3mm or 5mm wetsuit in Anilao?

[diveloonie66]

Hello,
Next month I go to Anilao for 10 days of diving. My first time there. I am wondering if folks who have been there, think I need a 3mm or 5mm wetsuit? What did you wear? I'm torn...........

 

[dirtfarmer]

Temps can be 26c so you be the judge.
At 27 I need a full 3mm and vest and hood to keep from freezing.

 

[Laurie S.]

Wow, at that temperature I'm in a 1 mm. I'm headed to Anilao in December and will be taking my 1 mm, plus my dive skin and a sharkskin vest in case the multiple dives wear me down.

 

[Pao]

26-27ºC right now. It depends on your personal tolerance. But 3mm is usually adequate.

 

[Zog]

I take a 5mil on my tropical trips (Philippines, Borneo, Palau), then mid week I put on a vest and a hood. Multiple dive days always gives me the chills even in tropical waters. Heading back to the Philippines in April.

 

[klausi]

I think you can expect around 26C, as some previous posters wrote.

A lot of the dive sites are really close, and the sun is mostly shining. I dived there 2 years ago this time of the year in a rash guard... the more you give in to the temptation of thick neoprene, the more you will need it in the future.

 

[Freewillow]

Température today 25 tout 26 degrées. I have a 5mm and à vivre of 2mm + hood for third dive. You are swimming do slow and dive Time over 80 minutes mâles it mandatory for me

 

[cephalopod2]

Comfort is definitely personal, but I'm with Freewillow. I always dive a 7mm in Anilao (Mar, Jun, Dec) and am sometimes still cold. Factors to consider - depending on who you are diving with

1. Long dives without much swimming (80 min + common unless your op has a time limit) and up to 4 dives a day

2. Many ops do 2 tank trips in the AM so you are sitting on the boat in your wetsuit for the SI which I find makes the next dive colder. Yes it might be sunny, but it can also be windy and wet neoprene still bleeds body heat. Some ops also do a 2 tank late afternoon + night dive.

3. Ops who care about night dives usually run epic night dives, which are also long and slow. I usually do daily night dives in Anilao and find my core temp is often lower after multiple dives on multiple days.

Whatever you decide on, I suggest you also bring a hood or hooded vest. Always better to have it and not use it than be cold and wish you had it. I usually find I am wearing at least 2mm more than male diving guests, but of course every body is different.

 

[Lorenzoid]

... the more you give in to the temptation of thick neoprene, the more you will need it in the future.

Yeah, it all started with a rash guard. Then a guy offered to sell me a 3 mm shorty. Before I knew it, I was using a 5 mm full suit every dive. Thick, luscious neoprene. Just the smell of it gave me a warm feeling. Soon, even 7 mm wasn't enough. That's when I turned to a drysuit. I had hit rock bottom. I'm in a program now. Been clean for months.

 

[Laurie S.]

So what would be the likely temperature the first two weeks in December? We'll be doing 10 days at Anilao in a photo workshop, and then 5 days at Puerto Galera.