Buying my first wet suit

[suzannejones]

I am about to buy my first wetsuit and I'm looking for some advice. I only usually dive in in warm water but I do get very cold. Last time I was diving in Egypt in 24 degree water I was wearing a 5ml long and a 3 ml short and I was still cold.

I'm trying to decide whether to buy a 7ml semi-dry or a 5ml 2 piece. Does anyone have any recomendations?

Also, I've found a place called BEL AIR SUB AQUA SUPPLIES in Essex and they do made to measure suits which don't seem to badly priced but I wondered if anyone knew if they were any better or worse than any of the other brands,

Any info gratefully recieved.

Suzanne

[Nick Argue]

I am about to buy my first wetsuit and I'm looking for some advice. I only usually dive in in warm water but I do get very cold. Last time I was diving in Egypt in 24 degree water I was wearing a 5ml long and a 3 ml short and I was still cold.

I'm trying to decide whether to buy a 7ml semi-dry or a 5ml 2 piece. Does anyone have any recomendations?

Also, I've found a place called BEL AIR SUB AQUA SUPPLIES in Essex and they do made to measure suits which don't seem to badly priced but I wondered if anyone knew if they were any better or worse than any of the other brands,

Any info gratefully recieved.

Suzanne

Don't forget that adding a hood can makes quite a difference as the head and neck account for a fair bit of heat loss. I wouldn't dive without one :)

Can't help with BEL AIR SUB AQUA SUPPLIES

Nick

[Neil R]

If going to buy a semi dry , try a beaver artic, i have a 5mm beaver and its great.

Try go-dive in derby.

Neil

[PeteM]

Also, I've found a place called BEL AIR SUB AQUA SUPPLIES in Essex and they do made to measure suits which don't seem to badly priced but I wondered if anyone knew if they were any better or worse than any of the other brands,

Bel Air are fine, no better or worse than anyone else

[tony J]

I am about to buy my first wetsuit and I'm looking for some advice. I only usually dive in in warm water but I do get very cold. Last time I was diving in Egypt in 24 degree water I was wearing a 5ml long and a 3 ml short and I was still cold.

I'm trying to decide whether to buy a 7ml semi-dry or a 5ml 2 piece. Does anyone have any
Suzanne
Suzanne,

I get very cold.. I have just come back from egypt (20 to 22 degrees)

I bought a 7mm Waterproof semi dry (140 quid sds at dive show)
it is really good, soft neoprene. It has almost drysuit quality seals on the wrists and ankles and does not flush at all.

I was wearing a 2.5 mm vest under it and a 7mm hood.For the colder dives and night dives (and all dives at the end of the week) I also wore a 5mm shortee over the top. I also made a neoprene necklace to keep the gap between my hood and suit warm !

They also make a 5mm one piece aswell.

At no point in the holiday was I 'warm' but I was not too cold. I did wear 12 kg of lead, which is more than when I have worn with a membrane drysuit and 100g thinsulate

Tony

ps I

[Chris Cherrington]

... Does anyone have any recomendations?

....

Drysuit?? A decent membrane will cope with both cold and warm water....

Don't know much about "wet" suits I'm afraid - Decathlon is a good place to look price-wise.

Chris

[Rick]

how about Oceanic Shadow 2 piece 5 + 5mm semi-dry?

should be around £200 if you shop around

[Alison Boler]

Hi Suzanne
Personally, I think I would buy the the more two piece plus extras just because it is more flexible. If you generally dive in warm waters, then presumably sometimes you are going to go outside the Med/Red Sea and into places like Maldives, Caribbean, Florida, Thailand etc where if you feel the cold a lot, you might wear the 5mm or the 3mm part. If you buy the 7mm I can't imagine you will wear it in those places as it will be too hot.

If you are cold in the Red Sea wearing a 5 + 3mm, then if you dive in the UK, you are going to have to have a drysuit with good undersuit (Weasel) and a thick hood and gloves. No two ways about it. So thinking about getting use from your warm water wear in the UK is out.
Therefore, what you need to decide on really is what you need for warm water diving.
Tropical waters - probably 5mm.
Med/Red Sea - 5 + 3 + hood + chestvest (very thin neoprene vest worn under wetsuit).
I like the idea of layering because it gives you options for all temps of water and situations like the pool where anything over a 5mm is generally absolutely hideously hot.
Hope this isn't too confusing.
Allie

[suzannejones]

Thanks for all this info. Does anyone happen to know somewhere in London or close to, which stocks lots of different brands that I can go and try on?

Suzanne

[Rick]

Amphibian Sports West Norwood

also helps that they are really really friendly and very competitive

[Richard Whitcombe]

I use a 3 piece suit for wet diving.

3mm sem dry vest, then 5mm semi dry on top and a 3mm shortie on top of that.

If its > 26c i generally ditch the 3mm shortie.

For 21-26c i wear the whole lot and am fine.

< 21c my drysuit comes out to play.

Ive got a Tigullio suit but most are the same. You definately want to wear a hood and definately want semi dry as opposed to just plain wet.

[Maria CM]

Hello,

As part of a layering option, Cressi do a neoprene 'swimming costume' which is about 3mm as i recall.

It's a great option for layering under your suit and also very useful for swimming in if you feel the cold too. They do different colour options though I don't think they are listed in the brochure - you have to ask.

I always take mine in case I find I'm not warm enough and I often use it in the pool too. Has always struck me as really versatile.

Absolutely 100% on the hood too. The good thing is that neither of them take up much space or weight when you are packing and the costume doesn't impact at all on your movement as it is not impeding your shoulders and hips but keeps heat where you need it over your torso.

I would also think about getting a wet suit with 'superstretch neoprene' over joint areas as that makes it loads easier to move in too for the thicker suits. My DH has a Cressi 5mm that has that and he finds movement in it miles easier than in a standard 5mm and I really wish I had paid a wee bit extra and got that one too. Ah well.... too late now.....

HTH

Maria :)

[Joanna]

Suzanne,



I bought a 7mm Waterproof semi dry (140 quid sds at dive show)
it is really good, soft neoprene. It has almost drysuit quality seals on the wrists and ankles and does not flush at all.

ps I

I have a 7mm and 5mm shorty Waterproof semi, excellant wetsuits and not hugely expensive either, very good quality. The Waterproof hoods and gloves are good too.

[TerryH]

I have a 7mm and 5mm shorty Waterproof semi, excellant wetsuits and not hugely expensive either, very good quality. The Waterproof hoods and gloves are good too.

Snap.

Three of us bought these for Sharm and can honesly say that are the best
suits I've ever tried. So many features and not that expensive.

Definatley worth looking at. :D

[rubyru]

Hi Suzanne,

If you feel the cold and are a non-standard shape, then I would recommend made to measure, a good fit makes all the difference. Sounds like layering is a good option if you are diving in different locations.

The only thing about made to measure is that they don't always look very groovy, I am most envious of a friends Waterproof suit - it looks very smart.

Also think about where your zips go. My hubby had a problem with tha suit with the zip across the back, as he had to pull the top over his head the neck seal got a lot of wear and in the end split from the suit. That was a Mares, so not a great recommendation.

Don't forget gloves and little socks for inside your boots too.

[Maria CM]

I've got a Wateproof 3mm and think it is great - love the little neck zipper!

Maria