Wetsuits

[Moparmonster1965]

I'm tentaively planning a scuba trip to Cozamel in October for my first ocean diving experience.

I'm looking at wetsuits on Ebay and Craigslist and would like to know what I need for that environment. I assume I'll need a shorty suit, but what's best? And does it matter is it's used?

Money's tight, but I want to buy the right thing the first time.

Thanks, all.

 

[ligersandtions]

It depends on your tolerance to cold. I went diving in Cozumel in a 7mm full wetsuit. I was never too warm and never regretted my decision to take my thick wetsuit.

On the boat with me were two kids who were diving in board shorts and t-shirts. They came up with blue lips, even though the water was 84 degrees.

The only thing I can really tell you is that it's better to have a thicker suit than one that will not offer you enough warmth. If you ever feel too warm, you can just flush your suit with water....however, if you ever feel too cold, there aren't many options other than getting out and trying to warm up on the surface.

A 7mm in Cozumel may be overkill, but imo, I wouldn't recommend anything less than a 3mm full wetsuit. Others will certainly chime in with their opinions as well....but just keep in mind that it's YOUR tolerance to cold that matters.

 

[snowflake4727]

I fully agree. If you are going to be in the water alot then a thicker suit helps. Plus, if your to warm, just flush some water in. I woulld wear a 5 mil personally, and take a hood.

 

[Louma]

You may want to look into TommyDSports.com | Wetsuits, Scuba Dive Gear, Diving Fins & MORE! you can get new for the price of used. I've never bought a wet suit from them but I know people that have and they like them. The problem with buying a wet suit used is how many dives does it have on it. They compress at depth and eventually loose their thermal abilities over time.

 

[Louie]

If you can get a new one at a good price, it's the preferable option.

You will soon hear the saying: "When it comes to peeing in wetsuits, there are two types of people. 1) Those who do and 2) Those who lie about it".

In addition, as mentioned already, a well-worn suit will have compressed significantly and will have lost a lot of thermal protection.

Beware as different brands will have different cuts and fits. A poorly fitted suit won't insulate that well. Try on some different ones if you get a chance.

I would advise against shorties. Not only are suits for thermal protection but they're also designed to protect against exposure to stinging organisms (you'll hear about all these things in your classes and in your textbooks if you're doing a certification).

People differ greatly in their cold/heat tolerance. Once you start diving, you'll have a much better idea of how cold you get while diving. I took my 3mm to Cozumel a couple of months ago and was so cold after the first day I went to town that evening to buy a hood. Some people on the boat were in shorties and claimed they were comfortably warm. So when I plan for a dive, I always ask what the water temp is rather than what thickness of suit is required.

 

[spectrum]

I'm tentaively planning a scuba trip to Cozamel in October for my first ocean diving experience.

I'm looking at wetsuits on Ebay and Craigslist and would like to know what I need for that environment. I assume I'll need a shorty suit, but what's best? And does it matter is it's used?

Money's tight, but I want to buy the right thing the first time.

Thanks, all.

On eBay you are planing wetsuit roulette so that's in conflict with " buy the right thing the first time."

At least on Craigs list you have the opportunity to try the suit before buying. Wetsuits are all about fit, fit and fit. here is some good reading.
Even though your question si not about cold water diving the fundamentals are the same.

I would not jump to getting a shorty. What you need is a very individual matter. You are better off wearing too much rather than too little. Since you are feeling your way into this a 3mm full suit may be a good safe starting point. The thing you need to be prepared for is repetitive diving. 2,3 maybe 4 dives a day for a number of consecutive days. If you start out with just enough suit you will be cold at the end of the week and your performance, pleasure and safety will suffer.

Used suits obviously have some wear and with compression thermal protection will decline. You pay for used, you get used but often you can find these suits, especially the thin ones VERY lightly used. They get bought on a whim, sometime for a single occasion. Sometimes the owner decides diving or some other water sport just isn't their thing and you get an opportunity to save some $$. The used suit has probably been pee'd in, get over it your time will come soon enough. I'm not sure what Craiglist looks like in Denver but I'd even consider a hoodless "surfing" suit if you are looking to save cash.

You should avoid the triathlon type suits that do not have a nylon outer fabric. The smooth skin neoprene will have a hard time standing up to straps and gear chaffing.

Pete

 

[diver 85]

Have been there on 6 trips since Nov of '06 ie about every 6 months--most recent was the end of May about 2 weeks ago(below is a link to pics from that trip)......Here's what I've always taken for diving: skins, 2mm shortie & 2 mm hooded vest(ie chicken vest).........The last trip I wore only my skins & shortie, water temps were always on my computer 81 or 82 degrees---& the chicken vest never got wet except for sitting next to my 2 mm shortie packed on the way home......Do what you want but I would never bring anything more than @ most a 3 mm suit......That's my story & I'm sticking with it...lol

CZMApr09 pictures by GEAUXtiger - Photobucket

 

[under water]

It depends! I was in Cozumel last month and did my first 2 dives with a 3/5 comfortably. The next day I left my suit (it was hanging up separate from my gear), took 5 pounds of my weights and dove in my t-shirt and shorts and was very comfortable.

I left my suit hanging up the rest of the time I was there. Water temps were 80-77. There are enough people who get chilled without a hood and a 7 mil to say that there is no way ahead of time that anyone can tell you what you will need.
It's something you are going to have to find out yourself.

You will probably end up buying more than one wetsuit of you keep diving. Given that, a reasonable start would be a relatively new 3mm or a relatively old 5mm (due to compression).

Wetsuits are not just for keeping you warm.. they are also to protect you from the chance of jellyfish stings. I got a couple of those in Coz, but a little sting here and there isn't bad.. unless you are planning on doing shore diving in northeast Australia in the summer. Those jellyfish are BAD (they have nicknames like 'killer this' and 'killer that') and nobody would do that.

 

[halocline]

A 3 mm full suit or 3/2 mm is a good first suit for many caribbean divers. You probably see more divers in Coz wearing 3mm suits than any other type, but as everyone has said, it is very personal. October temps could be around 80F, or could be 83-84F. There's a huge difference between those two over a week of diving.

Fit is everything. I got lucky buying online, but a friend of mine ordered 4 suits and none of them fit, so she ended up spending $25 on shipping. You can try this place sierratradingpost.com, they have excellent deals on wetsuits, but the fit is entirely a chance issue. In a store, it's likely that you would try on several before finding one that fits, so you might expect the same from an online place. This means ordering several and sending back all the ones that don't fit.

Even so, it can be a real savings. Lots of people walk into dive shops and spend $300+ on a 3mm suit, whereas you should be able to find something that fits online for less than 1/2 that. Northeast Scuba supply often has some specials.

I understand the appeal of the shorty; they're much less expensive and easier to fit. For me with temps around 83F and up I can be comfortable for a week of diving in one. The problem in your case is that if you buy one and end up cold in Coz, you'll either stop diving or head to one of the local places to pay top dollar for a full suit.

 

[VancouverBC]

I recently moved back from Cancun and dove several times per week with a Pinnacle 3mm shorty. Kept me warm in 79-84 water. For your tight budget - $79.00 brand new from leisure pro. If you get cold easily, look into the 5mm full suit - Pinnacle Shadow for $74.00.

PS don't touch anything, especially the fire coral