How much insulation do you wear?

I am just curious how much insulation is needed with a 4mm compressed neoprene suit in 55-60 water. I dont think you would need much but i'm not sure. The neoprene will give some insulation right?

That is a subjective question as different people have different cold tolerances. If you get cold you need more insulation. I'd recommend starting with about a 300 weight polartech and adjust from there based on comfort.

Like #2 said, it's subjective. At those temps I'm pretty comfortable with a 7MM regular neoprene DS with a 2MM shorty underneath, and I don't like the cold at all. Also, I don't know how the compressed compares with non-compressed for insulation.

... ditt stevead and F106A...

But... as another datum point for ya', last Sunday I did a 40 min dive in 45 deg. water. I wore a 5/4/3 wetsuit with a 3 mil. sleeveless vest. I was perfectly comfortable. (Hood, gloves and neoprene socks completed the ensamble...).

Only REAL way to know is like adjusting trim... get in the water and see how things work... adjust as necessary.

Like they say, it's variable. I have a trilam drysuit (so no intrinsic insulation), and I dive PolarTec200 + long underwear at these water temperatures. I guess the other thing to consider for a compressed neoprene suit is the depth you are diving to.

I went through the same thing when I was getting started. Like he said, everyone's very different.

I dive in 45F water, in a 4mm compressed neoprene suit. I wear only a 200 weight polartec suit and I am comfortable. I am not warm--I am cool, which is how I like it. I also use drygloves though they flood half the time.

My wife has a 6.5mm uncompressed neoprene suit which should be MUCH warmer and she still has to wear 2x as much insulation as I do to be happy. (Our dives are shallow too, so compression of her suit isn't much of a factor.)

I should also point out that we are 1-tank divers, with a max dive time of 50 minutes. The insulation we use might not be enough for long or repetetive dives. The othe divers in our area... I see them wearing what seem to me to be crazy thick puffy garments under their suits--but they are all more advanced that we are and I presume that they are geared for multiple dives in a day.

If you tend to be a person who is cold-tolerant, I'd start with a 200 weight polartec garment, otherwise start heavier as suggested above. I would also resign myself to trying a few things until I found the right combo... nature of the game.

Divesportsonline.com has a 200 g Tilos polartec suit for $75, and there are many affordable options on Ebay... there is a thread around here somewhere that discusses the ebay deals. Good luck...

Compressed neoprene doesn't insulate very well. Regular neoprene has tiny bubbles filled with air or nitrogen, and that gas is the insulation. When the neoprene is compressed, all the gas is squeezed out and it can no longer insulate. You will need some sort of undergarment. Since you are diving in warm water, you probably won't need much, but everyone is different.

Ok thanks,

One more question though. I have read several times that cotton is bad to use under drysuits but no one ever mentions why?

It doesn't do too well when wet!

dive skin, vested hood, then 7mm wetsuit. All in that order. This includes gloves and boots.