Wet suit for Belize in January

[Nuts4koi]

I will be diving in Belize during a cruise in January. I was going to get a 3/2mm wetsuit for diving in the Caribbean, but was wondering if a 5mm would be better. Thanks in advance.

 

[peterbj7]

You'll cook in a 5mm. A 3/2 sounds about right. Make sure it has long arms and legs, and is a good snug fit especially around ankles, cuffs and neck. Don't get an integral hood, though a separate thin one might be useful on occasion.

 

[DiveMaven]

We did a liveaboard in Belize at Christmas a few years ago and the water was 79 degrees (I checked my log book). Plan for 78-79 degree water and you'll know what suit to wear.

 

[Ecologic Divers]

As Peter said a 3/2 will be just right. the water last year was between 79 and 80 degrees.
mast dive centers have 3 mil shorties to use if you do not feel like purchasing one.

 

[hpbelize]

I was comfortable diving in a 3/2 full length when I used to do cold weather diving in Belize. Expect a lot of rain and NW or NE winds with water temps sometimes as low as 78 in January.

 

[Hank49]

Peter and Stephen are from Chicago and Britain. I'd freeze my butt off in a 3 mil shortie or a 3x2 full. I use a 2 mil vest with a hood UNDER my full 3 mil in the cold months here.

 

[peterbj7]

I was diving Lighthouse a couple of days ago, just wearing a rashguard and shorts. I was very warm, including on the BH dive. Water temperature was 87f and the coral was looking rather bleached.

 

[Hank49]

It's warm now. All I'm wearing is my hooded vest. (but admittedly, I'm in the water for 2-3 hours straight when free diving)
That's bad news on the coral though. I don't see that along the reef down here. Or at Turneffe Elbow.

 

[peterbj7]

I'm hoping it will cool down a bit. I expect it will in fact. Still a long way from the 94f I experienced in the Maldives. That caused universal severe bleaching, but nonetheless the water cooled and the coral recovered.

 

[Scuba One]

This question comes up on lots of forums.

The amount of suit you need depends on many factors. Some of which are how much you dive (the more you dive the more relaxed you get and the colder you get), your size, how well your suit fits, the type of neoprene, type of suit (wrist seals, neck seals, etc), age of suit, and quality of the suit. The best thing to do is keep a log book and document what you wore, what the temperature of the water was, and whether or not you were cold. Then it won’t take long to find out what works for you.

I find air temperature can also effect how cold I get. If it is raining, windy, and/or cold when I get in and out of the water I will be colder than if it is hot and sunny.