At what temp is it considered cold water diving?

[261311]

When I read threads like these I'm grateful I was born in Canada and have a tougher tolerance towards cold water. I think I spent most of last year swimming in 65 degree water with just a 2mm wetsuit, this year I'll have a 5mm, gloves and boots, I'll probably be able to stay down double now.

 

[Seefourdc]

I either have a really high tolerance to cold or my LDS really wasn't kidding that brand of wetsuit really matters. I spent 4 hours (2 hours, and then 2 separate 1 hour sessions separated by 45 minutes) in 55F water this last week/weekend in a 3.5 mm wetsuit, 2/5 hood, 7mm semi-dry boots, and 3 mm gloves and the only thing that ever got even a slight chill was my fingers if I let them hang open instead of keeping them in a fist. All of my wetsuit stuff sans hood is Waterproof brand. There is so little water movement once the suit fills up that once I get warm I stay warm. I am getting a 2/5 icevest in Waterproof brand soon and I think with a thicker set of gloves I could probably stand 50 degrees no problem for long periods of time. I have traditionally had pretty high tolerance to cold though. Used to play flag football outside at night (stadium lights) in freezing temps with shorts and no sleeve shirts on.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It depends on what you're used to. I consider Puget Sound cold water diving. It's about 45 degrees right now, and will warm up to maybe 55 by September ... when it starts to drop again.

My friend from Alaska refers to Puget Sound as warm water diving ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[FinnMom]

I think if swimming several minutes in with a swimsuit (not having just come out of a HOT sauna/jacuzzi/other similar) would cause gasping, shivering, lips turning blue or severe gonad migration: the water is cold.

For most folks once you get below 50F you're talking about cold water. For many just being in the 50s did it.

 

[drbill]

Personally, I consider 50 F to be the break point. I can usually dive my 7mm with reasonable comfort in anything at or above that range... but as soon as it dips to 49.99 F or lower I feel the chill (big time).

 

[Storker]

Considering that the normal summer water temp here - below the thermocline in the fjords and more or less in the whole water column at the coast - is in the range of 12-14C (~55F), single digit C (<50F) is approaching "cold" for me. That's when my feet start getting cold after a stiff half hour below the surface :cool2:

With summer air temps in the range from 15 to 25C (60 to 75F) almost everybody I know dive dry and those few who dive wet are seen as slightly weird. Try a surface interval in 15C, rain and northerly breeze and you really start to appreciate a dry suit

 

[DivemasterDennis]

While individual acclimation and tolerance of cool or cold temperatures varies a lot, as does exposure suit preference at various temperatures, I find that 75F and up is warm water diving, because that is what my wife will dive. 50F to 74 F is cold water wet suit diving for me, usually 3 mil hooded vest under 5 mil full body suit with 5 mil boots and 3 mil gloves. On the VERY RARE occasions when diving is 49F and colder, I will use a dry suit. I will beef up or peel down the exposure gear depending upon number of dives or hours in the water per day and successive days of diving. 80F and up is warm water by any standard, and under 60 F is to me, just plain cold.
DivemasterDennis

 

[fnfalman]

I'm thinking that whenever the water temp is low enough to induce freeflow on my Atomic M1, that'd be cold water.

 

[Dannybot]

85 degrees is warm. Anything less is cold.

 

[j yaeger]

below 45* seems to be the breaking point for the cheapo regs
32-35* shows how good the pricey ones hold up,and how well they are tuned
cold all depends on what you are wearing for the water temp
just as its is with air temps
if its 40* and i'm in a tee shirt for a couple hours outside,i get chilled if i'm inactive!!!!!
have fun
yaeg