Which suit to pack for Maui?

[joewr]

If its a cloudy day ill go 3mm shorty. If its a normal day just board shorts and thermal top.

Well, as a charter member of the Candy A__ Divers Club, I admire your fortitude and youth. But for me, a wetsuit is like an American Express Card--don't leave home without it!

We make two trips every year to Hawaii and usually use full length 3 mil or 5 mil suits, depending on season. However, when we were young we did use 3 mil shorties....

joewr

 

[DiveMaven]

I don't dive in less than a 5mm full in Hawaii. My husband wears a 3mm full with a 3mm vest under it for warmth in the winter. In the summer, he forgoes the vest, but I still wear my 5mm full.

 

[adjuster-jd]

I've found a 5 mil full suit to be just perfect for me in various seasons there.

 

[mrjimboalaska]

3MM full year round......anything more........well.......76-82'F, geez, almost bathwater!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Every diver's different and many dive sites are too; some West Coast and U.K. visitors find more than a shorty too toasty for shallow shore diving, many local boys find even shorties too restrictive, some dive sites are more abrasive, some divers get more abraised and many dive sites are near fresh water seeps. The fresh water is much colder than the Ocean, and gets comparatively more cold in the Winter. Those sites also tend to have the coldest showers.

For me on Maui; a long sleeve 3mm shorty is OK for shallow Ulua, Wailea Point and Polo Beach (midday late spring to early fall), for everything else I used to add a 3mm john but now it's 5mm full.

 

[ScubaThor]

thanks for all the help! 3mm full length was perfect...got a little chilly toward the end of dives...around the 40 minute mark or so. All the DM's were in 5's and 7's with hoods. Wussies.

 

[TSandM]

SEVENTY THREE off Oahu? And we've committed to diving with you guys? I may have to rent a suit!

 

[Cacia]

yea...73 F at the bottom (110) yesterday. A few degrees warmer near the surface.