Warm women's wetsuits

[Altissimus]

Hi All,

I posted this in the "exposure suits" section but I'd specifically like the female perspective please!!

My partner gets cold scuba diving in water temps under 27 degrees C. She currently wears a Scubapro everflex 5/4 with a vest underneath that adds another few mm (3, I think). Unlike me, she has no excess poundage to keep the heat in.

Obvious step is to acquire a 7mm wetsuit/semi-dry suit, but I would be really interested in feedback on this subject - especially from the ladies with experience of this - whether there's any advice or recommendations for good suits. We live in the UK (dive abroad) so would be interested in UK vendors/manufacturers specifically to avoid massive shipping costs.


Thanks!

A.

 

[TSandM]

Simple answer: dry suit.

I live in Seattle, where water temperatures are about 10 degrees, plus or minus a couple. I certified in a dry suit, and I am quite certain, after watching our students, that had I tried to do it in a wetsuit, I would never have finished the course. I did dive a wetsuit in tropical water for a while, but over time, I've gotten to where I use the dry suit more and more -- and in fact, I think my last trip to Hawaii was the last time I dive wet at all.

Warm is happy, and happy is an enthusiastic diver. Get your partner into a dry suit, if you want a dive buddy.

 

[FinnMom]

I dove in Finland for several years using a Waterproof 7mm fullsuit covered by a 5mm hooded shorty. It's doable but it's just not real fun nearly 5 months/year. Waterproof (Sweden) has an excellent understanding of how to make a wetsuit (also gloves, boots, hoods etc) for seriously cold conditions, and they have more size options than anyone else BUT
Excellence is pricey. For that kind of money you could have a good drysuit.
I have a membrane drysuit. With just longjohns on underneath, no hood no gloves it's comfortable for hours on end at heated pool temps. With longjohns, weezle extreeme plus undersuit, wool sweater, double wool socks, drygloves with double undergloves (1 fuzzy + 1 hightech) and 9mm hood, that same suit is comfortable for an hour at zero or below (the sea can be -2C). Being warm & dry also greatly reduces stress, keeps you from hearing nature's call quite so often (and sharply) and makes getting dress/undressed in cold conditions hugely easier and more comfortable -only your hair gets wet.

Buy the lady a drysuit. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

BTW
If you don't get drygloves, Waterproof's 7mm 3-finger mits are my coldwater backup. I've used them many times for 1-hour dives at 1C. Excellent product. Remarkably good considering they're made by Swedes ;-D

 

[ScubabunnyCR]

Ok, what can make a huge difference is wearing a hood , or easier still a beanie and even though diving in warm water make sure she's wearing booties. The feet and head lose lots of heat. I live in the tropics yet when it goes below 28 I am in a 5mm suit. I always wear a long sleeve rashy with furry lining to make the difference. Mines a tilos rashy and aqualung wetsuit I believe. As you are in England if you are looking for new suits I would suggest fourth element who have awesome suits and who I would definitely use if I didn't have to ship here to costa rica ; ). Hope this helps.

 

[Bexny]

Most definitely agree with ScubaBunny's recommendation about wearing a hood or a beanie at the very least. I wear a full-length 5mm wetsuit in 29-30 C waters with a 3mm beanie. On overcast or rainy days, out comes the 5mm hood and it makes a huge difference, especially by the third dive of the day.

 

[angryjuliet]

I wear wetsuit as well as i feel comfort.

 

[spectrum]

Hi All,

I posted this in the "exposure suits" section but I'd specifically like the female perspective please!!

My partner gets cold scuba diving in water temps under 27 degrees C. She currently wears a Scubapro everflex 5/4 with a vest underneath that adds another few mm (3, I think). Unlike me, she has no excess poundage to keep the heat in.

Obvious step is to acquire a 7mm wetsuit/semi-dry suit, but I would be really interested in feedback on this subject - especially from the ladies with experience of this - whether there's any advice or recommendations for good suits. We live in the UK (dive abroad) so would be interested in UK vendors/manufacturers specifically to avoid massive shipping costs.


Thanks!

A.

Not a woman but I kind of do the gear suggesting for my wife and she dives here in Maine to less that 50F (~10C).

Your partner is cold in 5/4 in 27C water, this is entirely possible, especialy if she is very trim. But first I have to ask how that suit fits? When she removes it are the stitching lines imprinted in her skin for 30-60 minutes? To work right the suit needs to fit with a hint of compression, otherwise it's just a cold water pump and she will lose thermal energy fast. As suits go your model is probably as good as it gets but fit, fit and fit are the 3 most important things.

A vest? Is it hooded? A one piece hooded vest will do a lot to seal off the neck opening, a big source of heat loss. See the chicken vest here. Both of you should read that whole page while you are at it.

Is she using good practices like getting at least her upper body out of the suit between dives? Evaporative cooling even in a warm climate can be serious.

If these basic measures are not the key to comfort then I agree that a warm water drysuit as opposed to going to 7mm is the best long term soution.

Pete