What water temps can I handle with a 5mm wet suit?

[Barnaby'sDad]

You people are hard core or maybe I am a wuss.

Above 80 always a 3mm
Mid 70s to 80, 5mm
Mid 70s to mid 60s, 7mm

Lower ranges involve a 7/5mm hood.

Anytime, I am willing to deal with it, drysuit.

I don’t dive to be uncomfortable.

With most people in my boat (diving a wide temperature range with a 5mm), I would imagine that is money driven....not comfort driven.

If I was in the position to own a 1mm, 3mm, 5mm, 7mm, and drysuit...I'd have one of each. If I can find a deal on a 7mm, I might go ahead and pick one up so that I can comfortably dive locally for the rest of the winter.

 

[CT-Rich]

Something to keep in mind. Much of what goes into feeling cold occurs in your head. In Alcatraz Prison they made sure prisoners could only take hot showers. This prevented them from getting used to the cold waters of the bay. If you think you are going to get cold in a 7 mm wetsuit in 65F water, you probably will. In the winter a 70F house is too stuffy warm for me, in the summer it is too cold. Not fixating on the anticipated water temp may prove helpful. Get in let the suit warm up and get used to it will probably help.

 

[J J]

I'm currently diving a 5mm + lavacore(+/-2mm) + hood(2mm) and gloves(5mm) in ~42F water. I added the hood, gloves and lavacore around 55F-60F. I can handle about 35 min, any longer and I truly core cold when I get out. Honestly the biggest issue I have is the wind on the surface. If it's gusty, cloudy, and in the lower 50's or below it kicks my butt. Lot's of hot water before and after the dive make it doable though. While I'm in the water I'm generally fine except for my hands which get cold. My wife went added a hooded vest and it seems to keep her warmer than me. As far as warmer weather goes, I've got no issues with the 5mm in 80F. Point being, my experience says you can stretch a 5mm fairly far. At some point though you're going to hit a point of diminishing returns and should get something thicker or go dry. I'm new enough that I don't quite feel like I'm there yet though. All of my experience is in calm quarry to ~80' at this point as well, so...

 

[lamarpaulski]

I am relatively new to the dive scene. I am not sure what water temperatures I should be able to endure with a 5mm Henderson wet suit. Please HELP!!!

Get a hooded vest and it will add to your cold tolerance considerably.

 

[lamarpaulski]

There are thing you can do to improve the performance of a wetsuit. I know people that add a rash guard under the suit to reduce water flow in the suit even more. I also recommend bringing a gallon of hot water to pour in the suit while zipping up. You will enjoy the hot water cooling down more than the cold water warming up. Adding a hood/gloves will improve the cold tolerance of awetsuit by several degrees. Of course there is the traditional method warming a wetsuit, but wait until you are in the water before doing that.

If you add some baby shampoo to hot water it heats you’re suit up prior to easily slipping it on.

 

[JackD342]

I am relatively new to the dive scene. I am not sure what water temperatures I should be able to endure with a 5mm Henderson wet suit. Please HELP!!!

Are you putting the cart before the horse here? Sounds like you have a 5mm suit and want to know where you can and can't use it. Usually we choose a dive first, and then want know what suit we need.

What is the real background issue you are trying to resolve?

 

[JackD342]

Are you putting the cart before the horse here? Sounds like you have a 5mm suit and want to know where you can and can't use it. Usually we choose a dive first, and then want know what suit we need.

What is the real background issue you are trying to resolve?

Never mind, I see you have twice posted that you now have the info you need.
I guess we are all just talking among ourselves now.
THAT'S never happened before..

 

[George D Heinze (Gee)]

Never mind, I see you have twice posted that you now have the info you need.
I guess we are all just talking among ourselves now.
THAT'S never happened before..

No, I have been diving, it's just that I do lake clean ups and it is coming up on winter. since I haven't been diving that long of a time I just wanted to be certain I can continue my work with the protection I have been using.I have not had the opportunity to dive in cooler weather yet, so I just didnt know what my limitations would be. Currently using, a 5mil wetsuit, 7mil.bibbed hood, and 5mil gloves. the coolest water I have dove has been in the low 70's, and I was comfortable in that temp.

 

[CT-Rich]

I'm currently diving a 5mm + lavacore(+/-2mm) + hood(2mm) and gloves(5mm) in ~42F water. I added the hood, gloves and lavacore around 55F-60F. I can handle about 35 min, any longer and I truly core cold when I get out. Honestly the biggest issue I have is the wind on the surface. If it's gusty, cloudy, and in the lower 50's or below it kicks my butt. Lot's of hot water before and after the dive make it doable though. While I'm in the water I'm generally fine except for my hands which get cold. My wife went added a hooded vest and it seems to keep her warmer than me. As far as warmer weather goes, I've got no issues with the 5mm in 80F. Point being, my experience says you can stretch a 5mm fairly far. At some point though you're going to hit a point of diminishing returns and should get something thicker or go dry. I'm new enough that I don't quite feel like I'm there yet though. All of my experience is in calm quarry to ~80' at this point as well, so...

A hooded vest does a couple of things. First it adds another layer of insulation to your core. second, it reduces water flow down the back of the suit. Your neck is a key area your body uses to regulate temperature (cooling the back of the neck in the summer). Minimizing water flow into the back of your suit improves the suit’s effectiveness.

 

[EireDiver606]

There are thing you can do to improve the performance of a wetsuit. I know people that add a rash guard under the suit to reduce water flow in the suit even more. I also recommend bringing a gallon of hot water to pour in the suit while zipping up. You will enjoy the hot water cooling down more than the cold water warming up. Adding a hood/gloves will improve the cold tolerance of awetsuit by several degrees. Of course there is the traditional method warming a wetsuit, but wait until you are in the water before doing that.

Despite what people believe, urinating will only keep you warm for a very small amount of time. After that, it actually makes you slightly colder.