Exposure protection June - BDE

[seba76]

Hello,

I recently booked a liveaboard dive trip for June in the Red Sea and will be doing the BDE route. I've read that a 5mm wetsuit is recommended for June but I currently only have a 3mm full wetsuit. I'm planning to buy a semi-dry 7.5mm for a future trip to the Galapagos, but am unsure if I should also invest in a 5mm wetsuit just for this trip. Do you think the semi-dry will be too warm or should I alternate between my 3mm and 7.5mm if needed?

Thank you

 

[Trailboss123]

Hello,

I recently booked a liveaboard dive trip for June in the Red Sea and will be doing the BDE route. I've read that a 5mm wetsuit is recommended for June but I currently only have a 3mm full wetsuit. I'm planning to buy a semi-dry 7.5mm for a future trip to the Galapagos, but am unsure if I should also invest in a 5mm wetsuit just for this trip. Do you think the semi-dry will be too warm or should I alternate between my 3mm and 7.5mm if needed?

Thank you

I think the Semi-Dry will be way too much wetsuit. If you don't want to buy a 5mm, maybe get a hooded vest to go under the 3mm- might just be enough (depending on your tolerance) and much cheaper.

 

[Rock Hopper]

I think the Semi-Dry will be way too much wetsuit. If you don't want to buy a 5mm, maybe get a hooded vest to go under the 3mm- might just be enough (depending on your tolerance) and much cheaper.

Agree with this. I have a 3mm Scubapro Everflex which is a bit warmer than most 3mm and was fine in May - and that was with the north wind pushing cooler water down. My son (who doesn't have my resilience - cough, padding cough) was cool in his Mares 3mm but when teamed with a vest was totally fine.

Nothing worse than being cold though - ask them to take vest/5mm and hire especially if it isn't something you will use/get value out of later.

Other thing to bear in mind is the Red Sea is salty, so usually 2kg weight+. Add that to a 5mm wetsuit..........

 

[Sunn]

Yep...

something like that, 2 or 3 mm, will complete your own suit

(the girl is not included)

 

[Franek]

Take what you had on LB in R4 you can add 2mm under the bottom and it will be ok. BDE is 3 divers a day remember that they have few guides on the boat. Which LB did you choose?

 

[dflaher]

Other thing to bear in mind is the Red Sea is salty

Is this true? Saltier than other oceans?

 

[Mod63]

Is this true? Saltier than other oceans?

Yes, average salinity is 3.5%, the Red Sea has 4%. There is a barrier at the Gulf of Aden that impedes water exchange with the Indian Ocean.

 

[Wagiman]

In june temperature is around 24° C. On my LOB, most people were diving 3 mm, some 5 mm.