Wetsuits

[newdiver1965]

Any sugestions for a wet suit to dive with in the lakes and quarries with?

I was looking at the EVO 5/4/3 with a 6.6mm hood.

Thanks

Mark

[scububa]

I'll jump in here, but I am sure there will be guys with a lot more experience able to help out, too.

Wow, that's a tough one to answer. How cold, how fast, how often, how long all come into play. Time of year (water temp) is a big factor too. I think if you are getting ready to spend a lot, you need to experiment around to see your comfort level and extrapolate to differences you expect to see. So, if you wear a 5 mm in the summer and get cold, you can bet a 7 mm at the extremes of the season (or depths) will be at least required. Fit can have more to do with the effectiveness than fitness. If "A river runs thru it" the thickness is less relavent.

I wear a 5 mm most of the time. When it gets colder, I add a hooded vest, then gloves. When it gets really cold, I spend time here :-) That gives me some flexibility. My daughter, show normally is cold all the time, even in a restuarant in the summer, wears a 7 mm all the time and is ready to get right back in for dive 2 in November, where I am ready for fleece and a hot toddy.

Coldest water for me has been 48 F. But, that temp at depth when you have a warmer thermocline above and warm surface temps is a different story from getting into the water, like a cavern or no thermocline, that is that temp from top to bottom and the surface temps are cool, cloudy and windy.

Course, if I had my dry suit, I'd be diving right now instead of writing :-)

Jim

[newdiver1965]

Thanks Jim, I tried on the EVO at a dive shop in Springfield, MO yesterday, it fit really good, the guy there said it would loosen up just a bit when wet. He also said that as the temp gets colder to add the hood for more comfort. As far as how often I plan to dive is going to depend on who I can get to go with me or finding a group that is going out. I plan on diving as often as possible that is until it's just to cold.
I am kind of cold natured, so I get cold with a stiff breeze.

Thanks again

[MgicTwnger]

Dry suit. Spend the money, dive year-round, be happy. End of discussion.

[M&P+4]

I've been diving a 7 mil farmer john for the last two years and just last weekend tried out a semi-dry - I wish I had this for the first couple years instead of the wet suit. I never did feel cold water rush in even though I was wet all the way thru. It was warmer, more comfortable and there was less neoprene so I didn't have to carry as much weight.

It cost more than my wetsuit and is considerably less expensive than a dry suit....it is at least worth considering as an option.

[MgicTwnger]

I dove my 7mm semi-dry for years, and it is the next best thing to dry.

[VuDuLou]

Here, at Greers Ferry Lake, the bottom temperature is usually 46 degrees year round. I dive an Aqualung Agua Flex 1 pc (7mm) w/ a 6 mm hooded vest and an Akona 1.5 dive skin...normally I'm all toasty...but I also have a dry suit on layaway st my LDS...

[BottomDweller]

I also use the 7 mil Aqualung Aqua Flex. I normally dive a rock quarry when I'm around home, and because of the thermocline at about 20 feet, the 7 mil is definitely necessary. If I spend much time below the thermocline, a hood and gloves are a must, and if I stay above it, I'm fine in just the suit. I'd want a drysuit if I were going to stay below the thermocline much, but I don't because it's dark and there's not as much to see down there.

[VuDuLou]

I also use the 7 mil Aqualung Aqua Flex. I normally dive a rock quarry when I'm around home, and because of the thermocline at about 20 feet, the 7 mil is definitely necessary. If I spend much time below the thermocline, a hood and gloves are a must, and if I stay above it, I'm fine in just the suit. I'd want a drysuit if I were going to stay below the thermocline much, but I don't because it's dark and there's not as much to see down there.....true, true, true...cold, dark and lonely...but lights will show you the way...I currently use a Princeton Shockwave LED, while I'm saving for something brighter...I normally 'bust a hundred' everyday I dive...

[juls64]

I have a 3mm for warm water trips, a Henderson Hyperstretch 7/5 for local diving/classes when the water is in the 60 degree and above range. When it colder than that, I dive dry.

You really need to determine what type of diving you will be doing and how easily you get cold.

Julie

[Dean810]

7mm or dry is the only thing I would suggest for diving locally. Dove in 40ft of Lake Michigan water with wetsuit divers this weekend. They thought I would roast in my dry suit, but I was the only one that didn't get cold that day.