Rules of thumb for comfort at various water temps??

highflier · Jan 17, 2012

Hi I was wondering if anybody has a rule of thumb that they use fo diving based on water temp.

Tshirt
Shorty 3mm or so
Full 3mm or so
6mm gloves, hoody
Dry suit

I ask only to see what gear I may want someday as my diving progresses

Highflier

eponym · Jan 17, 2012

I predict a wide variety of responses. Popcorn may be involved. I have only my own preferences to share. Note that I'm a www (warm-water-wuss), although three-quarters of my logged dives have been cold (below 60F).

For multi-day, multi-dive trips, at a resort or on a liveaboard, my personal preferences are:

80F, 3mm full
70F, 5mm full or better
60F, semi-dry NovaScotia (6.5mm)
50F, semi-dry if it's warm and sunny on the surface, otherwise drysuit (ten-year-old Whites Nexus)
Drysuit lets me be comfy down to 40F although my toes can get numb after a half-hour.

Our indoor pool is 86F, and I still use a 3mm shortie for training. www.

-Bryan

gurnie · Jan 17, 2012

You adjust based on your tolerance and repeative dive schedule.

Tshirt - Never, you need protection from the sun and "stingys"
Shorty - 85 +
Full 3mm - 72 - 85
5mm gloves - 72 - 80
Dry suit - Below 75

Nice thing about a 3mm or 5mm you can put hooded vest with it. I also like the 7mm semi-dry (Waterproof Combat) as an alternative to diving dry.

Jax · Jan 17, 2012

eponym:
I'm a www (warm-water-wuss), although three-quarters of my dives have been cold (below 60F).

-Bryan

Highflier, I, too, am a Warm Water Wuss.

One thing I have noted in new divers is that they do not take into account the cooling effect of multi-dives over multi-days.

Just because a 3mm in 84^o water feels great the first time, doesn't mean it will feel great by the third dive of the day.

Also, work makes a big difference. If you are in no current and you fin around the pinnacle to which the boat is anchored, you will be warmer than if you were just hovering in a drift dive, letting the current take you.

Lastly, what is called "bioprene" (body fat) is a big factor. If you have next to none, you'll want to be one level warmer than anyone else.

That said --

3mm when working (swimming hard) in 84F

7mm when drifting in 82F

Drysuit with artic-level undies in anything below 80F. :giggle:

Jim Lapenta · Jan 17, 2012

88 and up - skin, thin gloves
80 - 87- 3 mm, thin gloves, 2 mm hood
75-80 - 3 mm and 2 mm shorty depending on number of dives and air temp, gloves 3mm, 2 mm hood
68 -75 5 mm, 3mm gloves, 2 mm hood
62 - 68 5 mm plus 2 mm on the core, 7 mm hood, 5 mm gloves
36- 72- dry suit ( at upper ranges if more than one dive or doing deco), 7 mm hood, dry gloves

eponym · Jan 17, 2012

Jax:
Drysuit with artic-level undies in anything below 80F.

I suddenly feel much more hardy. Good one, Jax! :cool2:

tadawson · Jan 17, 2012

gurnie:
You adjust based on your tolerance and repeative dive schedule.

Tshirt - Never, you need protection from the sun and "stingys"
Shorty - 85 +
Full 3mm - 72 - 85
5mm gloves - 72 - 80
Dry suit - Below 75

Nice thing about a 3mm or 5mm you can put hooded vest with it. I also like the 7mm semi-dry (Waterproof Combat) as an alternative to diving dry.

I'd never wear a shorty in the tropic for your reasons as well - for me, 85 and above, it's a full skin . . . .

- Tim

highflier · Jan 17, 2012

I am suprised already. My diving will be in the middle keys mostly. I have been snorkling in 85-88 with nothing and been just fine. That said I am a WWW also, from the viewpoint I like to keep house above 70 degrees even in winter. When at the northern house near the jersey shore, I do not swim in the ocean period. I do jetski but mostly wear my shorty and get out of the water PDF (Pretty *** fast).

I thought a shorty would be fine for 70-75 degrees, Guess that is not the case. I do have a full 3mm setup that has a 3mm top that over laps to give me 6mm on my core, and 3mm everywhere else.

Unfortunately, I have to say I do not have much bio-prene. 6'3" 180 LB

Highflier

highdesert · Jan 17, 2012

I have seen a diver wearing T-shirt and swim trunks, another in a hooded 7-mil, and me in the middle with a 3-mil, all in the same water. Seems there is some latitude in "rules of thumb".

boulderjohn · Jan 17, 2012

Whatever range ends up working for you, think about the things you can do to extend that range a few degrees. Here are some tips based on my experience

Adding a hood makes a big difference. If you are a chilled on a dive, a hood may be all you need to be comfortable.

You can also multi-layer by adding a vest or the like. IMO, a hood works better. A hooded vest will do a lot.

Gloves don't do nearly as much for you as you might expect, but they are very helpful in cold water.

Rules of thumb for comfort at various water temps??

Please register or login

highflier

Contributor

eponym

Contributor

gurnie

Contributor

Jax

Deplorable American

Jim Lapenta

Contributor

eponym

Contributor

tadawson

Contributor

highflier

Contributor

highdesert

ScubaBoard Supporter

boulderjohn

Technical Instructor

Similar threads