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Diving Bonaire: Is a 5mm Suit too much?
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999-2005: Archives - 2003-05-01 to 2004-02-15: Is a 5mm Suit too much?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Streutker (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #10) on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 3:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

OK, so its just three weeks until we leave for our honeymoon and its time to purchase wetsuits. I am pretty sure that I will be comfy in a full 3mm suit and I have have a .5mm skin to go under that. My fiance on the other hand is a bit more complicated. She is very cold intolerant. We were considering getting a 5mm Henderson Hyperstretch suit for her. Does anyone think that is too much? My guess is that it probably just right with the compression that you get in those suits at depth.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb schulherr (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #589) on Sunday, May 25, 2003 - 5:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Since I hear the Hyperstretch are a bit less insulating than a regular wetsuit or especially a "metal" or smooth core, you might be right. A neoprene cap helps a whole lot, even a polartec hoodie helps a lot.
So I say why not if it fits?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Witt (BonaireTalker - Post #26) on Monday, May 26, 2003 - 9:37 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

My wife and I have switched to 5mm suits. As your wife, we don't like being cold. The 5mm have been fine. Keep us warm, especially seeing we do a lot of diving while we are there.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb schulherr (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #590) on Monday, May 26, 2003 - 11:58 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

And in the unlikely event she gets too warm, she can just let in a little water!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb schulherr (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #591) on Monday, May 26, 2003 - 11:59 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mary got a 3.5 mm full suit with a 3.5 mm step in, it seems to work for her, she can wear the step in if she thinks she will be cold.
I mostly gave up not wearing a cap after our last trip

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Daniel Senie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #245) on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 11:32 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

A 3mm beanie adds an incredible amount of warmth. In my 5mm, I've dived 70 degree water, with the beanie, and been just fine.

When in warmer water, I use a 0.5mm hood, which also is quite helpful. In general, I almost never go diving without some sort of insulation for my head. I recommend giving that serious consideration, especially when doing a lot of dives.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Philip Wansley (BonaireTalker - Post #51) on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 1:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I tried a beanie on my last trip, and it was quite possibly the most annoying thing I've ever done while diving (except for diving with a 1/4 inch hood). The exhaled bubbles kept getting trapped under the beanie, so I had this big ol' bulge on top of my head. Actually affected my bouyancy. I'd usually start out with it on, and pull it off part way through the dive.

Anybody else have this problem, or have any ideas on how to fix it? I thought about poking some holes in the top to let excess trapped air out. My wife uses the same one I bought, and has no problems.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peggy Bowen (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #206) on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 5:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

By all means put a hole in the top of the beanie(where the air is trapped). I also put a hole by each ear so I can hear on the surface. Hasn't made me any colder - I love the beanie!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By JIM KENNEDY (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #108) on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 6:28 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

When I went to Puerto Vallarta the first time diving all I had to wear was a 7mm jacket...the divemaster flipped out, not knowing what to make of it...It worked fine, just unzipped it a little and let the cool water flow in and than zipped it back up...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Christin Helander (BonaireTalker - Post #27) on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 - 8:46 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Don't freak out but I dive with a full 7mm O'Neill suit. I get VERY cold in water but love diving alot and need to stay warm to enjoy it. I also wear a 7mm Henderson Gold hood, and it does have a vent hole in the top! To each his own for temperature control, I have seen folks in t-shirts with full scuba gear and those like myself even though I know it is not the average for warmer water. I get colder as the dives add up and try to wear my old 3.5 suit with a 3mm vest over it and then change into the big thick, heavy, cumbersome 7mm for the rest of the day. It works for me!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Annie Pon (BonaireTalker - Post #24) on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 - 10:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Phil,

You're not the only one with the annoying problem with "air in hood". I just got back from Bonaire today, I stopped wearing the hood b/c of air was causing a problem with my ears. Didn't notice a buoyancing issue, but then again I'm a newbie to diving. Peggy has some good suggestions, I'm trying them the next time I use the hood.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gene J Grindler (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 2:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

By all means, poke a hole in the top. It doesn't even need to be a fancy, neat hole. Just stab it with your dive knife (NOT while it's on your head). :-) Another thing that works for me, in fairly warm water I wear a "do rag". You wouldn't think a simple cotton 'handkerchief' would make any difference but I think it does and besides that it will keep the top of your head from getting sunburned if you haven't got a lot of natural protection (hair).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By DIVER DEBBI (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #287) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 10:21 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

when I bought my brand new vest with hood,I also had bubblehead problems, and hated to cut into my new piece of equiptment, but a hole in the top worked well letting the air out...then I was having problems hearing, so I actually cut holes for my ears too..with a tuft of hair sticking out of the top and my ears out the side my husband says I look like a "tellatubby"....hmmmmm...they are cute are'nt they ? I cauterized the edges of the neoprene so they would'nt rip more with a hot dive tool..has stayed same shape so far

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Cameron Streutker (BonaireTalker - Post #12) on Tuesday, June 3, 2003 - 1:35 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

A dive buddy of mine told me that he had the same problem and a cave diver he was talking to told him to heat a thing wire and burn a serious of very small hole along the top to allow the airt to escape. I will be doing that before I head to Bonaire in less than 2 weeks.

 


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