SteveC
Contributor
Any thoughts on which wet suit to purchase. 3mm, 5mm or 7mm. I will be doing cold water most of the time. Are the thicker ones harder to put on?
Thanks,
Steve
Thanks,
Steve
Which wet suit
- Thread starter SteveC
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the_cat_keeper
Contributor
Steve,
The required thickness of the wetsuit would depend on the range of water temperature that you plan to be diving in, as well as your personal tolerance to cold.
I found it harder to put on a thicker wetsuit. It is also more buoyant which means carrying more weight to stay down. Carrying more weights than necessary may increase air consumption needlessly and increase potential for backaches (when using a wet belt). And of course, if you were travelling and packing everything in a luggage, then you would need more space too.
The required thickness of the wetsuit would depend on the range of water temperature that you plan to be diving in, as well as your personal tolerance to cold.
I found it harder to put on a thicker wetsuit. It is also more buoyant which means carrying more weight to stay down. Carrying more weights than necessary may increase air consumption needlessly and increase potential for backaches (when using a wet belt). And of course, if you were travelling and packing everything in a luggage, then you would need more space too.
As cat keeper pointed out, it would be essential to know what you call "cold" water. Recently a customer called the Indonesian waters "cold water", normaly in the range of 27°C ( 72°F ). His desire was to use a 3mm wet suit ;-), this is ok if one feel comfortable.
Further you might have to distinguish between wet and semi dry suits ( may one calls them also semi wet ;-) ) I am pretty sure this could start an other thread.
As a general guideline:
The suit must be feeling comfortable for YOU.
Everything colder than 10°C (50°F) needs a 7mm Suit with long john and jacket, unless you are one of the SEAL type guys. Even then your body temp will drop on a 40min dive in those waters.
You might also want to consider where you have to dress up. Its nice to leave a dry suit with icy temperatures at the dive site, a different cattle of fish if you have to get out of a wet suit.
You might use a cat fur to warm up? ;-)
Br
Conrad
always 5 bar in the can helps
Further you might have to distinguish between wet and semi dry suits ( may one calls them also semi wet ;-) ) I am pretty sure this could start an other thread.
As a general guideline:
The suit must be feeling comfortable for YOU.
Everything colder than 10°C (50°F) needs a 7mm Suit with long john and jacket, unless you are one of the SEAL type guys. Even then your body temp will drop on a 40min dive in those waters.
You might also want to consider where you have to dress up. Its nice to leave a dry suit with icy temperatures at the dive site, a different cattle of fish if you have to get out of a wet suit.
You might use a cat fur to warm up? ;-)
Br
Conrad
always 5 bar in the can helps
the_cat_keeper
Contributor
cvinzens:
My cat won't like that.
the_cat_keeper:My cat won't like that.
Somehow I thought that, would be unfair to the cat
the_cat_keeper
Contributor
cvinzens:
You hear her purr... :kitty:
I'll defer to others as for the thickness since I don't know your waters. I have 3, 5, and 7mm suits and can don any of them alone without difficulty. Weight vs. ease of donning/doffing should be a non issue.
What's important is that you have thermal protection. Yes, a heavier suit wil require more ballast but when neutrally bouyant the inertia of the weight will be a lesser energy drain than trying to warm an under protected body. It's also the safer way to err.
If you're thinking in terms of bodies of water you may have swam in remember that when you go down it will almost always be a lot colder and you will be less active than when swimming.
I prefer a full suit as a base since it gives you a common barrier all over. A hooded vest underneath or a hooded step-in shorty make nice second layers. A bibbed hood or integrated hood on the fullsuit may be all you need for moderate cold. How far do you intend to extend your season? Neoprene thickness can be mixed and matched with the seasons.
Pete
What's important is that you have thermal protection. Yes, a heavier suit wil require more ballast but when neutrally bouyant the inertia of the weight will be a lesser energy drain than trying to warm an under protected body. It's also the safer way to err.
If you're thinking in terms of bodies of water you may have swam in remember that when you go down it will almost always be a lot colder and you will be less active than when swimming.
I prefer a full suit as a base since it gives you a common barrier all over. A hooded vest underneath or a hooded step-in shorty make nice second layers. A bibbed hood or integrated hood on the fullsuit may be all you need for moderate cold. How far do you intend to extend your season? Neoprene thickness can be mixed and matched with the seasons.
Pete
Another wunnerful reason to patronize an LDS Where I am, a 5 with a core warmer is pretty normal it appears, and it's still solidly drysuit season. Rental might be worth checking into, if you aren't sure how you do with cold and don't want to go drysuit.
Where I am, a 5 with a core warmer is pretty normal it appears, and it's still solidly drysuit season. Rental might be worth checking into, if you aren't sure how you do with cold and don't want to go drysuit.
Buoyant1
Contributor
I just purchased a 7mm to do some local diving, and WOW what a beast! The 3mm feels like a t-shirt in comparison!
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