been told that I have a weird metabolism. In 82F water I was to hot in anything but my swim trunks. In the 63F water in the ocean I was quite happy with a 3mil though when I hit the termalcline and the temp dropped to 58F I thought that cold.

besides the drysuit divers what thickness to you all don??

 

[ages]

Well...I am a drysuit diver. But I wore a 3mil wetsuit diving in Costa Rica (on the Pacific side) and was very comfortable. Water temps were in the mid to upper 60's. Please keep in mind that I stick my face in 35 degree water several times a week, so 65 degree water is pretty comfy to me!! ages

 

[dmentia]

My only real diving so far has been in 79 degrees. I was very comfortable in just a lycra skin and trunks. (I can't say how comfortable the rest of the people were in having to see me in a lycra skin!)
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[Aardal]

Fishkiller....

In warmer 75-80 degree water I wear a 3mm shorty. I dive here in the northwest and the average water temp here is about 49-51 degrees and then I dive a 2pc 6.5mm semi-dry suit. When I get colder than 49 degrees I usually where a skin with my semi-dry suit....Right now a dry suit is in the works. Me personally I think it comes down to how much can you tolerate the water temp. Good Luck and I hope this helps.

Dive Safe...

Aardal
eace:

 

[DiverInAk]

I'm not sure how this helps, as I think exposure protection requirements is one of those things that varies widely between people.

I can dive comfortably in 39F with a fleece skin under a neoprene semi-dry, in 75-77 this past week I was cozy in just the fleece-lycra skin. In the same 77 degree water, my daughter felt cold in a 0.5mm skin, and was better with a 3mm shorty over the 0.5mm full suit.

If you are diving in warm water with a naturally high internal thermostat, consider a lycra skin or a 0.5mm full suit for UV and/or sting/abbrasion protection. The lighter skins can work well as a basis for thicker protection if you need it. Layering also works well for multiple dives as you may find yourself cooler on the second or third dives of the day.

 

[herman]

I mix and match a 7 mm farmer john/7mm long sleeve top/ fleese skin and a nylon skin. I usally try to dive a little more than I think I will need. Sure is a lot more pleasent to flush a little cool water thru the suit than to shiver. So 65 deg quarry-both 7mm, a 72 deg spring- fleece and 7mm top....85 deg tropic- skin day/fleece night. Skins are always a good idea, they protect you from several diving nasties like jellyfish and sunburn and make getting into and out of a wetsuit a lot easier.

 

[scubabunny]

Ok, now I feel like a major wuss!

I starting diving here in nothing but my bathing suit and a t-shirt (water is 87-83degrees depending on summer or winter). Now, 2 years later, I'm wearing a full 3/2mm suit. And I still get cold. The last dive, my computer told me it was 79 degrees (due to the wet season runoff from the mountains) and I was FREEZING!!!

Guess it is all what you get used to. It was 92 degrees the other night...at 3:00am! And it isn't even summer yet! I will just FREEZE my butt off when I go home to Maryland this summer! I want to dive the lakes there...but I may just go into shock!