How to make 5 mil wetsuit warmer

[WhyMe]

Hopefully I am posting this in the right place. New to scubaboard. I am a novice, vacation diver who gets cold easily. I have a 5 mil Henderson wetsuit with 3 mil booties and a cap that kept me warm in Costa Rica and Hawaii but diving Cozumel in the winter it just wasn't enough. I wasn't shivering but was uncomfortable by the end of the first dive and for most of the second. I also have a 1 mil wetsuit that I bought for snorkeling in Hawaii (mistake because it wasn't enough).

What can I do to make diving in the 5 mil warmer? I am not an avid diver, so I don't know all the options very well. I had a claustrophobia freak out at the dive shop trying on a hooded vest do I don't see that as an option. Death by neoprene is not the way to go Gloves have not been allowed the places I've dived.

Should I try to layer the 1 mil under the 5 mil and would that help much anyway? Get a 3 mil shorty? Hooded vest seems a common recommendation on this board but I don't see a way past my claustrophobia. The hood I borrowed from a friend was a pain with the tucking into the neck of the wetsuit and it wanted to let water in, which was not helpful.

Thanks!

 

[Jax]

Hi! Welcome to the 'board!

I dive a 7mm in Coz, so I think I can relate to what you are saying.

First, look for a Pinnacle merino lined vest or shorty - vest here: Hoods and Vests - Pinnacle Aquatics That would be the least expensive route.

I would say, get a 3mm shorty to put over the five. That will give you 8mm over your body's core.

Definitely put the 1mm over the 5mm - it's still one more millimeter!

I have a 7mm full, and a 7mm farmer jane. I do not mess with anything less.

Except for the 3mm Pinnacle core-warmer . . . . I wear it under my drysuit.

 

[Candiru]

Sorry to say it, but hooded vest. Get a 1 mill they are not so claustrophobic inducing also buying the correct size is critical. I would suggest having somebody immediately available when trying on a new vest in case you get stuck. Also check out the lavacore hooded vest, this shouldn't feel so constricting.


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[Jax]

Also, consider a beanie-type head-cover. You can get some hoods that don't need tucking in.

 

[Octopusprime]

Well I started reading and was going to suggest the hooded vest. The one you tried on May have been too tight. The one time I had anxiety was from a hood that was too tight.

To stay warmer you have 2 options keep your core warmer or keep your extremities warmer. A hood and gloves would be good addition. I love my bare 7ml if I'm. Diving shallow and get warm it is easy to allow water in at neck and lose the hood and gloves.

You can always dive dry ...

 

[tbone1004]

biggest thing if you're getting cold is keeping your neck warm, your carotid artery and jugular are the two most important things to make sure you stay warm, followed closely by your head. If any water is cold enough to warrant a hood, it is cold enough to warrant a hooded vest, an extra 2mm of neoprene on your chest won't hurt you. If you have claustrophobia with a hood, you need to either get over it, or stop diving in cold water because no amount of neoprene you wear on your body will protect your head and neck. You can dive in 60' water in nothing but a good hood and be about as warm as someone in a 7mm without a hood.

Unfortunately you really do either have to get over it or just not dive in those conditions. Skirted hoods are a colossal pain and I hate them, so I either use a drysuit hood, which doesn't have a skirt, or straight to a hooded vest. I have a large neck so I prefer the zippered hoods since I can pull them back without choking myself and I actually run without it zippered most of the time. The hooded vests tend not to have the choking problem when you pull them back which is why I prefer them to a skirted hood.

5mm Merino Hooded Vest - Vests - Wetsuits - EXPOSURE GEAR - Dive Right in Scuba
Pinnacle Merino 7mm Zippered Drysuit Hood | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL - Dive Right in Scuba

Not sure if you're male or female or what size you are, but John has some good deals on this stuff if there is something that fits you. They're all kind of weird sizes because they are closeout deals, but you can't beat the price if one of them is in your size

Crazy John Specials

 

[Rich Keller]

You loss most of your body heat through your head. A hooded vest would be the better way to go or just a 5 or 7mm hood will work. Also a good pair of 7mm boots will help. Beyond that you should look at how well your suit fits in general. If the fit is good you might also consider reducing the size of the wrist and ankle cuffs to cut down on the amount of water exchanged.

 

[tursiops]

You loss most of your body heat through your head.

That is an old wives tale.

 

[WhyMe]

Thanks for the suggestions. And honesty that a hooded vest is likely the way to go The cap/beanie might need to be saved for warmer water...

The water on my neck making me cold makes sense as I think back on the dives. My wetsuit fits, but it's certainly not custom and I think some of the cold was across my upper back and collarbone area. The neck on the suit feels plenty tight but as I swim around (and use my arms more than I should) I think cold water is coming in. Maybe the hooded vest will help that in addition to covering my neck.

The arms and legs of my wetsuit feel tight. How do I tell if they are letting cold water in and how do I remedy that?

I hadn't considered warmer booties but I know warmer socks make a big difference in regular life.

As a side comment, I was surprised to find a couple of the regulars to Cozumel on our boat wore 5 mil full suits and one a 7 mil long sleeve with short legs. My poor hubby, who is usually fine in the dive shop provided gear, was cold in the 3 mil shorty they said would be enough. I guess we'll be getting him a wetsuit before the next trip.

 

[tbone1004]

tursiops, it may be an old wives tale, but keeping your neck and head warm is crucial to staying warm. Your neck has two very large blood vessels that are very close to the surface of the skin and without protection cause you to lose a great deal of body heat, and a cold head also makes you feel colder than you are which then exacerbates any other cold issues like poor decision making. I would take a good hood and boots with a cheap or too thin wetsuit before I'd take a great wetsuit with a bad or no hood/boots.

The 7mm was a top to a farmer john and they work very well, hell I did most of my cave training in one, but they can make you feet heavy and that is bad, especially when diving around coral. The less movement you have with your arms the better off you'll be at the neck, but you likely aren't getting a lot of water flow through your arms or legs, it is usually up at the neck, especially if you have a lot of arm movement.