Which wetsuit do I bring diving in Caribbeans

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Mimal2000

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Messages
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Location
Montreal
# of dives
100 - 199
Hi everyone. I have very limited space in my luggage this year and probably just enough room for one wetsuit. I'm leaving to go diving in Holguin (Cuba) on Dec 14th for a few weeks. I expect to do a few dives per day. I know many of you are already thinking don't take any chances and bring 2, but as I said, I don't have enough room. My options are: 5mm shortie, 5mm full suit, 7mm, or a skin. Any words of wisdom from regular Caribbean divers would really be appreciated.
 
Personally I take two, a 2/3 full and a 2mm shortie and switch to the full for night dives and/or if I get cold.

If I only had one from that list it would be the full 5. Shortie 5 would do until you did multiple dives in a day and then might be a bit cold for the final dive of the day.

Everyone's tolerance for cold is different - have been in a 2mm shortie and just fine whle another diver was in a drysuit (not a tropical one) so.....
 
It depends how cold you get.
 
It all depends on tolerance, but I'd say it's a very safe bet that your skin won't be enough and that (unless you're like my wife) the 7mm will be too much. The temperatures in the Caribbean are typically 72-75F around New Year's Day, in my experience. I dove a 3mm shorty, but would've enjoyed a 3mm full. Especially on the night dive or 3rd dive of the day, a little extra would've been nice.

If I were you, I'd take the 5mm full suit. If you get hot underwater, stretch your neck open and flush some fresh water into it. I'd say take the full over the shorty because your arms and legs might get cold, even if your core is fine. Like I said, you can always cool off but it's hard to warm up.
 
I always take a drysuit :D.

If you plan to dive a lot, you should think about upping the thickness. If you dive a 5mm at home, perhaps a 3mm would do there. Honestly, it depends more on you than on the water temperature.
 
Going to Grand Turk in 2 weeks with a full 7mm. Froze last year in a rental full 3mm with a thermocline explorer suit layer underneath (supposedly 2.5mm equivalent), I only took down the thermocline... what was I thinking?!?!?! Taking a hood for my skinny son just in case as well.
 
I am not very cold tolerant. In the winter in Bonaire when the water temp is 78-79, I now use a 3 mm suit plus a vest and sometimes a beanie. At the same time, my wife is fine in a 3 mm and there are other folks only in bathing suits or skins. In the summer, when the temps are 81-82, I use just the 3 mm.

The comment in an above post that water temps in the "Caribbean are typically 72-75F around New Year's Day" is not at all accurate for much of the Caribbean.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I'll play it safe and bring my 5mm. As Victor suggests, If I get too hot I can always let some water in whereas if I get too cold I can't really do much about it. Cheers to everyone and have a merry Xmas, dive safely.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I'll play it safe and bring my 5mm. As Victor suggests, If I get too hot I can always let some water in whereas if I get too cold I can't really do much about it. Cheers to everyone and have a merry Xmas, dive safely.

Take a light hood as well. A hood makes a good 10-15 minute difference in comfort for me... and you can always remove it.
 
Water temps in Grand Cayman last week were in the low 80's

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