which wetsuit for red sea diving

[mania]

5mm is the optimum for this time of year. If you don't have it then take 7 mm. 3mm may be not enough for longer and deeper dives.

Mania

 

[Red Sea Shadow]

It depends on you. How do you feel cold?
Personally I dive in a shorty all over the year here. If I were in your shoes, I would have taken the 3mm suit. However, you'll never regret having the 7mm one

 

[ofleisher]

3mm full suit should be ok - if not add a hat.
it is mainly up to you so why not take them both and decide on board ?

Any way - have fun...

 

[DavidB]

Take both... it is mainly depends on you... on July for sure you will not need more than the 3mm but in May you will have to decide what makes you more comfortable in the water. However the red sea temp is from 21 to 29 degree Celcius all along the year.... Enjoy your dives...

 

[Christian]

just crossed my mind since I'm planning a trip maybe sometime between May & July..
so anyone did diving there? which suit thickness have you used?
I have one 3mm and another semidry 7mm:huh:

This is a common question that does not have a straight forward answer, unless you give more detailed information. As someone said, water temperature vary a LOT over the year and depending on exact geographical location.

- Where in the Red Sea – Sharm El Sheikh, Djibouti or somewhere in between?
- For how many days do you intend to dive?
- How much time do you intend to spend in the water each day/how many dives?

Your body temperature is (should be) 37 degrees Celcius. Water colder than that will eventually chill you down - it's a fact and not a personal thing. Getting chilled increase risks of DSC and infections. So not only for comfort, but also for safety - keep warm!

For some casual resort diving, a shorty is probably fine for most in 25-26 degree tropical water. For multiple daily dives over a week or more, most would preffer a full 5 mm suit. When it gets below 24, a 7 mm is most peoples choice for a weeks liveaboard diving.

Bring a hood. It doesn't take much space, but makes quite some difference.

cheers

Christian

 

[maged_mmh]

- Where in the Red Sea – Sharm El Sheikh, Djibouti or somewhere in between?

Sharm El Sheikh

- For how many days do you intend to dive?

7 days

- How much time do you intend to spend in the water each day/how many dives?

maybe 3 dives/day

I think I'll take the Scubapro SCOTIA semi-dry "with the hood".....Oh I hate that hard zipper!!!

thanks guys!

 

[mania]

If Sharm - 5mm is absolutly enough. Take the hood.

Mania

 

[bubblemonkey]

we dived there in April/MAy last year (06) and I dont feel the cold at all but used a 3mm full, my wife does feel the cold and used a 3mm/5mm suit and said she wished she had had a full 5mm and a hood.

the av water temp over 13 dives was 25degs C

 

[phrixus]

This has to be one of the most asked questions from certified divers visiting a new area. The water temperature in June is about 25 (has been for the last 2 years at least). I tend not to feel the cold while I'm diving so wear a 5mm suit for the majority of the year.
If you have dived in similar temperature water then try & remember what thickness wetsuit you wore & also whether you were warm enough. This is the only real way to tell if you're going to be warm enough. If you're not sure take, the 7mm, afterall you can always flush some water through the suit if you're too hot, if you're too cold then the only was to solve this problem is to end the dive.

 

[Divingdon]

At the moment, you see people diving in anything from 3mm shorties to drysuits. I personally am wearing a 7mm with a 3mm hood and vest. The water temperature is 22C at the divesites around Sharm. It depends on you and what you are used to. I should imagine that in june i will have discarded the hood and vest.