What type of wetsuit for Bonaire?

[hroark2112]

We just got back last week. My wife doesn't have a ton of tolerance to cold and she wore a bathing suit & rash guard. I wore a swimsuit & t-shirt. 21 dives in 5 days. Only time I was cold was when I woke up in the room in the morning & my wife had the t-stat to the "store meat" setting

 

[tajkd]

Drysuit

 

[Malpaso]

I dove in a 1mm, but I dive wet on New Years Day in New England.

 

[Lorenzoid]

We have been there in November, and I am more than warm enough in a 3/2 full. None of our group wears more than 3 mm, and one of us dives in bathing suit only. My dive computer registered 82-84 F (accuracy not guaranteed).

 

[traveljunkie]

I was there for 7 days Easter week and the water temp was 81 F pretty consistent and air temp was about 85 F every day. I dove 3-5 times per day including night dives and always wore a 3mm full suit. I never really got chilled even at the end of the day.

 

[Kharon]

I dove there in mid-January for 2 weeks in a skin. I brought along a 2mm equivalent Henderson polyeofin suit that I only wore on my first dive. Never got cold. For comparison I use 10mm core and 7mm extremeties (layered) to dive Lake George - thermocline about 50-60°F depending on time of year. I can not imagine needing a drysuit, or even getting into one in the sun and heat on Bonaire. I'd die putting on a 3mm wetsuit. When I was there the water was a uniform 79°F as deep as you want to go every day.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
I'd die putting on a 3mm wetsuit. When I was there the water was a uniform 79°F as deep as you want to go every day.

In 79 F water, I am comfortable in a 5 mm or else a 3 mm plus a Lavacore. To me, anything under 80 is cold water. Just goes to show how personal the wetsuit decision is!

 

[wwguy]

In 79 F water, I am comfortable in a 5 mm or else a 3 mm plus a Lavacore. To me, anything under 80 is cold water. Just goes to show how personal the wetsuit decision is!

I agree 100%. Many variables factor into determining ideal exposure protection for any diver on any given day. Water temperature, immersion duration, immersion frequency, air temp before and after immersion, surface interval, dive activity (swim fast or slow), metabolic rate, physical body type and condition, distribution of exposure protection (shorty, beanie, etc.), wetsuit condition (old vs. new), and wetsuit design and fit (no air pockets or water inlet point) are a few that come to mind.

I started diving on Bonaire 16 years ago in a 3/2 shorty, then switched to a 3/2 full wetsuit a few years later. Last year I found I was getting cold at 45 minutes or so into the dive. I'd tough it out for another 15 minutes or so and then bask in the sunshine as soon as I got out of the water, trying to get warm. This year I switched to a new 5/4 full suit and consistently enjoyed dives in the 60 to 75 minute range during a 3 week trip. A little surprised that my bottom time was extended, I calculated my SAC rate vs previous years and was pleasantly surprised to see that it had indeed improved. I attribute this in part to my body not needing to increase my heart rate to stay warm.

Looking at my log book, the water temperature remained pretty much the same over the years. The only thing that really changed was me.

 

[bdizzle]

Is a wetsuit even needed? Having done places such as cozumel and st croix, I found that in Cozumel, a 3mm full made me too warm. Therefore in St. Croix and more recently San Carlos, just did the boardshort/rashguard approach and was much more comfortable. Headed to Bonaire in t-minus 2 weeks and curious if a wetsuit is even needed?

 

[TheWizard]

Is a wetsuit even needed? Having done places such as cozumel and st croix, I found that in Cozumel, a 3mm full made me too warm. Therefore in St. Croix and more recently San Carlos, just did the boardshort/rashguard approach and was much more comfortable. Headed to Bonaire in t-minus 2 weeks and curious if a wetsuit is even needed?

Depends on the time of year.
Definitely needed a 3mm in my March and April trips, when ocean is coolest.
My October and November trips, no, just a skin...