Karlovsky120
Registered
I've just recently returned from a few dives. I've dived in a rented Cressi Diver 7mm suit, their 3.5mm gloves and some booties, I'm unsure of the brand/thickness.
I've been to Adriatic coast where sea temperatures have been quite high recently, about 26C when I was diving. I went down to 30m, below the thermocline, where the temperature was about 16C.
I've felt comfortable in the suit both near the surface and down below. I don't think I spent more than 15min below the thermocline, so I might not have felt the full effect of the temperature.
I'm now looking to buy my own suit with gloves and booties. I'd like to be able get myself a wetsuit that I could use during the summer without getting hot in it and for as long as possible towards winter (I'm not diving in a drysuit just yet). I'm not sure if Cressi I dove in would cut it if it gets colder, and I'm unsure how durable it is.
The brand I've been looking at is Bare. They seem to have three choices of suits: Reactive, Velocity ultra and Revel. From what I've gathered it all boils down to how warm each of the suits is. I was thinking about getting a 7mm suit since I don't seem to be getting hot in it during the hottest months here, but I suspect that the Bare suits are going to be a lot hotter than the Cressi suit I was wearing. Then again, is Bare better at managing heat? Will it keep me warmer in colder water while not making me as hot in warmer water?
Given my experience above, I just don't know which suit at which thickness to look at. Do I pick reactive at 5mm? Or velocity ultra at 7mm? Do I get a thinner suit with a simple hood for warmer and a hooded vest for colder weather?
They also have ultrawarm and S-flex hoods/vests/gloves that seem to loosly match reactive and velocity ultra suits. Which ones to go with? At what thickness?
As far as gloves go, do I go for thinner 3mm ultrawarmth gloves and count on them better retaining heat in colder water while being thin enought that I don't have to sacrifice as much dexterity?
It all costs a pretty penny and I'd hate to realize I've messed up when it's too late.
Any advice on how to get out of this conundrum?
Should I even invest as much money into a wetsuit or should I get something cheaper and replace it more often?
I've been to Adriatic coast where sea temperatures have been quite high recently, about 26C when I was diving. I went down to 30m, below the thermocline, where the temperature was about 16C.
I've felt comfortable in the suit both near the surface and down below. I don't think I spent more than 15min below the thermocline, so I might not have felt the full effect of the temperature.
I'm now looking to buy my own suit with gloves and booties. I'd like to be able get myself a wetsuit that I could use during the summer without getting hot in it and for as long as possible towards winter (I'm not diving in a drysuit just yet). I'm not sure if Cressi I dove in would cut it if it gets colder, and I'm unsure how durable it is.
The brand I've been looking at is Bare. They seem to have three choices of suits: Reactive, Velocity ultra and Revel. From what I've gathered it all boils down to how warm each of the suits is. I was thinking about getting a 7mm suit since I don't seem to be getting hot in it during the hottest months here, but I suspect that the Bare suits are going to be a lot hotter than the Cressi suit I was wearing. Then again, is Bare better at managing heat? Will it keep me warmer in colder water while not making me as hot in warmer water?
Given my experience above, I just don't know which suit at which thickness to look at. Do I pick reactive at 5mm? Or velocity ultra at 7mm? Do I get a thinner suit with a simple hood for warmer and a hooded vest for colder weather?
They also have ultrawarm and S-flex hoods/vests/gloves that seem to loosly match reactive and velocity ultra suits. Which ones to go with? At what thickness?
As far as gloves go, do I go for thinner 3mm ultrawarmth gloves and count on them better retaining heat in colder water while being thin enought that I don't have to sacrifice as much dexterity?
It all costs a pretty penny and I'd hate to realize I've messed up when it's too late.
Any advice on how to get out of this conundrum?
Should I even invest as much money into a wetsuit or should I get something cheaper and replace it more often?