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[Bretagne]

I usually use a one piece full length + hood at 15C, and add the shorty below. At 12C I am OK, 11C begin to feel the cold (it is OK for the dives I do).
Do not forget gloves and booties for these temperatures.

 

[String]

I tend to wear a 5mm suit with hood at any water temp above 21c. This keeps me comfortable in water up to 28c (never been higher).

Between 19 and 21 id be tempted to wear a 7mm suit with extra 7mm jacket and hood/gloves.

Below 19 you wont see me in anything except a dry suit.

Disagree with voop though, a drysuit isnt particulary light or easy to pack to take abroad expecially when you start considering undergarments as well. If the water is warm and air is hot it'll be incredibly uncomfortable on the boat in it.
Plus i prefer diving wet - less beached whale feeling. Less weight and so on.

 

[voop]

Sting: I agree, packing or travelling with a drysuit isn't as easy as with a wetsuit. I've never really had the pleasure of travelling to and diving in really warm locations -- my idea of "hot" is 20C air

 

[String]

Well id be inclined to agree with your definition. I hate the uk climate

Most airlines these days only offer 20kg luggage limit and if you're lucky get 5kg or 10kg allowance for diving. Bearing that in mind you dont really want to be taking 5kg or so of drysuit.

My dive gear case (minus weights/belt) weighs in at near 13kg along and i dont intend wearing my suit as casual-ware for duration of holiday so it cant come

I tend to rent wetsuits over there but take everything else (BC,regs,computer,mask,fins,knife,reel,dsmb,torches,slates,net bag,spares etc). I may get round to buying my own 5mm suit this year though, undecided so far.

 

[voop]

Heh, Sting, my only diving experiences in the UK involve Sony Cove in summer and the Wraysburry mudhole....in January. I've sworn to eventually try some of your costal dives, but I seem to find myself in London on all the wrong days. Most of my dives have been farther north than Wales (I have scandinavian origins)

Besides....fly ANA if possible. They'll allow you a whooping 20 kg extra, for 40 kg total checked in baggage, if you can produce a diving-c-card. I've done it a number of times. Lufthansa and many others aren't so accomodating. But this is probably a different thread....

 

[Daryl Morse]

Thx mike, i have infact tried diving in england, and i really enjoyed it, but id rather get a wet suit, that i can use more widely as far as i know, it can get pretty hot in places with dry suits on.

I'm just a newbie, but I've never dived in anything but a neoprene drysuit and a shell drysuit since the local water where I live is cold. Since you're in the same boat, you should consider getting a shell drysuit. They roll up very compactly and they are only as warm you need based on what you wear underneath.

 

[Dave_1985]

Ive been looking round the shops, and ive found a 5mm semi dry 3 one long full body suit a shorty and a hood that works with both, the shorty can be used on its own or over the main suit, anyone know if this is warm enough for england and cool enough for warmer waters?

 

[String]

Definate hypothermia risk trying to use that in the UK.

Absolute bare minimum you want is a 7mm under + 7mm jacket semi dry and thats in summer.

5mm below about 20c gets chilly.

 

[voop]

Definate hypothermia risk trying to use that in the UK.

Absolute bare minimum you want is a 7mm under + 7mm jacket semi dry and thats in summer.

5mm below about 20c gets chilly.

*nodding in agreement*

I did 5mm famer john in Stony Cove....last year in late August. It worked, and I was only moderately chilled -- but supposibly only because it had been an exceptionally warm summer and because Stoney is a quarry. I'd definitely not venture into the costal waters of the UK like that, not even during a heat-wave.

As a matter of fact, I'd say that the 7+7mm semi-dry may work on a good day for a short exposure, but for comfortable all-year UK diving, it's got to be dry. And, hey, a drysuit takes about the same amount of space as a good 7+7mm, no?