5mm semidry overkill?

[rye_a]

My wife (who dives very cold) and I are off to Bonaire this Friday (4/29) and I have been trying to find a good option for an exposure suit for her. I have gotten some great advice on this forum about adding a hood (which I have ordered), but I still think she might like a 5mm suit (she has a 3/2 which she finds to be cold even in a warm pool), and I found a great deal on a Camaro 5mm semi dry. Will this be complete overkill in Bonaire compared to a standard 5mm?

 

[Felipe Telles]

My fiancee used a two piece 5mm in bonaire when we were there in december. We did 3 dives a day in average. I'm not the kind of guy who gets easily cold, and I was feeling comfortable in a 5mm farmer john. She can feel a little hot in the first dives, but you can always rent a suit if it's unbearable.

 

[a22shady]

Get her a Drysuit. While I have not yet been to bonaire I Dive my Drysuit year round. NIce thing is if your cold add a layer if your too warm remove a layer. It's nice to personalize to you. Although it's goin to be a little more expensive You might be able to find a nice used drysuit for about the price a New Semi-Dry will cost.

 

[boat sju]

(she has a 3/2 which she finds to be cold even in a warm pool),

How warm is a warm pool ? We dove Bonaire the first week of May last year and the water was 82 deg. I wore a 4/3 Neosport. Probably didn't really need the 4/3 but I don't like being cold either. The 5mm might not be overkill in the water but if it's a little harder to get on because of the semi-dry seals that could be an issue. Some of the divesites require a short walk. Any time spent above water in a black wetsuit can become uncomfortable.

 

[fdog]

I am the world champion at getting cold. I took a drysuit to Fiji, fer chrissakes.

I just returned from a week in Cozumel (water temps were 79 degrees F), where I wore a 3 mil jumpsuit for the first day and froze.

I switched to a 5 mil Aqualung Aqua Stretch (one of their super-stretchy suits whitch fits better than a custom suit) and a neoprene cap, and was perfect.

I'd toyed with the thought of taking my 5 mil Yazbeck freediving suit, which is a semi-dry suit, and was glad I didn't - I'd have cooked and it woulld have been a PITA to put on in the 88 degree F air temperatures.


All the best, James

 

[Jax]

My wife (who dives very cold) and I are off to Bonaire this Friday (4/29) and I have been trying to find a good option for an exposure suit for her. I have gotten some great advice on this forum about adding a hood (which I have ordered), but I still think she might like a 5mm suit (she has a 3/2 which she finds to be cold even in a warm pool), and I found a great deal on a Camaro 5mm semi dry. Will this be complete overkill in Bonaire compared to a standard 5mm?

I freeze in an 84F pool in a 3mm. I dive a 7mm for 84 and below. I still get chilled on three dives. If your wife is always cold, a 5mm won't be enough.