Wet Suit

[daivdm203]

My experienced is limited to the training and certification dives plus maybe two or three others. I live off Long Island Sound and would like to get a little more experience.

I am a sailor and my goal is to be able to do do work on boats, retrieve mooring anchors etc. In short all very shallow work.

For my open-water certification dive I had to buy a 7 mm wet-suit as the dive was in April in Connecticut. It was very cold.

The water when I would usually dive would be about 70 degrees which it is now.

I was thinking that it would make sense to buy a 3 mm suit.

Am I right in guessing that the 3 mm suit would be warm enough, a lot easier to put on, more comfortable feeling in the water and would require less weight.

Sorry if this is a dumb question but since I'm not sure I figured I should ask.

 

[oly5050user]

you may find that you will own a 5mm and a 3mm eventually.3mm for travel, the 5mm for this time of year in LI sound. i use a5mm this time of year locally. water now 74 degrees too cold for me to enjoy using a 3mm.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Depends on how long you're going to be in it too. 3mm sounds thin for 70 degrees w/ any decent duration.

 

[spectrum]

3mm tends to be nice in 75F+ water when you want some thermal protection.

If the baseline you're gearing up for is 70F I'd agree with a 5mm full suit.

Also, as mentioned the "wardrobe" is inevitable if you stick with it as a diversified diver.

Pete

 

[jeangadbois]

Is wearing the 7mm an issue when i was diving wet i wore the 7mm in 75* you allready own it so why spend more if u dont need too, i was never too warm in the suit in the water. sometimes warm on the surface but managable.

 

[Roman_66]

I had to buy a 7 mm wet-suit as the dive was in April in Connecticut. It was very cold.
The water when I would usually dive would be about 70 degrees which it is now.

70 still pretty cold, maybe not for 7mm, but 5mm should be good.
Cold-warm it is VERY personal feeling and very depends of your dive level. How you more experience diver, you will cold more and more.
Some time ago I was diving in 1mm if temperatura was higher than 74, now I cold in 75 F with 5mm on long dives (more than 50 minutes).
I think above was good suggestion : try to use 7mm and buy 3 or 5 in case you will feel real warm.

 

[hroark2112]

Another strategy to consider is layering. Get a 3mm base layer and wear a hooded vest on top of that. That will give you a hood and 6mm on your core, and will still leave your arms & legs moving easier.

There are lots of ways to stay warm, you'll have to get to know your own personal tolerance for temperature.

 

[daivdm203]

Another strategy to consider is layering. Get a 3mm base layer and wear a hooded vest on top of that. That will give you a hood and 6mm on your core, and will still leave your arms & legs moving easier.

There are lots of ways to stay warm, you'll have to get to know your own personal tolerance for temperature.

I actually have a hooded vest. So that may work out.

Is the 3 and or 5 mm suit a lot easier to get on than the 7 mm.

It is a bit of a work out to put on the one I have.

And as someone said it is not that I am too hot in the water. I'm really looking for easier to put on and easier to move around.

 

[Chris12day]

How long do you think it will be 70 in the Long Island Sound? A month at best.

What will you do the rest of the year?

What visibitilty do think you will have in the sound all 12 months?

I think it will take you much longer to "find" the lost items under the water?

Any chance of contaminates in the sound from leaking boats, tanks, etc....?

I would only be diving dry.

Dive Safe