What mm wetsuit for Maui and Cayman Brac?

[Scubagirlminn]

Hi all. I am newly certified and looking into getting a wetsuit. I am diving Maui in 3 weeks and Cayman Brac end of Feb. first week in March. I tend to get cold easily and am wondering what mm wetsuit would be most suitable for both--or if I can get away with just one (hopefully!) I am thinking 5mm full body but am not sure. Thanks!

 

[yle]

Can you give us an idea of what wetsuit you've used so far and in what temp water? My rough guess is that a 5mm suit should work well for Hawaii. You could probably use a 3mm suit in CB, but you'd be pretty cozy in the 5mm there.

 

[Scubagirlminn]

I've only gone on my certification dives so far which were at like 40 degrees or cold in a 7mm wetsuit in the Midwest. These will really be my first non-certiication dives. I'm about 5'8" 140 and do get cold a bit easily. Thanks! Also--another question--I just bought a Nikon Coolpix AW120 that's supposed to go to 60Ft and have never used a camera like this before. I see you can buy this float thing for it. Will I need that? Any camera advice would also be welcome. Thanks!

 

[caribean-ted]

You should get used to diving and your gear, get in over 30 dives and feeling comfortable before you try to bring a camera, as for the suit, 3mm shorty should be fine. The reason I suggest against the camera is that its hard enough to keep track of your gear, getting in and out of the water, boyancy should be your first concern and paying close attention to your equipment. its not hard to get lost down there because when you look up after getting that shot you really want. everyone could have moved on and your lost now. Experience first, pics later, you have lots of time. remember safey is number 1

 

[RJP]

I suggest getting a tropical dry suit... as I always do.

:d

But for wetsuits there are many options that are 5/4/3 suits; torso is 5mm, upper arms/legs are 4mm, lower arms/legs are 3mm. I find this to be a good compromise - usually warm enough, not usually too warm. You can always zip it down a bit if you do get warm. If you get cold easy, this is a good option.

The other option would be a 3mm suit and a 2mm vest (non-zippered) that you can wear under the 3mm suit.

Either of the two choices above would be good first purchases for exposure protection and give you flexibility for future diving.

Maui in January is mid 70's, Cayman Islands are just over 80. You wouldn't think that'd make a difference... but you'd be wrong. Especially if you're doing multiple dives per day over multiple days. I can't imagine diving a 3mm shorty in Maui in the winter.

For Maui... or anywhere, don't discount a hood or beanie to help keep you warmer all-over. "If your feet are cold... put on a hat."


"Cold" is relative, overall and from person-to-person. No one can really tell you what YOU should wear to be comfortable. Do also note that an awful lot of divers seem to confuse "I didn't die of hypothermia" or "I was able to tolerate the cold" with "I was quite comfortable." We dive to have fun, if you're cold... you won't have fun. Personally, I've never ended a dive thinking "Would have been better if I had been cold."

PS - keep in mind that "exposure protection" means more than just thermal protection. A full suit will provide full-body protection against things beyond just getting cold.

---------- Post added January 12th, 2015 at 04:12 PM ----------

I've only gone on my certification dives so far which were at like 40 degrees or cold in a 7mm wetsuit in the Midwest. These will really be my first non-certiication dives. I'm about 5'8" 140 and do get cold a bit easily. Thanks! Also--another question--I just bought a Nikon Coolpix AW120 that's supposed to go to 60Ft and have never used a camera like this before. I see you can buy this float thing for it. Will I need that? Any camera advice would also be welcome. Thanks!

The Coolpix 120 is NOT appropriate for diving. I don't care what they say on the Nikon site... I wouldn't take that camera any deep then the far end of the pool.

As to photography... I strongly suggest waiting until you've got some more dive experience before task loading yourself with a camera. To often we see new divers with cameras crashing. bumping, dragging, crawling over the reef to take a photo.

Personally, I think a diver should be able to hover motionless with ease before ever bringing a camera on a dive. If you need to land on the bottom, hold the reef, or prop yourself against something in order to take a photo... you've got some work to do on buoyancy skills. (Plus, without good dive skills... you're unlikely to get good photos anyway.)

 

[djdalite]

Ive free dived and scuba'd in maui - honolua bay and molokini crater - water is comfy but anything past 20ft is pretty chilly with just board shorts. I would say you would be fine with a 3mil, I usually like that option because you can always wear a 1mil vest/shorts underneath. Other option would be a 4/3 which would be good. A 5mil just seems a bit to much, unless your doing trimix dives or something. Have fun, and post pics

edit: this is applying to full suits, i wouldn't recommend a shorty for scuba

 

[Stoo]

The choice of suit is a very personal one... Nobody knows how you feel temperatures better than you do. Your size and build determine everything.

Mrs. Stoo is a wee wiff of a thing... 5'3", 100#, soaking wet. She has virtually no fat... lean and mean. She wears a 5mm suit... She's had several and currently owns a Henderson AquaLock which she says is the best she's ever owned. She also has a 3mm hood, which she wears on occasion, and also a 3mm hooded vest. When the water gets into the 78°F range, she'll wear the vest under the suit and remains toasty.

Little things like booties also help.

I have never owned a warm-water suit that was more than 3mm, but I often wear that with a 1mm vest, with attached 3mm hood. I also have a 3mm vest, with attached 5mm hood. You lose a lot of heat through your head. I rarely wear that under the suit unless it's really chilly... mid 70s... On occasion, I will wear just that vest and hood and board shorts if the water is more than 82/83... I have owned 3/2 suits (3mm in the core, 2mm in the arms and lower legs). The flexibility is nice, but you do give up some warmth.

My point is to think in terms of a "system"... various components that you can mix and match to suit the variations in temp. Vests are cheap and light to pack... I use mine to wrap regs and masks and stuff when packing.

 

[Cali_diver]

If you get cold easily wear a 5mm. I am 5'8" 140. Most of the women I have encountered wear more than the men they dive with. I think we get colder easier. You can always let water in to cool off but it sucks to be cold. I wear a 5mm with a lava core vest and hood. I still get cold in 82 but usually because I am taking pictures and sitting still.

I agree with the earlier poster that you should get some dives under your belt before you get camera happy. Take a class on buoyancy then practice practice practice. Enjoy the ocean with your eyes first.

Get a hood or beanie!

 

[divin'dog]

You will probably want 5mm protection in 70ºF water if that's the temp in Hawaii in Jan. In Cayman Brac, a 3mm is normally fine but if you do get cold a little easier, then a core warmer would be good to have. If you get a the 3mm and a 2mm core warmer, you'll be able to layer as the situation demands not only for Hawaii and CB, but for any future trips.

+1 for a hood too.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Stoo has some good advice - Maui will be considerably colder than Cayman Brac..get a full 5mm (like Mrs Stoo) or at least equivalent layers,you can always let water in or keep wetsuit unzipped if you get too warm. May be slight overkill in Cayman Brac. However, as the others said, lower-mid 70ish waters in Hawaii can get you cold in wetsuits less than a full 5mm especially since you claim to be cold sensitive. (Maui has many places you could rent/buy wetsuits btw.)

You might even want a hood/gloves and/or vest - my wife uses that stuff when I'm just wearing board shorts ! She feels the cold while I'm far less sensitive. I bring a hooded vest if i'm in doubt..like they say it doesnt take up much room or weight and makes a big difference. Way better to be comfortable.

Btw.. I have been to both islands and both are great places - lucky you !

Try to get a couple dives in at Little Cayman once you get comfortable and have buoyancy under control, its close by but even better than Cayman Brac, probably best scuba in our hemisphere.