Shorty or Full?

HtownDiver:

I'm going in for my first dive class tonight. I was asked to purchase at least a shorty wetsuit so I can:

1) get used to putting it on and taking it off
2) the final dive will be somewhat colder water than the indoor pool
3) it is always good to wear a suit to prevent sunburns and stings

I'm located in SW Texas. I do plan on doing some lake diving, but I also will be doing diving in Cozumel as well as the Cayman Islands. Should I just get a shorty for now and just use that, or should I get a full body suit?

The next question, how thick? I'm guessing that 3mm would be good enough for what I plan on doing. I am a newbie, so that explains my questions.

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TravelSimone:

Full all the way. If you are in an environment where a shorty would be fine, you still are not going to be too warm in a full suit. The full also will give you protection from jellyfish and accidental brushes against coral or other hard surfaces (which is likely to happen on occasion with a new diver).

As a general statement, a 3 mm is usually fine for many tropical waters. However, I would be a tad bit cold in Cozumel in a 3 mm. I usually bring a 1 mm shirt, a vest and hoodie for those times where the 3mm is not enough (because I do not own a 5mm and don't dive enough in slightly cooler waters to make the 5mm purchase worth my while).

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