Will need a little more warmth

[Altamira]

I got certified to dive Spring Lake (the old Aquarena Springs) in San Marcos, TX last summer, and plan to start doing the volunteer work in March. When I did the checkout dives, I used my 3mm Bare Elastek full suit with a Henderson Polyolefin skin under the suit, Lycra hood, and 2mm beanie. That combo fits me perfectly, and I was mostly comfortable except for the last part of my second 35 minute dive. So I am going to need a bit more warmth with a fairly constant 70F water temp, but never having worn a vest before, I am a bit uncertain as to the best of the following options. Option 1: A 3mm hooded vest would certainly do the trick, but am not sure how comfortable that is going to be under my wetsuit since the Bare suit fits me perfectly now, but I'm at the upper end of my size range. Option 2: a 3mm vest over the wetsuit. Option 3: A Lavacore full suit under my 3mm Bare. The Lavacore's claim of equivalence to a 2-3mm wetsuit without the buoyancy sounds promising, but then so did Henderson's discredited similar claim on the Polyolefin suit when I bought it a long time ago. I appreciate any thoughts on these options.

 

[JackD342]

If you think you can fit a Lavacore full suit under your 3mm, then you could certainly instead get a LC vest, or even hooded vest. It will be a little thicker than the Polyolefin, but not much.

 

[Malarky]

How much water time are you talking a day as a volunteer and how many days in a row? Getting cold at the end of a short second dive is not promising.

Sounds like you are trying to band-aid it. Why not just 5mm up? Every tool has a purpose and 70 degree water is quite chilly. I can guess at temps below the thermocline.

 

[RayfromTX]

I would go to a 5 mil and I kind of like to be actually warm and not tolerably warm. I actually dove it in an old 5 mil when I certified in late fall and I was really cold getting out in that cold air.

 

[johndiver999]

cheapest option is a hooded vest - wear it over the outside of the current suit.. It will make a huge difference.

 

[RayfromTX]

A three mil full with a three mil vest with a 5 mil hood will keep me comfortable i multiple days in 78 degree water but a 5 mil will keep me comfortable in multiple dive days in 70 degree water. Not all suits are created equal of course. I'm just going to a drysuit so we can dive year round in lake travis. In the summer it is 60 at 100' and colder below that. The 5 mil is not enough past about 15 minutes. I can manage it but I don't enjoy it and that is kinda the point.

 

[SeaHorse81]

If you're diving wet, get more protection than you think you'll need. You can easily cool off by opening zippers if necessary but if you get cold, there's nothing you can do to warm up. Diving while cold is no fun, and not safe.