Wetsuit In 4 Below

[dschulte]

I dive all year, here in Georgia and a trip or two to Massachusetts. A 7mm is not the thing to wear for water temperatures below 45 degrees. Most dive charters in MA will not allow a diver out without at least 12mm on their chest, it is just too risky; your core temperature can drop very rapidly even with a thick hood. You may not notice that you are in trouble until it is too late, especially if you are going out on a boat. Get the dry suit if you are certified or increase your wetsuit. If I dive wet in the winter in MA it is in a 8mm farmer-j with a 5mm hooded vest. I will even through a 3mm beanie under the hood and don some 5mm gloves “Henderson Gold”. You still get chilled, but you can maintain that core temperature. Best will be the dry suit with a solid undergarment.

Well anyways, have fun, it sounds like a great dive.
:monkeydan

 

[Scuba Brian]

Last year i tore a wrist seal on my drysuit so i had to do my ice dives wet(5 dives). I wore a Henderson 7mm with a 7mm core warmer with a 7/3 hooded vest under that. 7mm boots and gloves. Just poor some warm water down the suit before the dive and youll be toasty warm. The other thing you can do is duct-tape the wrist and ankle seams to minimise water movment in the suit.

Have a great dive!

 

[belamber]

I'm a cold water diver here in Vancouver, BC and I can definitely say that at 35F, 7mm will not be enough thermal protection. Even 14mm won't really do it. At those temps, you'll be wanting a drysuit. I just did a 33F dive last sunday and I can't imagine doing it in a wetsuit. I would have been a popsicle.

 

[djb_1965]

When we do search and recovery dives, 7mil full with a hooded 7mil core warmer...then we are only down 20 min....then to heated tent. Next 2 divers in for 20 min. Pulled a snowmobile out last sunday....32 degree water. Safety ropes and harnesses even in open water.

 

[fasorud]

OH MY GOD.......... Diving in 35 degree water with a wet suit..... Talk about the shrink factor.....:11:

Man, I dive a 5/7 mm in 80 degree water and a dry suit for everything else. The coldest water I've ever been in with a dry suit was 36 degrees and that was during an ice dive, and it was some cold. Even with dry gloves my hands where very cold.

Good luck and you gotta post if you actually do the dive.......

Hmm...I find it hard to believe that a New England diver dives a 7/5 suit in 80 degree water! 80 degrees is dive skin temp not wetsuit temp for cold water divers
I dive dry for anything below 70 (with different levels of thermal protection obviously). Over 70 I bust out the 3 mm (or 5 mm for liveaboards) and it is a blast.
Over 79 I dive a skin.

Cold and dark is where it's at though!
And for that...DRYSUIT BABY!

 

[haha49]

I'm fairly tolerant of the cold & dove a 7mm 2pc wetsuit in 42F water and froze my b*lls off. Try and get a drysuit.. At those temps hypothermia & loss of dexterity will hit you quick.

i did the same dive and i was hot.. i mean it i was actualy warm inside... nice and toasty geting out when i was out of the watter that was cold... but i like cold watter and can swim in a swim suit in a lake durring spring right when the sun just comes out and the snow starts to melt.. its cold but the faster you swim the warmer you are..

 

[dmmike]

Hey Fasorud,

I know its hard for people to believe but, you should see the looks on people's face's when they are just going in with swimtrunks and tee-shirt and I pull out a 5/7mm suit.

I think it has something to due with the fact that I take a lot of video, so I do not swim fast or far. Other's wiser then me say all I need is a hood and I could use a thinner suit, but I'm thick-headed...........:11:

Anyways, just for the record, I love ice diving and I did a New Years Eve Day Dive and the water temp. was 42 degrees and the dive was 60 minutes and it was no problem.......

 

[spectrum]

Your activity level or ability to not make useless motion will have a lot to do with your warmth. I made a recent dive in a moderate current and the extra exertion definitely drove my body heat up. The came holds true for diving wet.

A new diver full of adrenaline and wonder, still flapping and thrashing will have an edge over a seasoned diver lofting along with good trim.

Pete

 

[jumbo]

Ive seen it

at 43 degrees, with my own eyes I have seen a guy dive with just a farmer john, bare skin touching the pacific ocean off Vancover Island. Then after the first dive he would put on just the top with bare legs flying through the water. I wouldnt belive it unless Ive seen it, but I have.

Of course this guy is a real GI Joe, he devoriced his wife, quit his job, took a demotion all to go back to Iraq agian in a combat position.

GO for it

 

[NARCOSISOFTHERIVER]

I'm No G.i.joe, But I Am A Cold Water Canuck And With Scuba Brians Warm Water In The Old Wetsuit Trick, I'm Goin' Divin'. I Dive With Total Redundency And Do Know My Limits. We Dive In A Group And In Our Plan I Will Tell Them If They See Me Calling Off My Dive, It Just Means That My Nuts Have Just Entered My Small Intestines And I'm Headed Back To The Boat! I Appreciate All These Excellent Ideas! Still Diving Wet, Narco.