Wetsuit warmth (rental vs new)

CRC65 · Oct 21, 2009

My wife and I dove in Hawaii last winter and the water temps were 70-72 F. With 3mm rental full suits and a 3mm hood we found ourselves a little cold at the end of the second dive. Recently we dove with 5mm suits in 80 F water and were not too hot. All suits seemed to fit us pretty well. I was planning on purchasing 5mm suits, but is there any reason to think a new suit would be significantly warmer and we could get by with 3mm? Thanks.

ptyx · Oct 21, 2009

Neoprene, generally speaking, doesn't age well. Some of the fancy marketing you don't find on rental suits (titanium, merino, etc.) actually works. So you should be much warmer in a good quality new 3mm than an old battered rental 3mm.

However, unless the extra weight required with a 5mm is a problem, get a 5mm. It's never a problem to be warm - but being cold can really screw up a dive.

Also as you dive more, you'll get better at air consumption and efficiency. Better efficiency means less muscle heat, and getting colder faster.

doc8425 · Oct 21, 2009

I absolutely agree with ptyx. Go for the thicker suit. Especially handy in the colder California waters. The weight difference is not that much (maybe a couple pounds) and for the reasons stated< it is worth the effort. Good Diving!

Cave Diver · Oct 21, 2009

Wetsuits age and deteriorate with time, thus reducing their effectiveness. A lot of times, you may find that rentals have been subjected to a lot of Performance Enhancing Enzymes (P.E.E.) Among the benefits of P.E.E. is that they can add a lot of additional warmth to the suit. However, this is a short lived benefit and it must be re-applied on a regular basis to maximize the warmth potential.

Older rental wetsuits may have been subjected to this process numerous times throughout their life by the various users and as a result may retain a certain chemical odor.

deich · Oct 21, 2009

I have found a good Merino lining such as is found in the Pinnacle suit is extremely warm in the cool water and cool in the warm water... Basically i have been through many "cheap" suits with little success. I was ready to buy a custom suit then i tried the Pinnacle.... What a difference well worth the money.

Which ever suit you decide to go with a good fit is extremely inportant.

Before you make your decision try the Pinnacle Merino lined well worth the money...

ligersandtions · Oct 22, 2009

As you noticed with your 5mm suit in 80F water, you don't get "too hot" in a wetsuit pretty much ever. If you're ever warm, you always have the option of flushing water through to cool you off. However, if you're cold, you're cold....no way to fix that underwater other than to leave. I'd definitely go with the thicker suits (FWIW, I dive a 7mm wetsuit when I dive 80F water....I would prefer to be in a drysuit because even the 7mm gets cold if you're doing four dives in a day at an hour long each).

princessaprilia · Oct 22, 2009

Cave Diver:
Wetsuits age and deteriorate with time, thus reducing their effectiveness. A lot of times, you may find that rentals have been subjected to a lot of Performance Enhancing Enzymes (P.E.E.) Among the benefits of P.E.E. is that they can add a lot of additional warmth to the suit. However, this is a short lived benefit and it must be re-applied on a regular basis to maximize the warmth potential.

Older rental wetsuits may have been subjected to this process numerous times throughout their life by the various users and as a result may retain a certain chemical odor.

:shocked2:

:rofl3:

Damselfish · Oct 22, 2009

It's true that a high quality new suit is likely to be warmer that a well-used rental. What temps do you plan on diving in? Hawaii is on the cold side of "warm water" diving for some of the year, getting cold in 70F water in a well worn 3mm isn't too surprising. And yes, even in 80F you probably weren't too warm underwater in a 5mm. But it is possible to get too warm in a 5mm - above water. Plus they're bulkier to pack and you'll need more weight. So if you need 5mm get it, but I don't subscribe to the thicker is always better logic. You might consider the 3mm and a core warmer or something to layer over it when needed, that can be more versatile.

If you're diving at home, the 5mm isn't enough.

Wetsuit warmth (rental vs new)

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