Greetings from Rhode Island

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Messages
3
Reaction score
1
Location
Rhode Island
# of dives
25 - 49
I am new to this community. I finally started putting together all of my own gear. One of my last items is my wetsuit. The shop that I have been working with recommended I buy a 7 mil suit for local diving. That makes sense to me as the water is cold here in RI. I do plan on being in Florida in April to do some diving. Is the 7 mil going to be too much? I am open for suggestions.
 
Welcome. I haven't tried diving a 7 mm wetsuit, much less in warm water (I've dove cold in a 5 mm with 7 mm hood/gloves/boots). A suggestion...it may well be worth your while to plan on 2 wet suits. People vary in their thermal protection needs. I can dive in 76 degree water without a wetsuit and feel a bit chilly. Some people can wear a 5 mm wetsuit in water warmer than that...and get chilly.

An exposure suit setup for cold water is likely to get unpleasantly warm in warm water, but I imagine you'll wear a hood and gloves locally but not in Florida, so there's that. But I recommend you consider a 3 mm suit. A 7 mm wetsuit will have more buoyancy swing when changing depth.

If you're not an unusual size, considering renting one when you go to Florida, and if you like what you get, you'll know what to buy.
 
Welcome. I haven't tried diving a 7 mm wetsuit, much less in warm water (I've dove cold in a 5 mm with 7 mm hood/gloves/boots). A suggestion...it may well be worth your while to plan on 2 wet suits. People vary in their thermal protection needs. I can dive in 76 degree water without a wetsuit and feel a bit chilly. Some people can wear a 5 mm wetsuit in water warmer than that...and get chilly.

An exposure suit setup for cold water is likely to get unpleasantly warm in warm water, but I imagine you'll wear a hood and gloves locally but not in Florida, so there's that. But I recommend you consider a 3 mm suit. A 7 mm wetsuit will have more buoyancy swing when changing depth.

If you're not an unusual size, considering renting one when you go to Florida, and if you like what you get, you'll know what to buy.
 
RI is indeed cold, I dove there for 7 years. At the time I wore jacket and farmer john. I suggest asking about a semi-dry instead. It’s similar to a 7mm, about the same thickness, but hood is attached and and it’s generally a snug fit to keep you semi-dry as the name says. Semi-drys are usually a premium model where 7mm can vary in quality. I’ll never wear a regular 7mm again after diving my Hollis Semi-dry. Only downside is you’ll almost certainly need a buddy to help you get it off, they’re very close fitting.

Previous reply is correct if you are diving the ocean you’ll be far too hot. As a native New Englander When I travelled from CT to Florida I’d be overheating in a 3mm while local Floridians are wearing 7mm and dry suits.

The exception is Florida Springs which stay 72 year round and you could probably get away with using your RI wetsuit though a 7mm would be optimum for the springs.
 
The farmer john and hooded beaver tail jacket have the advantage that you can mix and match tops and bottoms. So if you had a thick set for home, and a thin set for tropics, but realized you were a bit cool, you could use the tropics bottom with the home top.
 
First, welcome

Second most of us wear 7mm or drysuits up here, but I know a few that wear 5mm. Depends on if you get cold easily.

Third, more than likely a 3mm will be what you want for FL but if you get cold easy a 5mm might be a good idea.

With any wetsuit the key is proper fit, try as many as you can and go for the best fitting.

Lastly let me know if you want to go diving locally.
 
First, welcome

Second most of us wear 7mm or drysuits up here, but I know a few that wear 5mm. Depends on if you get cold easily.

Third, more than likely a 3mm will be what you want for FL but if you get cold easy a 5mm might be a good idea.

With any wetsuit the key is proper fit, try as many as you can and go for the best fitting.

Lastly let me know if you want to go diving locally.
Thanks for the info. Where do you like to dive in RI?
 
I use the 7 mil farmer john for most of my diving. When in NY in summer I use my shorty. At (rare) times I have even used it in Summer in Nova Scotia, or winter on the N. Gulf of Mexico.
Another trick I've used in FL in winter is to just dive with the top of the 7 mil-- ie. bare legs. Legs can get a tad chilly and it affects trim of course, but saves buying a thinner wetsuit since those occasions are fairly rare.
Of course everyone's cold tolerance differs. An idea may be to rent different suits to see what your tolerance is, then buy.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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