Wetsuit for Koh Tao, May - Sep

[Chuffy]

Hi all,

I'm going to Koh Tao in May to do a DM internship. I plan on being there till at least September. I have bought nearly all my gear now, just need a wetsuit.

What sort of wetsuit do you think I will require? 3mil shorty or full suit?

When I have done trips and livaboards to Phuket & Similans in Sept & Apr I have just worn a 3mm shorty. I have noticed though that the DMs often wear full suits. (Having said that last Apr in the Similans one of then just wore swim shorts!) I'm assuming you get used to the water and feal the cold more when you do it everyday?

 

[Ringo]

Chuffy 3mm full length should be fine as you will get used to the water temp's. Some DM's and Instructors even wear 5mm full lengths.
Enjoy your DM course!

 

[nitronarc]

Chuffy 3mm full length should be fine as you will get used to the water temp's. Some DM's and Instructors even wear 5mm full lengths.
Enjoy your DM course!

I asked an instructor about the choice of thickness and length when I was in thailand, (he wore a 5mm full length), and he put the choice down to spending a lot of time in the water and the cold getting to him, the need to kneel on the sometimes sharp (dead coral) sea bed when explaining/demo'ing things to students, and some little fish (sorry, my memory for fish names is useless) that follows you and sucks on any grazes you may have picked up, which is no big deal but a little annoying. I'll be taking full length when I go back

 

[pusser]

that follows you and sucks on any grazes you may have picked up, which is no big deal but a little annoying. I'll be taking full length when I go back

Would that be cleaner wrasse?

 

[CWWELD]

4/3 should be fine when I go to thialand i just dive in shorts but look where I live

 

[Chuffy]

I asked an instructor about the choice of thickness and length when I was in thailand, (he wore a 5mm full length), and he put the choice down to spending a lot of time in the water and the cold getting to him, the need to kneel on the sometimes sharp (dead coral) sea bed when explaining/demo'ing things to students, and some little fish (sorry, my memory for fish names is useless) that follows you and sucks on any grazes you may have picked up, which is no big deal but a little annoying. I'll be taking full length when I go back

Thanks nitronarc. I was starting to think along the same lines. I'll probably opt for a 3mm full length suit. The knee protection is probably as much a reason as the thermal protection.