What wetsuit to bring to Palau?

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j.tu

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I tend to dive cold. I dove Hawaii and Bonaire with a 5mm hyperstretch and was really comfortable temperature-wise. I'm going to Yap and Palau in a week, and the water temperatures look a few (~4-5) degrees warmer than what I've dived before. Should I stick with my 5mm hyperstretch, or go down to a 3mm? My LDS advised towards the latter, but I'm curious what other people who dive cold think. Thanks!
 
I dive a 5mm when doing multiple dives on a Livaboard,even with 80-82 degree water. If you have a tendency towards getting cold and you're doing 3-4 dives a day, I'd take the 5ml.
I even add a thin hood at times.
 
Same here. People told me that I'd get hot in a 5 mm, but never did. I don't think you really can.
 
It really depends on the person - I seem to be really hot - so I dive Bonaire, Hawaii and Palau in my skin. The last couple of days in Palau I used my 3mm - mainly because I would get chilled on the boat ride back (not so much from the diving). If you are not doing a liveaboard make sure you bring something really warm for the boat ride back!! I was there late October of last year.

Palau is one of my fav places so enjoy!

Audrey
 
Thanks for all the advice! Any experience from those who've dived with a 5mm in both 80-82 and 84-86 water temps? It looks like it'll be more likely to be the latter (84-86F water temps), and I don't have a good sense of if that would actually become too hot.
 
For Palau & Truk, I use a 0.5mm full skinsuit with a 3mm hooded vest underneath, both for recreational & tech diving.

I think you'll be fine with a 3/2 mm full wetsuit with optional separate tropical hood.

If you're doing a land based dive op from Koror, the boat ride out & back is the only time I get wind-chilled especially in afternoon rough rain squalls--so recommend bring a light rain jacket or poncho to wear over your wetsuit.
 
Thanks again for all the opinions. On Palau I dove from a liveaboard skiff, so the boat rides weren't usually too long.

I ended up being most comfortable with a dive skin for the first 2-3 dives of the day, and a 3mm for the later dives of the day. I was really happy to have both the skin and 3mm.

I brought open heel fins but I think I might've been slightly happier with the full foot ones.
 
I love wearing a rash guard under my wet suit. Then on the ride back it drys off quickly and keeps the chill off a bit.

Jack
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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