3mm or 5mm for wetsuit.

[bigman241]

Ok i will be in mainly warm water planing a trip to cozumel or caymen. Either a cruise or stay depends on how things work out. Will mainly dive florida and do alittle local diving. I do not see me getting wet less then 50 degress properly closer to 60to65 but i might hit water temp in the 50s never know.
Should i go 3mm or 5mm. Had a guy from aquafit or something like that tell me i would be ok with a 5mm in warm water. But i do not want to be hot.

[CompuDude]

It's hard to get too hot in water that's less than 80 degrees. At worst, pull your neck open a bit a cooler water comes in.

If you're getting into the 60's, let alone the 50's, I can see going with anything less than a 5mm. Frankly, for the 60s (and lower), I'd be looking at a 7mm if I was doing any more other than one or two dives per day.

I wore a 5mm in Bali with water temps ranging from 75-83 degrees, and diving 4-5 dives per day, I was toasty the whole trip and everyone in a 3mm was shivering towards the end of the day.

[bigman241]

I guest i could go 3 or 4 and add a vest later if need be.

Originally Posted by CompuDude

It's hard to get too hot in water that's less than 80 degrees. At worst, pull your neck open a bit a cooler water comes in.

If you're getting into the 60's, let alone the 50's, I can see going with anything less than a 5mm. Frankly, for the 60s (and lower), I'd be looking at a 7mm if I was doing any more other than one or two dives per day.

I wore a 5mm in Bali with water temps ranging from 75-83 degrees, and diving 4-5 dives per day, I was toasty the whole trip and everyone in a 3mm was shivering towards the end of the day.

[comet24]

With the water temps you listed I would dive a 5mm. My 5mm is my go to suit. I put my Bare 7mm arctic shorty over it for cold dives. I can also put a 2mm hood vest under it when the temps are not to bad. I have a 3mm suit but it only comes out when I travel South of FL.

As was posted it's easier to deal with hot them cold. Being cold on a dive make you uncomfortable and start you down a bad road.

[bigman241]

true. Guest it is easy to just dump water over your wetsuit.

Originally Posted by comet24

With the water temps you listed I would dive a 5mm. My 5mm is my go to suit. I put my Bare 7mm arctic shorty over it for cold dives. I can also put a 2mm hood vest under it when the temps are not to bad. I have a 3mm suit but it only comes out when I travel South of FL.

As was posted it's easier to deal with hot them cold. Being cold on a dive make you uncomfortable and start you down a bad road.

[Sansho]

My 5mm suit is good from the high 60's to around 80º. When the temps are lower 70's, I use a hood, too.

[it_mike]

Can't we all just get along...

How about a compromise? Get a 5/3!

[bigman241]

I am leaning toward the 5mm. But i gues the 5/3 would do. Might see what deal i can get with 2 wetsuits. JUst emailed liquid fit for a quate on both

Originally Posted by it_mike

Can't we all just get along...

How about a compromise? Get a 5/3!

[SteveR]

I am also struggling with this decision.
Most of the summer diving here is in the upper 70's even at 40+ feet; warmer in shallower water of course.

Most of the locals dive a 3mm Shortie or 3mm jumpsuit.

In Winter the local water gets in the 60's.

I may also do some Lake Mead/Lake Mohave dives where the winter water temps get into the low 60's or colder at depth.


I will also do some Cozumel or other Caribbean diving from time to time.


Add to that my desire to do a couple of Catalina/Channel Island dives in the Fall. I know that will be a full 7mm warm suit with all the trimmings.

I don't get seem to get all that cold while diving as I do have a fair amount of natural insulation. But, I don't want to get cold either.

My limited experience with wetsuits does not help much. I keep swining back and forth from a 3mm Shortie....to a full 3mm...to a full 5mm...and then both a 3mm Shortie and a full 3mm.

I don't want to have 3 suits but I also don't want to burn up in the Summer here where the surface temps. (air temps) range from 110-118 most of the Summer.

[Damselfish]

I think if you try to cover too wide a range of temps with one suit you may just wind up uncomfortable most of the time. Think about pieces you can layer, or bite the bullet and get more than one suit.

It's true you probably won't get too warm in a thicker suit underwater, you can let water in and all that. But there are still disadvantages to wearing a thicker suit than you need - in the tropics you'll likely be warm on the surface if not roasting, and you'll need to wear more weight as well as have the bouyancy change of the suit to compensate for. One of the nice things about diving warm water is the comfort and ease of a thinner (or no) suit and less weight, it seems a shame to lose that if you don't have to.