Layered wetsuits for 13°C/55°F waters

[Hoag]

Several years ago, I had to do the RCAF Sea Survival course. It is run in Comox BC on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Part of the course is a day that is "affectionately" known to both staff & students as "trolling for Orcas". The students are strapped into a parachute harness and then dangled from a gantry roughly 30ft above the water. We are then unceremoniously dropped into the water and dragged behind the boat (between 4-7kts) until we stabilize our self, and free our self from the harness. A second boat then comes along and give us a one man life raft which we have to inflate and spend the next several hours in just drifting.

The water temps in the area that the "trolling for Orcas" phase is done in is typically 45F-60F. For this, they give us 7mm "overalls" and a 7mm farmer john. Our core is covered by 14mm of neoprene. I wasn't cold while I was in the water (about an hour), but it did get a bit chilly by the end of the afternoon.

My advice: Go for a 7mm wetsuit or a 5mm with a 5mm hooded vest available "just in case" you want the extra warmth.

 

[AfterDark]

55F is my wet suit to dry suit temp, so no.

 

[Chris Ross]

I dive in 14-15° water in Sydney winter, I usually wear a 7mm semi dry with frogskins (0.5mm fleece line neoprene) under. I use a 3mm hood at 16° and will switch to a hooded vest with 3mm/5mm hood if it's colder. Gloves are 3mm and after about 30-40 minutes hands are quite cold. I tend to feel the cold less than many divers, but I could not see myself with just 3mm on the arms/legs at all in those temperatures. I'm switching to 5mm gloves this upcoming winter.

 

[Preach]

13C/55F.... That's a cold dive, even in a drysuit with thick undergarment, drysuit gloves and a 9mm cap

 

[Prometheanfire]

ya, that's at the colder end, the water should be 57-59°F by the time of dive in two weeks, right now it's 57°F (just checked). I did get a 7mm hood and 5mm gloves (feet were already 3mm+3mm). I'll still rent the wetsuit, mainly to see what my tolerances are exactly before ordering anything. Calling the dive short if I get too cold isn't a problem (and is an expected outcome as this dive is for testing, at least somewhat).

 

[David Novo]

ya, that's at the colder end, the water should be 57-59°F by the time of dive in two weeks, right now it's 57°F (just checked). I did get a 7mm hood and 5mm gloves (feet were already 3mm+3mm). I'll still rent the wetsuit, mainly to see what my tolerances are exactly before ordering anything. Calling the dive short if I get too cold isn't a problem (and is an expected outcome as this dive is for testing, at least somewhat).

You will lose a lot of dexterity with 5 mm gloves. I have a pair that i never use even when I dive 12C in a wetsuit. I would say that you should focus on your core (chest) and not on your hands.

 

[Hoag]

... I would say that you should focus on your core (chest) and not on your hands.

... and on your head. A lot of heat is lost through the head.

 

[Prometheanfire]

well, core/chest will be at 6mm minimum (3mm and 3mm), but more likely 8mm (5+3mm). Head is 7mm as stated before. I do have some thinner gloves if I don't like the 5mm though.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantBeach]

I'm based in California (55-60°F) and dive with a 7/8mm wetsuit over a 3mm hooded vest with 3mm gloves and 5mm boots. Haven't been cold down to 100ft even on the 3rd dive. This way I can ditch the hooded vest if it's warmer than expected or drop the hood from my head at will.

Being cold isn't really something I like risking; it's all I think about on the dive otherwise.

 

[Germie]

No, 13 degrees means for me a drysuit as I like to dive 2-3 hours or sometimes more.