3mm or 5mm for Tropical Diving

[mclougs]

Ok, here goes, This is my first post. I currently own a 3mm Henderson size medium, the suit was never the best fit always alittle big. I recently lost 25lbs and now i swim in the suit. I tend to get cold diving and since i realize i need a new wetsuit i was wondering if i should get a 5mm just for the extra warmth. I'm 5'6 140 at best, I basically dive on vacation 2 dives three days a week, march/april and november is when i dive so water temp is anywhere from 76-81. Just got back from Mexico last week and i was freezing in 76f-77f water, but like i said my suit is ill fitting. Ive seen the scubapro suits and size small fits me perfectly compared to other brands, just dont know if the 3/2 or a 5/4 should have my name on it. Any advise is greatly appreciated

[Kupu]

I go for a 5/4 in those kind of temps, I also tend to get cold even if others are happy with a 3/2 or less. If wetsuits did not lose a bit of thermal protection with use due to the neoprene compressing, a 3/2 would probably work. But 20 or 30 dives after purchasing a 3/2 I start feeling chilly as it gets a bit thinner, a 5/4 ends up being better in the long run in my experience.

[rongoodman]

I just got back from a couple of weeks of cave diving in Mexico. The water temp in the cenotes is a pretty constant 75, and I was good in a Pinnacle 5mm Merino suit. I've heard it said that this suit is warmer than the average 5mm. I certainly wouldn't go with anything less, and for longer dives, it will be time for the drysuit.

[elan]

I found it cold to dive anything thiner than 4-5 mil in 76 water. I usually use a hood as well

[mclougs]

Thanks for the advise so far. Just wanna get one suit more or less and in november when i vacation the water temp is 80f, march/april the water is cooler. Just wondered now if a 3/2 suit with a hooded vest might work as well, scubapro has a vest thats 2.5/.5 and that would give me 5.5m on the core with the option of not using vest if water is warmer.

[Kupu]

A hooded vest is great to have, I add a 5/3 hooded vest to the 5mm wetsuit when temps get to the mid 70s. But I would still start out with the 5mm fullsuit vs the 3/2 when buying a new wetsuit.

[Goferrin99]

Custom made wetsuits will also add a lot to your warmth by dramatically reducing the amount of water flowing through your suit as you move.

This is especially true if you are not a regular "off the rack" body size. I'm 5'8" and only 130-140 lbs and I found it made a world of difference

[k ellis]

I personaly dive all day long in 70 degree water with swimwear but some folks find this too cold. I would recommend if you find 70 - 80 degree water cold you should get a 5 mil just because its one of the best all around suits. I wear my 5 mil all the way down to 47 degree water though I find its most comfortable down to about 55.

Man when it comes to investing into gear its hard to give advice though because whats good for me may not be good for you.

Best of luck!

[victor]

I agree with Ellis,cold is a very personal experience. I would wear a 1mm dive skin down to mid 70's.
My sugestion would be a custom 3mm with a 3mm hooded vest. Maybe the same using 5mm would be right for you.
The difficulty is you can't try before you buy. Maybe you can find a shopor suppiler that will rent you a suit for the holiday.

I find that it is the ride back on the boat that is the coldest, I dry off before the ride and that makes a big difference.

If you really feel the cold then consider diving dry. It might be a pain to travel with,I don't know how small they pack.

[Straegen]

IMO, surface temps play a big role in what I wear. If the surface temps are sub 70 and the water temps are the same, I start looking around for something thick. If the surface temps are 85+ and the water is mid 70s plus, a dive skin is plenty for me. I cannot imagine a 5mm or thicker in 80+ degree water/surface personally but I do know a couple divers who simply dive a 7mm all the time.

Wear what makes you comfortable but watch getting overheated between dives in hot weather.