Recommended exposure protection for SE Asia - Phillipine

[eelnoraa]

I am thinking of diving Phillipine in Thanksdiving time. I have a relatively compressed 7mm wetsuit (so maybe it is equivalent to a 5mm), 5mm boots, 5mm gloves, should I bring them with me?. I am looking to do 4 to 5 dives a day for 3 days.

 

[g1138]

I was recently there with the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation project for the month of July. We regularly did 3 dives a day (30min to ~80ft) with 2 hours of SI in between.
Water temp was 83-85F during that month.

I wore a lycra hood, 4/3 full, 1mm gloves, and 5mm booties. Got a bit chilly at times during days after the monsoon had rolled past. (That was after I got aclimated to the climate)
But overall I was very comfy.
The key thing though was that I had to strip off my suit completely to enjoy the SI and boat ride in and out from the dive site.

With a 7mm suit you'll be burning up on the boat if it's sunny and you'll be extremely toasty when you get in the water.
Where I stayed (Malapascua Island) I noticed their dive shops had wetsuits for rental. I never asked what thickness it was though.

 

[LanceRiley]

I live in the Philippines. and I dive with 0.5mm scubapro suit. some of my buddies just use rashguards.

i think the thickest i've seen so far is 3mm suit. but they strip it off when they're on the boat. with a 3mm you burn up fast!

 

[Centrals]

You might need your old compressed 7mm in late Dec to Feb otherwise leave it at home.
I have seen DIR divers diving with tropical dry suit in summer. So.....?
If you have high tolerance to coldness then a rental wet suit might do. But you have to accept the fact that proper "FITTING" might not be possible.
You really have to decide if a NEW thin wet suit would have any use after this trip. There are plenty of warm water places for diving afterall.

 

[eelnoraa]

thank you all, guys, please keep your comments coming, I would like to know what people use there.

I am just wondering how warm Phillipine will be in late Nov. I remember when I was in Maui doing Monikini with 5mm sleeveless. I did feel cold in SI between dives due to wind. It sounds like Phillipine is warmer than Maui.

Assume I will be using a 3mm, and most like AL80 rental, should I bring SS plate or AL plate?

 

[g1138]

An Al backplate would give you more leeway in terms of exposure protection and weighting. With a Steel backplate you may be overweighted if you dive in just a rash guard. You'll have to play it strategically based on your weighting.
If you use 6lbs in a rash guard then it would make more sense to bring your steel backplate. But then you wouldn't have any ditchable weight if you're diving in a rash guard, if you prefer that.

If you're going to Malapascua Island then all they use is Al80's.
I can't speak for any other areas.

 

[Mucksavage]

I use 5mm all year around and add hooded vest etc from Xmas to whenever it warms up however most customers seem fine with a 3mm. If you have a hooded vest it can make a great difference under a rental 3mm. However last year the temperature remained 29C in Malapascua until the end of January before dropping. Also very light for traveling but a wind breaker on the boat can ward off those winds that can seem chilly.Al80 standard here. If your luggage allowance lets you take SS then do that so you don't have too add much lead, if any on arrival.

 

[FWADIVER]

I wore a full 3mm for all of the SE asia diving(malaysia/thailand) i have done. I was a bit warm and a shorty would have been fine for me, but my wife was just about right in a full 3mm(she gets cold easier). I was glad to have the full over a shorty after several in our group with shorties got stung by free floaters. Most of the locals wore swim trunks and rash guard tops.

 

[Rogersea]

I am thinking of diving Phillipine in Thanksdiving time. I have a relatively compressed 7mm wetsuit (so maybe it is equivalent to a 5mm), 5mm boots, 5mm gloves, should I bring them with me?. I am looking to do 4 to 5 dives a day for 3 days.

If you are doing 4 to 5 dives a day, and you dont have much body fat, I would recommend your 5mm. The water is around -81-82 F so it is warm but that much time in the water will certainly cool you down.. Where are you headed?

Cheers,
Roger

 

[Wantonmien]

I am thinking of diving Phillipine in Thanksdiving time. I have a relatively compressed 7mm wetsuit (so maybe it is equivalent to a 5mm), 5mm boots, 5mm gloves, should I bring them with me?. I am looking to do 4 to 5 dives a day for 3 days.

eelnoraa,

Nov~April, on several trips to PHP we've taken 3mm full suits, normally not cold and never felt water there lower than say 23 C - however, we are also warm water wussies, and have electrically heated under vests in the dive bags, so if feeling a little chilly under water or on boat before second dive, we'll chuck them on and they work brilliantly under the 3 mm. Might be worth you investing - have a look :: THERMALUTION.COM :: Thermalution, Your Only Solution! Using it, under a 3mm on dive boats in winter in Taiwan, I've actually been the only one (amongst divers in 5 or 7mm suits) who is not cold, and my buddy swears it's the best investment ever !!

May~Oct, I only take a 2 mm shortie, and buddy a full 1 mm thin skin (not the heated vests) and never cold as found water always 25~29 C - Only prob I find is after a 10 dive series, the exposed skin from wearing shortie leaves me great collection of stings .. so much so that I've just ordered a 1.5 mm full suit, which will be my 'summer' wetsuit to take to PHP.

Cheers and safe diving