Wetsuits ?

[matthewjen]

We will be on Maui in march hopefully for plenty of diving. I am trying to prepare what equipment we will need to bring but mostly wondering about wetsuits. I know that everybody has different preferanaces but I am looking for info and feedback on what most divers wear for protection 3mil , 5 mil, or something else. please help.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Many (most?) folks are very comfortable in 3mm full suits. But if you chill easily and are going to be doing multiple dives over several days, a 5mm is not overkill.

I use a 3mm year round, and the water in Hilo is a tad cooler than Maui or Kona. I'll add a hood in winter.

But my wife gets cold easily , and dives a 5mm year round, and sometimes adds a hood in winter.

Best wishes.

 

[Nwcid]

We have been there twice. BI in April and Maui in January. Both times I took my 7mm full because it was all I had and at the time I was not willing to buy another one. I do not find myself to be cold sensitive as diving in the PNW in a drysuit even in winter I come up warm and ready to get out while others are dumping warm water on themselves.

For me in the 7mm there I went in warm and came out warm vs going in warm and coming out cool. I never felt too warm in the water and if I had a simple flush would help that. GF did most of her diving in 7mm as well. She does have a 3mm that she bought for her son so she had it. We did one dive in it and found she got cold.

As it is said it all depends on the person.

 

[DiveMaven]

Plan for 72-74 degree water and you'll be fine. Personally, I won't wear anything less than a 5mm merino lined full suit normally, but in the spring I layer a Lavacore long sleeved shirt under my 5mm suit!

 

[Montana Diver]

Being from MT, anything is warm. I dive a 3mm with a rashguard underneath. Works well for me in Late Feb to early March when on Maui.

 

[Token]

I find a 3-mil and a hood, or a hooded vest is plenty for Maui in the winter. Note that I don't mind being a little cool. A 5-mil would probably not be too much, esp. after multiple dives.

 

[pjhansman]

Plan for 72-74 degree water and you'll be fine. Personally, I won't wear anything less than a 5mm merino lined full suit normally, but in the spring I layer a Lavacore long sleeved shirt under my 5mm suit!

Couldn't agree more. The only reason a 5mil full suit is "good enough" for me is because I typically take a day off between dive days when I'm in Maui.

 

[scubahawk27]

I live here and I scooter dive in my shorts.....just kidding 2.5 Mil


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[scottitheduck]

I think after 8 years of daily diving and outfitting thousands of people with wetsuits I qualify as a bit of an "expert"

How bout this...... Height and Weight and month you are diving. Maybe I should create an app for this.

G

 

[scubadada]

I would expect mid-low 70s, for me that would be my full 5 mm and I would have my 5/3 mm hooded vest along, and would likely use it. I tend to do 4 dives per day, multiple days