3/2 Or 5/4?

[ibj40]

I have been diving since the mid 80's, first open water dives were in Cozumel. I started out with a tropical 2/3, that had a vested long leg bottom with a short sleeve second piece top. I went from there to a 3mm shorty, full length skins, and then finally a Bare Velocity 3/2. Now, over 30 years and close to 1,000 dives later (all over, from Barbados to Maui to the GBR), I now dive a Bare Velocity 5/4, regardless of where I am diving. Even diving the El Nino-warmed Pacific side of Costa Rica, with water temps in the 82-86 range, I love the support that the 5/4 provides in my legs and lower torso (I have a bad lower back and a sciatica-effected left leg), and if I get a little warm, a hand pull on the neck seal and a yank at each wrist provides enough to keep me cool.

 

[pepperbelly]

I have been doing a lot of reading, and have decided on the 5/4 Everflex. I just don't think I will be in water that's too warm for it, and if it gets that warm I can just dive in trunks and a shirt or get a skin. If I think I might get around jellyfish a skin sounds like a no-brainer anyway.

 

[Steve_C]

If you are moving slower and staying down longer you will generate less heat and lose more heat.

You do not warm up completely during the SI no matter what the air temp is. You get colder on successive dives.

If you have a hoolded vest that only affects part of the 3 in a 3/2. All of the 2 (arms and legs) and part of the 3 (the groin area) stay as 2s and 3s.

The deeper you go the more the suit compresses and less warm it provides.

You can always vent some warmth by opening up the top and flushing.

Personally I would probably dive a 5 with hooded vest for your cooler diving and a 3/2 with no hooded vest for anything not in the mid to high 80s. Then it would be a swimsuit or a diveskin if I wanted to avoid stings.

I dive a wide range of water temps and have a pretty new 7, a new 5, a 10 year old 3/4 so really a 3/2, a 3 shorty, and a 1mm which I use like a dive skin. Also a hooded vest that can be paired with any of them.

 

[pepperbelly]

As much as I wanted to support my LDS I ordered it from Leisurepro.
The price with a discount at my LDS was $350.00. Leisurepro's price was $199.00 with free shipping.
Even other online dealers were significantly higher.

I ordered the 5/4 Everflex.

 

[Trying Scuba]

Just saw post. As a cold weenie and anti-struggling into tight things, may I suggest the following. I have little body fat as well.
First combination (my jack of all trades)
I use the following Or variations thereof for Roatan, Utila, Coz,Thailand, Philippines, Brazil (temp from mid 70's to hi 80's).
1)Hood always. silicon swim cap+ Neoprene that triathletes wear or neosport 2.5 mm beanie
2) 3 mm aqualung shorty + 3 mm Henderson vest+ long Rashguard (occ two rash if night dive and if feel tired n chilled)
3) long swim leggings- Swim leggings depending on time of day or temp or how I feel varies from ordinary to polypropylene (from leisure pro) to $ 20 odd 2 mm neoprene pants for sailing I think which I got cheap fromAmazon. Gives me flexibility.
I have basically stopped bringing my long 3 mm suit.
As my shorty has loosened with time I started wearing vest UNDER as opposed to over shorty. My core seems to keep warm better this way.

Second combination for colder temps
In June in GreatBR-Lavacore hood, 5 mm aqualung+3 mm Henderson hood+ Long rash and long leggings from Leisurepro. I was VERY comfortable. I have never used this set up ever since then but would recommend for temps in 60s.

Third bad combination
In Houston TX where I certified in low 60s in March, I think I had anywhere from 12 to 14 mm combination and still felt cold. I shall NEVER inflict this torture on myself ever ever ever again.

I get cold sooo easily that I try other warming technics depending how chilled I am.
1) dry off or change into dry Rashguard between dives
2) if lazy, wear raincoat or plastic bag over myself between dives. Plastic impenetrable against wind.
3) when boat stops moving and no wind. basking in sun works best!!!

Layering prevails in my combinations. I credit my clothing choices underwater to years of living through Chicago winters. I layered and was able to survive 30-40 degree variations in weather throughout day, indoors, outdoors etc. Hope some of my experimentation with gear helps a fellow cold weenie out there.

 

[Altamira]

When I started diving, it was all in cold water with a head-to-toe (including 3 fingered mittens) custom 1/4" low compression neoprene wetsuit, and I quickly came to understand that once I got cold, I was not going to be able to warm up. Conversely, I have never been too warm in my 3 and 5mm full wetsuits while diving in the tropics and moderate temperatures because a little cool water down the neck took care of any over-warm issues.

 

[Trying Scuba]

May I suggest the vest. It compresses everything and keeps your core warm. For me it is the equivalent of a scarf in winter. Stops the cold air coming in through loose neckline. Helps keep a relatively warmer core.
I obsess about my core as I had to abort a dive once in Madeira where the cold water Just made my chest constrict and made me hyperventilate. Now my vest is my buddy. Tight snug and addl warmth. I never dive without...

 

[pepperbelly]

I bought a ScubaPro Everflex 5/4 this past spring. I used it in the spring fed quarry, and even at the bottom in about 52* water it was very comfortable. In shallower water where it was warmer I just pulled the neck dam out a little and let some water in.
It seems a little too warm in water around 80* but it's manageable.
The dams at the neck, wrists and ankles work very well. I didn't have any water flushing through the suit. It is very comfortable, and I am very happy with it.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

Honestly, I would opt for the thicker suit. Cold is a factor of time and what may work on a 20-minute dive becomes woefully insufficient on a, say 35-40 minute dive. Personally, I would rather be warm and have to "flush" my suit with a little water to cool down than to be chilled for the entire dive.

 

[pepperbelly]

Honestly, I would opt for the thicker suit. Cold is a factor of time and what may work on a 20-minute dive becomes woefully insufficient on a, say 35-40 minute dive. Personally, I would rather be warm and have to "flush" my suit with a little water to cool down than to be chilled for the entire dive.

I did go with the thicker suit. I don't have much really cold water here in North Texas like y'all do up in the Great Lakes area.