Wetsuit thoughts for Red Sea diving in March?

[Lorenzoid]

As others have said, the issue is more the wind than the water temperature. I have only dived the Red Sea once, in the month of January, and I brought a drysuit because having done similar research as you are doing, all this talk about the possibility of a steady wind had frightened me. All I can say is that while the other divers were shivering when we got off the RIB back at the mothership, I was happy to grab a cold drink. My wife and I were the only ones diving in drysuits--everyone else seemed to have what looked like 5 mm, often in combination with a vest.

 

[Jennilee913]

Go dry or go 7mm. Bring a hood. The 5mm might not be enough for 3-4 dives a day for many days in a row unless it’s a newer suit and a semi dry design if you run cold. I fell in love with Probe Frogskin and wear it under my wetsuit sometimes. It is superior to Sharkskin and Lavacore. It doesn’t bag out underwater, is fitted, and the fleece inside is warmer. That fleece lining dries within 10 minutes so you aren’t putting on a wet thing. It’s magical.

Surface conditions in March aren’t that warm and the intervals will also get you. I just came back from a dive trip elsewhere and had temps ranging from 67-84 with most dives in the low to mid 70’s water temperature wise. Conditions were warmer than what you will have in the Red Sea so I would be on the side of caution.

Thank you for the Probe Frogskin. I will look into it for this trip as well as a 7mm.

 

[Hoag]

The thing I found is that cold is cumulative. You might be warm & toasty on the first day, but by the 4th or 5th day, you might have lost so much body heat that it seems you will never be warm again. If given a choice, I would prefer to be "a little warm" than "a little cool". Once on the boat, don't let "FOMO" or peer pressure convince you to go on dives if you genuinely feel that you should sit out a dive and warm up a little. (Unless it will be an insanely cool dive, then all bets are off. )

Have a safe & fun trip.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The thing I found is that cold is cumulative. You might be warm & toasty on the first day, but by the 4th or 5th day, you might have lost so much body heat that it seems you will never be warm again. If given a choice, I would prefer to be "a little warm" than "a little cool". Once on the boat, don't let "FOMO" or peer pressure convince you to go on dives if you genuinely feel that you should sit out a dive and warm up a little. (Unless it will be an insanely cool dive, then all bets are off. )

Have a safe & fun trip.

I'm sure someone mentioned it, but the "cold is cumulative" issue is compounded by having to don a damp wetsuit that has been nicely chilled by that wind. I have heard that some people take two wetsuits when the weather is like that.