Wetsuits, how many do you need?

[GrandWazoo]

I will eventually get to the question once I explain my situation, it may seem very tangetial but everyone here seems intent on detail. In preface I have 32 dives, AOW and Nitrox, included in those dives were 6 cenote dives (36 meters in El Pit) and drift off Santa Rosa Wall in Cozumel. I had the luxury of having a couple excellent teachers in Thailand and Mexico, in which both were one on one scenarios, I just feel I had the proper training as well as a great respect for technique. I only mention this for credential not for any other reason.

In the summer I live and work in Long Island, NY, travel in the winter. My travel locations in the winter would be Yucatan, Mexico, and South East Asia.
I am finding that due to my schedule, I work weekends, I am unable to get any boat dives, wrecks etc. This being Long Island.

So, under the guidance of the nearest dive shop, I purchased all of my equipment, including a semi dry suit that I would need to do wreck diving, 5mm gloves, boots and new apeks rk3 fins since the old ones can't compensate the boots, $3000 for all the equipment, as well as my request for getting in as many dives as possible on my days off (Mondays and Tuesdays, which it appears they can't comprehend) although I was told I am a store VIP. I was not ignorant to the equipment needs, I am an adept researcher and was well aware of the options in regards to brands, and also my interest in eventually doing tech diving. I gave them my availability, my interest in frequent diving and also wanting to do a few certifications, including deep diver, wreck diver, night diver and possibly rescue diver. I have mentioned these options at least twice and when I ask about diving spots I have to repeat myself again ( "we have a dive group on Sundays", that's great, I work effing weekends, as I have told you multiple times).

I bought a semi dry suit, which is great, all of my equipment is great and they charged me less than I could have purchased it online, no complaint there, it is the lack of attention to the details that i provided them, so it appears that shallow shore dives are my future here, I feel that 35 minutes is not enough to pay for a dive master $150, no boat dives on weekdays in the Hamptons? We live on a effing Island, people must be going out, it feels like private charters occupy all the boats. In supposed Third World Countries like Mexico and Thailand, I could dive everyday, there is something amiss.

OK, let's get around to my question, since I can't go boat diving in Long Island and I would like to dive in the Yucatan, Cenotes and ocean, also shore diving here in NY. Is a 5mm wetsuit my best option, I will get a skin or shorties for the tropics but I can't own every thickness. Should I get a 5mm to shore dive in NY and Mexico, is that the best thickness?

Thanks for reading my rant, guess I had to get it out.

 

[Searcaigh]

What you need depends on your temperature tolerance and where you plan to dive.

I own and use several skins, a 3mm, a 5mm, a 7mm semi-dry and a drysuit. They all get used during various times of the year and dive locations.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

There are a ton of shore diving sites around Long Island. Go without a DM and save your money for a drysuit.

https://www.shorediving.com/loc/us/ny

 

[Esprise Me]

I've just been bringing my 7mm suit that I use for local diving when I travel. I don't get too hot, and I'm used to the extra weight required. But if you don't want to bring your semidry to the tropics, then yes, a 5mm is pretty versatile.

I'm sorry you're having trouble finding charters that work with your schedule. I think it's true in much of the US, certainly here in California, that dive boats mostly only run on weekends. There just aren't enough vacation divers coming here, or enough people with non-traditional work schedules, to keep the boats filled all week. I hope you're able to find some buddies who are interested in and available for weekday shore dives.

 

[hedonist222]

Depends on your tolerance.

I have a skin, a 3mm, and a 5mm.

 

[TravelGas]

I too am from Long Island and there are other SB members on here as well who will chime in. I have
full suits 7MM, 4/3MM
shorty 3MM and I have found that pretty much covers all situations.

 

[formernuke]

For NY shore diving I would go 7mm.

I use my drysuit year around for NE.

 

[inquis]

3mm (possibly with a hood) & drysuit covers the spectrum for me.

You mentioned possibly pursuing tech, and a drysuit would be very useful for that (deeper reduces the insulation of neoprene; longer dive times mandate more insulation than is required for NDL dives).

I suggest adding a 3 OR 5 for travel and just have fun diving. Add a drysuit later on if the tech-bug bites, keeping the semi-dry for backup. (Drysuit maintenance/repair can take many weeks.)

 

[Tracerbullet]

Pennsylvania here. my local dives including last Sunday are in a 7mm wetsuit, 5mm hood, 5 mm gloves. Off of Long Island I wouldn’t go any less.
people do have different tolerances to cold so that will come into play but I do two dives a sitting and am comfortable

 

[boulderjohn]

For your tropical dives, I suggest a 3mm full suit. I don't believe in using shorties in the ocean because of the potential for unpleasant skin contact. In some cases, a skin will not be enough, and the 3mm will never be too much.

I think that and your semi-dry are all you need for now. Then see what happens in the next couple of years. I started diving exclusively in Cozumel and places like it, and I would have sworn then that I would never need more than a 3mm suit. Today most of my dives are done in a drysuit, and most of the rest are done in a 5mm suit. On the more rare cases I am in the tropics, I still use a 3mm suit. My needs changed as my diving interests changed.

Yours will, too.