What wetsuit, where?

Mike I can beat you there.

I filmed the Coral Spawn one night in me Dry Suit

I think you are all missing the most important factor... bioprene or body fat % or the "other insulation layer".

So it should be:

Location:

Water Temp:

Neoprene thickness:

Body Fat % (Caliper or immersion method):

ahem brrr that's cold

Doh! I knew that would happen.

anyway for people wanting to dive in the south of france around antibes, nice, cannes, monaco:

 

winter (ie anything outside of july, august, mid-september) a 6.5 semi dry with layers underneath when required - coldest the water goes to is 15-16degrees C. though i am now strongly considering a dry suit.

 

summer: well it depends how deep you want to go, because even in the middle of summer at 30m the water goes down to 17-18degrees C. so some people put up with a 5mm, others like me stick with the semi dry

Temperatures sound the same to me Paul - plenty of folks go the semi dry option downunder in Melbourne too. But I've found them to be more accurately described as semi wet - and no warmer for me than a normal wettie. Perhaps I'm just wierd.

Since everyone's covered the warmer areas, I'll address what's local to us:

Lake Tahoe

48-65 degrees F

July-Oct 7mm Semi

Nov-June shell drysuit

Monterey

51-58 degrees F Oct-June

56-61 degrees F July-Sept

Drysuit throughout

I should add that I'm one of those characters that tends to go straight to the drysuit (even in the tropics) after my 3mm gets chilly!

All the best, James

I'm mostly a west coast diver, and will echo the previous need for a dry suit year round in Monterey although I see many diving in 7mm wetsuits.

Other data pts:

San Diego

60-70 degrees

7mm or Drysuit

Catalina (Nov)

70 deg +/- 5deg

7mm

Cabo (Dec)

70ish

7mm

Bahrain

90+

nylon skin (keep off jellies...)

Take care,

John

I think you are all missing the most important factor... bioprene or body fat % or the "other insulation layer".

 

So it should be:

[snip]

Body Fat % (Caliper or immersion method):

Hey! Who you callin' fat??!!

Just to compare, I dive Grand Cayman a fair amount as well. Winter months, any water temps below 80 degrees , I wear a 7/5 combo, warmer than 80, I drop to a standard 5mil. Summer temps of 84 degrees I might drop to a 3mil, for the first dives of the day. But I'll also add that additional layers such as hoods and vests are added throughout the course of the day and the dives. I have yet to ever be too warm underwater on a dive>) So much depends on the individual, the level of comfort, the length of the dive, surface temps. the list goes on. What works for some may not work for others. Best to know what you yourself need, according to the water temps.

Speaking of Cayman, Alex, will I see you down there this winter? We arrive on island the 6th of January.

Perhaps I can practice my backroll some more for you.

actually i wear 5 or 7mm in 30 degree, so you have a way to go to catch me in the wuss factor....

I don't understand how Mike ever survived in Vancouver

I use a dry suit for any diving around Vancouver Island all year round with various levels of undies depending on water temp.

Always wear hood and gloves.

January Red Sea 5mm 23C

June Red Sea 2-3mm 26-28C

Feb Red Sea 22-24C on a liveaboard a drysuit was excellent choice with not too much thermal insulation not due as much to inwater but the wind chill on getting back on the boat. 5mm wetsuit was fine in the water and had a lot of kidding about the drysuit till returning from dive. Shore based can maybe more easily get out of the wind so the wetsuit OK.

Canary Islands, Jan 5mm wetsuit was the norm but a drysuit was more comfortable.

The Mediterranean off Spain in July water was about 20C air was HOT. The drysuit I could have open and comfortable on the boat, zip up near last minute and be comfortable in the water. Those in the needed 5mm wetsuit or semidry were really sweltering for nearly a half hour before getting in.

Colorado Alpine Lakes

Summer 45 degrees F.

Winter - Frozen

Gear -

Summer - Drysuit

Winter - Ice Auger, Dry suit, woolies, Parka, ear muffs and plenty of antifreeze

I think you are all missing the most important factor... bioprene or body fat % or the "other insulation layer".

 

So it should be:

 

Location:

Water Temp:

Neoprene thickness:

Body Fat % (Caliper or immersion method):

 

I think also head-hair-cover should also be noted!!....Mike?

Canary Islands: winter (january-june) 18 ºC, summer (july-november) 23 so 6mm semi-wet in winter and 5mm full suit in the summer... and a nice amount of hard earned bioprene

This is my simple guide:

For dedicated dive trips to tropical waters, e.g. spending more than 2 hrs (often more than 3 hrs)under water a day for a week or more, a 5mm full suit. If the water is 30 degrees celcius or more - a full 3mm will be ok.

Shorty can work for resort diving in tropical waters (two short dives on one or two days).

For temperate and cold waters - a dry suit. 7 mm wetsuits are a bit too bulky inmo.

/christian