What thickness wetsuit for Socal?

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hleshot

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Messages
6
Reaction score
1
Location
California
# of dives
25 - 49
I live in Norcal, but will likely being doing dives in Socal. What're the recommendations for wetsuit thickness? I get cold pretty easily as does my GF.

In advance, thanks!
 
7mm or drysuit. I use both
 
7mm wetsuit.
Full suit with hooded vest or two piece farmer John with attached hood beaver tail style like a freediving suit, or a two piece step in suit John jacket style with a bib hood or a hooded vest but using a hooded vest would be a lot of rubber and you’d need a bigger weightbelt.
 
I've never seen anyone in a 5mm. Depending on the time of year it can be mid 60s F / 18 C, but I see as many drysuits as wetsuits.
 
Definitely 7mm with a hood, perhaps a hooded vest. I don't know if you dive where you live, but the water is only a little bit warmer down here.
 
I've never seen anyone in a 5mm. Depending on the time of year it can be mid 60s F / 18 C, but I see as many drysuits as wetsuits.
I dive in a 5mm year-round. I vary my hood choices by season and water temp as I have a 1mm, 3mm, and 7/5 drysuit hood from which to choose.
 
I get cold pretty easily as does my GF.

In that case, go with a drysuit. That allows you to use different underwear for different conditions. Depth also makes a big difference. I'm fine in custom 7mm two-piece wetsuit on Monterey down to about 60' where suit compression causes a loss of insulation. That can extend to about 100' off San Diego. Drysuit insulation isn't depth independent.

Don't discount diving in the NorCal. Carmel Bay is the best I have ever seen when conditions are really good. I lived in San Diego over 30 years.
 
Typical water temps

Palos Verdes/San Diego
Summer mid 50s to upper 60s
Winter upper 40s to mid 50s

Laguna Beach/Catalina Island
Summer mid 60s to low 70s
Winter mid 50s to low 60s

Deep wrecks can be high 40s to low 60s any time of year.
I've had 54-56° on all dives around Palos Verdes this month.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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