What's the coldest water temp you will wetsuit in??

[MXGratefulDiver]

The coldest I've ever dived wearing a wetsuit was 42 degrees (F). But that was a long time ago. Now that I'm older I'm not as tolerant of being cold as I once was ... so anything below about mid-70's I'm wearing a drysuit ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[joe10540]

My coldest dive wet was 47 below the thermocline and 62 on the surface. I dove that in a 7mil farmer john quite comfortably. Since I have learned how to be still and not be in constant motion I get cold below 70. I found a drysuit for just as much as a top shelf wetsuit and have never looked back. Every dive is dry even if it’s just a skin under the shell! If I had to dive wet in cold water I would be investing in a heated vest just because I’ve gotten spoiled. For me more goes into thermal consideration than just a single temp, is there a thermocline, how long will I be in the specific temperature, what is the expected activity level, and what are the surface conditions to expect between dives?

 

[icechip]

If you want to dive a lot, that's about all we got up here in northern New England. I dive a 7mm semi-dry so temps 50sF (and above) are awesome, 40sF are par for the course and 30sF are a challenge but doable.

Kharon is right, getting out during a cloudy day with a brisk wind is not good.

 

[Cowfish Aesthetic]

70 for me.

Ditto. I don't like being cold, and I do like justifying the purchase of my drysuit.

 

[Marie13]

About 50F. Although I’ve done high 40s briefly. This was in a 5mm before I got my 7mm.

 

[maj2]

The coldest wet dives that I recall were 38F at depth (90-100ft). Probably mid 60s at the surface. I was using a 2pc 7mm wetsuit, and 5mm hood.

The thing I remember most was hitting the themocline at around 60ft on the ascent. All of a sudden, it felt like a nice warm bath. Then I looked at my gauges, and realized that it was still only 50F! And no-- I did not pee in the wetsuit to make it feel suddenly warm...

I use a drysuit for those dives now...

 

[Rob Bibber]

My coldest dive to date was 53 degrees in a 2/3 mil with a 2 mil vest underneath. I was cold but not so cold that I couldn't enjoy the dive. Granted, I grew up swimming on the coast of Maine with no wetsuit at all where the water temps rarely ever reach 70 degrees even at the height of summer.

I just got a new 5/7 mil suit so could probably be ok down into the 40's.

My brother-in-law used to dive for scallops in Maine all winter long. He said drysuits were too cumbersome to effectively work so he wore a 7mm wetsuit.

Personally, I have no desire to ever own a drysuit.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

For me, I am not easily cold, I icebath every winter, that said. I do not dive in wetsuit in colder than about 20-25 C.

I only dive wet when travel, i have one €30 2mm full and thats ok when diving in warm water, i do not get cold much. When i dive at home I use a drysuit, it is almost newer above 10 C deeper than 10 meters.

I do not realy like the thick wetsuits, big difference in boyancy and they loose much of the insulation at depth.

So for me it is not realy how cold I would dive wet, more how cold I dive in a 2mm wetsuit, if I need warmer i just go dry.

 

[Trailboss123]

I have dived in a wetsuit in 50 degrees, back in the day. Nowadays, anything below 67 and I am in my drysuit.

 

[Littlerayray]

The coldest I dove was 36 f for 45 minutes in a farmer John 7mm