Is there any kind of basic guide for how thick a wet suit you will need is? I am doing my Open water Cert this weekend at Mermet Springs in Souther Illinois. The weather should be 75-80 and the water is listed at 82F droping to 75F at 20' and 42F at 40' as of last weekend. I am naturally warm most of the time but I need to pickup my gear for the dive don't want to be hot like in the Class/Pool sessions. Any Suggestions?
Wet suit thickness
- Thread starter cmcarver
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Well, if there is definetly that thermocline down to 42 degrees you're going to need at least a 5 mil and a good hood.
I find it a little hard to believe that the water is that cold at this time of year at only 40 feet.....most places it is low 60s at 40' this time of year.
In which case a full 3mil would do the trick (for me anyway)
I find it a little hard to believe that the water is that cold at this time of year at only 40 feet.....most places it is low 60s at 40' this time of year.
In which case a full 3mil would do the trick (for me anyway)
I got the info from their site Mermet Springs. Having never dove in Spring/Underground River fed quarry below 10' I can't say what temps should be. I am looking forward to the dives and I hear Mermet is a great place to dive.
I have been to Mermet this late in the year and it is cold that close to the surface. I have a 5 mil suit and it is not enough if you are planning to stay deep. Even at the jet, which is only 45 or so at the deep end, is very cold. All that said, it is a pretty good dive site.
docmartin
Contributor
you dive in a 3mil in the low 60s? i assume you also sleep on a bed of nails with a pillow filled with crushed glass. the low 60s is when i get my 7mil jumpsuit out, especially when i do more than one dive. call me a whimp (but do it behind my back).
hmmm...didn;t realize it was river fed...
Definetly rent yourself, or buy yourself some cold water gear....it is worth it's weight in gold if you plan on staying down there for any period of time.
I have a 6.5 mil jon/shorty combo that I wore up in the lakes for my ives in AUG....I got cold after about 15 minutes in the stuff that was low 40s...low 40s is cold cold cold.....you'll need at least 6 suit, good fitting hood, thick gloves.....make sure the stuff fits snug, not tight, not loose...snug...that is the big key to staying warm in a wetsuit.
Definetly rent yourself, or buy yourself some cold water gear....it is worth it's weight in gold if you plan on staying down there for any period of time.
I have a 6.5 mil jon/shorty combo that I wore up in the lakes for my ives in AUG....I got cold after about 15 minutes in the stuff that was low 40s...low 40s is cold cold cold.....you'll need at least 6 suit, good fitting hood, thick gloves.....make sure the stuff fits snug, not tight, not loose...snug...that is the big key to staying warm in a wetsuit.
The bed is fine but I don't like the Pillow of crushed glass. I just ball up a bit of barb wire fencing and use that. I am assuming that the LDS has more to "rent" than just 7mm. I should find out tonight when I run in to get my gear. I would think that most of the checkout dives is done around the 20' mark with a couple of trips to the 40' range. I will probably get the 7mm suit and just keep flushing cooler water in as necessary.
You can cool off a lot more easily in the water than you can re-warm yourself
Yes...much easier to cool than to re-heat.....
I bet it would be a lot nicer if we were all like the Buddhist monks in the Andes Mountains that spend several nights on the side of the mountain in their togas. But I don't think I have perfected that yet so I will probably go for the thicker suit.
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