Which suit to bring?

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get_tanked

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Can anyone tell me what the water temps are in the Keys this time of year? My wife and I are coming down to Key West on Saturday, will be there for a week. I'm just wondering if I can get away with wearing a 1mm skin on my dives, or if it's cold enough I need something thicker.

Thanks!

Bill
 
MikeJacobs:
Not sure of the exact temps but if you're a cold-water diver this will feel like you're diving in a heated pool.

Great! That's what I wanted to hear (er... read) :D
 
I was down there three weeks ago. Water temps were 84 degrees. I wore a 3mm. Many folks went in w/ skins.

I was warm, not overheated. I prefered the 3mm for abrasion protection, as I was crawling around inside the wrecks & plenty of jellyfish aboundeed.
 
I dove Key Largo last weekend using a 0.5 mm suit. The water temperature has dropped to 82F...it was almost 86F in August. I noticed myself getting cool after sometime in the water. A 3mm suit should be fine!

Tim
 
I wore a 1mm a couple of weeks ago in Key West; my wife just wore her diveskin. Unless you'wre going really deep, that's all you need.
 
This is Key Largo, but today (sept. 8) the water temp at the Spiegel at 100ft (max) was 82F, and 84 at Grecian rock at 29ft (max). Went to both with a 3m, no problem. But that's only because of the first deep dive. Usually, you can go with nothing or just a lycra. I'm a tiny person so I loose heat much quicker than a taller bigger guy. It may be different in Key West.. but just so you'd have an idea.
 
netmage:
I was down there three weeks ago. Water temps were 84 degrees. I wore a 3mm. Many folks went in w/ skins.

I was warm, not overheated. I prefered the 3mm for abrasion protection, as I was crawling around inside the wrecks & plenty of jellyfish aboundeed.
Yes, it's good to remember to tell folks about the jellys and other reasons to wear some protection. A 3/2 mil won't hinder you, and you won't be over-heated at depth (though on-board it could be a real issue).

I'm a heater, and would *not* wear a sauna-suit just because of on-board overheating BUT the vast majority of divers probably could be quite comfortable in the summer in a 3/2 mil... and safer. I do get chilly on the second dive (if deep) when all I wear is skins on the first.
 
A 3mm is pretty much a year-round suit here. If you want to avoid overheating topside, get a 3mm shortie, but then you'll be sacrificing protection against jellies and fire coral (there are quite a few spots in the keys...i.e., dry rocks reef, where the statue of the christ of the abyss is, which is covered in fire coral).
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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