What wet suit for Jamaica in September?

[GTO NEMESIS]

Just wondering what wet suit people use in Jamaica in September?

At present all I have iis:
AquaLung Professional Tech Suit - Balance Comfort 5.5 (Full Wet Suit – Blue, Red, Black & Silver)
AquaLung Professional Tech Suit - Balance Comfort 5.5 (Matching Shortie)

I'm happy to buy a new one as i'm guessing 5.5MM is going to be a bit on the warm side?

Thanks
Mark

 

[ronbeau]

Just wondering what wet suit people use in Jamaica in September?

At present all I have iis:
AquaLung Professional Tech Suit - Balance Comfort 5.5 (Full Wet Suit – Blue, Red, Black & Silver)
AquaLung Professional Tech Suit - Balance Comfort 5.5 (Matching Shortie)

I'm happy to buy a new one as i'm guessing 5.5MM is going to be a bit on the warm side?

Thanks
Mark

Unless you are always extremely cold I think you will be extremely hot in the 5.5 mm suit.

I dove on the Big Island of Hawaii at the end June and early July. The water temperature was 76 - 77⁰ F and I wore a 3 mm full suit rental from Big Island Divers.

That was just about right for me. A few of the dives were about 60 minutes and one dive was 74 minutes.

That was just about right. The caribbean will be probably 82 - 84⁰ F at that time of year.

When I dove in Bonaire and Curacao I wore a 1 mm dive skin and took a shorty in case I got cold. I never ended up using the shorty.

Everybody has a different level of tolerance for cold. Being yfrom the UK you might have a medium cold tolerance like I do. I live in Massachusetts and dive mostly between New England and Pennsylvania.

 

[Seanpaul]

All I ever wear in Jamaica year round is a skin, not even a 3mm shorty! and I dive usually 3 times a day.

 

[coldstroke]

I travel to Negril 2x3 times a year on business. We dive lycra skins no matter the time of the year. We are quite comfortable.

 

[HatchetJoe]

Henderson Microprene, I don't remeber if it 0.5Mm or 1MM. It was fine.

 

[GTO NEMESIS]

Fab! Thanks for the advice chaps.
I think I will order myself a lycra skin for the trip.

Mark

 

[agilulfo]

I dived in Negril twice in the fall and the water was very warm (around 82 degrees). The first time I just dived with my swimsuit, but all I did was the OW course and I remember getting a little chilly on the third day. The second time I dived with at 3mm full suit. The 3mm kept me comfortable throughout the entire trip. My wife dived with a 5mm suit and she was also comfortable. I guess it's a matter of preference/tolerance and how long/how many dives you are planning to do.

 

[Ann Marie]

I was just in Jamaica this last week. I tend to get cold and wore a 3mm full-suit. If I was only going to do two dives in a day I probably would have just gone with my rashguard and swimsuit.

 

[Seanpaul]

Anne Marie, how was your trip? Did you finally manage to get the bottom times you were looking for? I really hope you enjoyed yourself!

 

[Scuba One]

It is difficult to tell anyone how much of a suit he or she will need, as everyone is different.

How much of a suit you need depends on lots of variables, how cold you get, your size, diving experience, how many dives you make in a day, etc.. The more you dive the more relaxed you get so get cold easier, also, the more you dive the more you start to think about how cold you are instead of everything else that's going on around you.

I generally wear a three-mil shortie (185 lbs) that time of year, but my girlfriend (120 lbs) wears a 5 mm jumpsuit and still gets cold. In the winter, in the Caribbean, when the temperature drops to the 80 degree mark I wear a 5 mm jumpsuit.

The best thing to do is write in your logbook what the water temperature is, how much of a suit you wore, and if you got cold or not. Over time you will be able to make a better guess as to what suit will be most comfortable for you.

Sucba One Travel - Negril Jamaica Underwater photos

Scuba One Travel - Runaway Bay Jamaica Underwater Photos