new to diving.

[spectrum]

My wife and I are asking for wet suits for x-mas from our parents. We live in Iowa and plan to dive maybe once a year in the tropics. Do you think we could get away with one suit for both locations I was thinking of getting a 3mm or a 3/2mm full suit. We would only be diving in the summer time in the Midwest. And last my wife is somewhat claustrophobic but she says it’s mostly when she can’t move. I told her that she would want to get a mask with a clear skirt. Any other advise for her that you guys have come across.

I suspect to dive at home you'll need something heavier. Remember that lakes will have a thermocline. You may be swimming in 80 something degree surface water but could hit the 40's 30 feet down, it's pretty dramatic. That being said a bunch of us did a swimsuit dive last week here in Maine. We stayed in the 15-20 foot range with a temp of 76F, at 25' when I swooped down it was bone chiiling. Surface was 82.

Your LDS should be able to tell you what's appropriate for local use. After that adding a lightweight suit for vacations is small money when the time comes.

Do yourselves a favor and be local divers, you'll be better/safer divers for it and get much more from your investments in training, gear and vacations.

You need to wear what you need to wear and fit is everyting. The suit she finds hot clammy and constricting at the dive shop will diappear in the water if it fits right. Get suited up and skin-dive in it some to get used to the sensation. Then adding scuba gear is an easy progression.

Many like the clear skirt for that reason. There are also many options in lense size and shape that can help a lot too.

Good luck and keep us posted,
Pete

 

[elfranzen]

thanks for the info

 

[scubaaaronh]

i'm in michiganand similar water temps, and you will need at least a one piece 5mm or 6mm suit a 3mm isnt enough. If you look at scuba.com or scubatoys.com or dive booty.com you can get a one piece 7mm akona suit for about 160.00 or you could go a two piece it gives you a little more coverage in the torso area (warmth) but is harder to move around in. I have both (7mm akona 2piece and Bare one piece 7mm) and like the one piece much better.

 

[ChikkenNoodul]

A 7mm suit does feel like armor the first few times you put it on, but you do actually get used to it

A lycra dive skin makes donning one 100 times easier IMO

 

[scubaaaronh]

A 7mm suit does feel like armor the first few times you put it on, but you do actually get used to it

A lycra dive skin makes donning one 100 times easier IMO

Gotta agree with that i always wear a skin with either full suits or shorties in the warm water. there rather inexpensive if you shop for them 40 - 80 bucks

 

[elfranzen]

Again thanks for the info. I'll talk with my LDS it's to bad that there are only two in my area one was real nice and walked around that store with us and explained everything to us. The store was somewhat small but he was real nice. Now the other store was bigger and had a bigger selection of everything but the people weren't really there to help you just to sell you something. I would like to give my business to the small store because of the help he offered. Should I try on suits at the bigger store and see if the smaller store can order them.