Yes, Another Exposure Suit Question for Coz!

[Brules]

Most dive ops will have skins/suits you can rent if you do get cold.....

One thing a skin WILL help against is: hydroids & jellies. Thimble jelly larvae can be BRUTAL in the summer:

In Florida, seabather's eruption, the medically accepted term for the rash, is seasonal. Most incidents occur between March and August when the jellyfish reproduce, but it can happen anytime.

The cause of all this trouble is the thimble jellyfish, a cylindrical jelly about an inch tall with 8 short tentacles hanging from its scalloped bottom.

Thimble jellyfish swim almost continuously straight up and down, usually near shore. If you swim into them, the creatures' tentacles can sting and cause a rash. But it's their offspring (the so-called sea lice) that drift around causing even more trouble.

Since thimble babies can be as small as specks of finely-ground pepper, people rarely see them. But when those larvae get inside swimming suits, people know it, because like their parents, the youngsters also have stinging tentacles.

Most jellyfish stinging cells fire under pressure (that's mechanical pressure, not stress) and thimbles are no exception. Rubbing them with a swim suit, lying on them on a surfboard, or sitting on them at the beach or in the car sets them off, and soon, a painful, itchy rash appears. Usually, this lasts about a week.

I get them every year, I should wear a skin to prevent it, but am too lazy lol. I bring a LARGE 1% cortizone with me to deal with lol.

 

[TomZ]

I dove Coz for 10 days in Feb, in a Bare Elastek 3mm full suit. I never got cold when diving 80's. The last day there I dove steel 120's. I was just a bit chilled after two, 70 minute plus dives. Bare is one of the few companies that has a stock size that fits me. They offer more sizes than any other manufacturer I know of. They are decently priced and have a good warranty. I'll be back in July and have purchased a 1mm Bare fullsuit, and a 1mm sleeveless, hooded vest. If i were looking at options I'd look at a 1mm, vest, and a Lavacore fullsuit. I think that would give you a lot of flexibility. In lieu of a hooded vest a shorty and a beanie would work also. You want full coverage to protect from stinging things and the sun. Make sure thinner boots don't change how your fins fit.

 

[BettyfromToronto]

I wear a 3mm full suit and now only dive in the south. Temperatures ranged from 76 in January to 77-78 in April. I wasn't too hot and was glad for the warmth during SI. One thing Robin T. suggested I get and did and was sooo thankful for was a thin neoprene beanie. I hate hoods (from my cold water 7mm diving days of my youth) and this beanie was great. Really needed it in January but didn't think I would use it on the April trip but brought it along just in case. Missed it the first day and so it was on for the remaining 5 days of diving.

 

[nodakdive]

+1 on the poly fleece thing. I was diving in Coz the end of March, and I'd picked up a 1.5 mil fleece rash guard. HyperFlex Poly-fleece Rash Guard I think it was. It was about $35 bucks and really did the trick. I wore that and a 1 mil hood for 2 weeks of diving. Never been so comfortable. Funny thing, it wasn't like a wet-suit out of the water. It blocked the wind. I can't sit in a wet-suit after a dive or I get cold, but with this fleece thing, I was much warmer on the way to the shore than I ever was in a wet suit. (even with the fleece though, I still get everything off that's wet. I just happened to notice the wind blocking on a couple trips where the boat started for shore shortly after I was out of the water. Quickest way to warm up imo, get the wet-suit off.)
-Blair

 

[Slater]

So what about the booties guys, anyone else diving cold water 6mil booties besides Mossman in Coz?
Ill buy some warm water booties if needed..

 

[cvchief]

I have 3mil, just because I have bootie fins. Bought the wife some 6mil as she get chilly as long as she stays down.

 

[divingpyrate]

We just got back and dove with no suit, just shorts and tees
loved not having the extra buoyancy issues and dropping some weight. Cold was never an issue and we are both fairly slim, and I chill easily
but
She got stung up by something in the water column pretty dang good
Se have been looking for something lighter and we will look into the lava product

 

[Kryssa]

I have 2 sets of booties- 5mm and 3mm. My 5mm zip up the ankle, my 3mm are just cover my feet.

I found even in 80F water, I prefer the 5mm. They are more comfortable to wear with fin straps and I don't notice my feet feeling warm at all.

 

[Brules]

If you wear a suit, be sure to get something pee friendly.

Also, divingpyrate - she most likely got stung by thimble jellies or their larvae? It is jelly breeding season I think. Usually see schools of them at the surface starting about now....you usually get nailed when you surface and are waiting to get on the boat.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

Take into consideration your bottom times as well. That will also explain the large range of replies. I don't have much body fat and usually have long bottom times. I've always dove with a full 3mil there, but sometimes get chilled at the end of the dives. I'm thinking about taking down a 5mil next time. On the occasion that I am too warm, it's an easy fix. Just open up the neck seal and let in some water.

PH