Getting cold in a 5mm below 26C (79F)

[Virtus_Semper]

I highly recommend a heated shirt. I wear a 5mm wetsuit and also get chilly in water colder than 25~26C, particularly after several days with multiple 75min+ dives.

I've been using a Thermulation heated shirt and it's terrific. It's got high/med/low settings and I typically turn it on about 1/2~3/4 way through the dive. One set of batteries will last me 2 dives, and it adds very little bulk under a wetsuit.

The heated shirt is also terrific during the surface interval, when I often feel colder than during a dive.

More expensive than adding a 2mm vest+hood, less expensive than a drysuit, and you can layer a heated shirt under a wetsuit of almost any thickness, so it is very versatile.

Thank you. They're more expensive than was hoping to spend, but cheaper than something similar I've seen! Worth considering, sounds amazing!

I wonder if sharks might find them interesting?! As they're so sensitive to electric fields? I wouldn't worry on a standard dive, but as I'm specifically aiming to visit the hammerheads...?

 

[Tom_Ivan]

but as I don't plan to dive any colder than the 75-78F (24-25.5C) trip I'd rather not go down that route just yet.

You can get non insulating drysuits that don’t actually keep the heat in. You just add whatever layers of warm clothing underneath as you need to stay warm. I’ve seen divers using these in pretty warm waters.

 

[Virtus_Semper]

You can get non insulating drysuits that don’t actually keep the heat in. You just add whatever layers of warm clothing underneath as you need to stay warm. I’ve seen divers using these in pretty warm waters.

I didn't know that, thanks!

 

[agilis]

80F and above my 1.5 mm is quite adequate. 75 to 80F a 3mm, 70 to 75F a 5mm keeps me warm enough up to two dives. A little shiver at first is no problem for a grownup.

 

[Resqdivemedic]

I have a Hollis Neotek 8/7/6 semidry and it worked well for a 15-20 minute dive in 37F water.
NEOTEK 8/7/6

 

[Virtus_Semper]

80F and above my 1.5 mm is quite adequate. 75 to 80F a 3mm, 70 to 75F a 5mm keeps me warm enough up to two dives. A little shiver at first is no problem for a grownup.

Well, that must be nice - I'm glad you don't suffer the same condition I do. I'm not sure if you intended you post to sound so condescending, but I can assure you a Raynaud's attack, with its DCI implications, is far from "a little shiver". I used to be happy surfing in a short sleeved 3mm in the UK in the winter, or diving in a rented 3mm shorty in 23C, but as I explained in my post, this has changed since developing this. If you feel this makes me less of a "grownup", I shan't loose sleep over it...

 

[agilis]

Well, that must be nice - I'm glad you don't suffer the same condition I do. I'm not sure if you intended you post to sound so condescending, but I can assure you a Raynaud's attack, with its DCI implications, is far from "a little shiver". I used to be happy surfing in a short sleeved 3mm in the UK in the winter, or diving in a rented 3mm shorty in 23C, but as I explained in my post, this has changed since developing this. If you feel this makes me less of a "grownup", I shan't loose sleep over it...

Sorry. I failed to read the first page of posts. Actually, I do have a touch of Raynauds syndrome in my fingers. It only acts up when conditions are icy, shoveling snow and the like, never while diving warm water, which to me is anything above 70F. Again, I apologize.

 

[Virtus_Semper]

Sorry. I failed to read the first page of posts. Actually, I do have a touch of Raynauds syndrome in my fingers. It only acts up when conditions are icy, shoveling snow and the like, never while diving warm water, which to me is anything above 70F. Again, I apologize.

No worries - I appreciate that, thank you.

 

[DerekR]

Diving dry solves your problem of the cold. Going dry now also saves you money because your search is over and you won't be spending money chasing the holy grail of warmth.

 

[love2fishfork]

There are a lot of comments about adding a hooded vest. My question is, do you wear it over or under your wetsuit? What about sizing - if wearing it over a wetsuit, do you need to size it larger? My girlfriend is very petite so finding one at an LDS to try on will not be an option.