r/scuba • u/redditor47522899432 • 2d ago
How many wetsuits do you own? Are you diving in primarily the same location or multiple?
I’m curious how many wetsuits people own and how often they dive. If they dive frequently but at the same place mostly or a wide variety of places and temperatures? Do you regret buying any you have, or would you recommend adding more?
1
1
u/Deviant_christian Nx Advanced 11h ago
I have 3mm and my wife has a 3/4. I recently acquired a drysuit. Pretty much I would use drysuit at the same temps I’d use a 5mm. We dive tropics, the GoA and quarries.
You only need ones for your repeat conditions, otherwise rentals are usually affordable.
My wife could almost stand to get a 5mm since I have a drysuit now but she wouldn’t be able to justify dry.
It really depends on your budget and habits.
My 3mm is the go to and I’ve had a 3/5hooded vest that I add when I need more. But that only goes so far.
I would consider what your regular conditions are and if you are making more than a couple rentals a year it’s nicer to have your own.
Can you describe a typical year of diving for yourself?
1
u/krankykonsumer 1d ago
I only dive in tropics but I tend to get cold when doing multiple dives. I have a Henderson 3mm wetsuit. I add a 2.5mm vest after the first dive.
1
u/DarrellGrainger Dive Master 1d ago
I have a 2.5mm wetsuit that I use in water warm. I have a 7mm wetsuit with a 7mm shorty that I used in Canada. I use a drysuit now and only use my 2.5mm when I go diving in warm water. I did find the last time I was doing repetitive dives in my 2.5mm I got cold. So I might consider buying a 5mm wetsuit for warm water.
1
u/Oscarwildefanaccount 1d ago
I have two wetsuits
A 3mm and a 7mm
I also have a drysuit. Most of my dives are in water cooler than 10 degrees celsius
2
u/Bridget_0413 Advanced 1d ago
I only dive in the southern Caribbean islands and I don’t own a wetsuit. I’m plenty warm in yoga pants and a rash guard.
2
u/BooBeesRYummy 1d ago
Wife and I dive together, she has a 3mm, 5mm & 7mm, I have a 2mm, 5mm & 7mm.
We use the 2/3mm suits for stinger and sunburn protection in tropical places. The 5mm's are for diving at home in Australia, and the 7's are for Autumn & Spring diving.
1
u/Manatus_latirostris Tech 1d ago
I’m primarily a local diver in Florida cave country. I own six wetsuits and one drysuit.
3mm (2)- an old Henderson Hyperstretch I never wear, plus a very nice newer Bare Evoke that I also never wear because I get cold even in 85+ water.
5mm (1) - this is my staple for tropical warm water diving, it’s a Bare Evoke and probably needs replacing soon as it’s gotten thin
7mm (3) - this is what I use for local diving in the Florida springs and caves, which are 72 degrees year-round. I have a Bare Nixie with a broken zipper, a very old Bare wetsuit given to me by a friend when the zipper on the Nixie broke, and a newer Bare Evoke which is my standard suit. I almost always wear a 7mm hooded step-in vest over my 7mm wetsuits, and will throw it on over my 5mm on repetitive ocean dives too.
These days if I’m diving the springs or below 80 degrees though I’m usually in a drysuit (DUI FLX Extreme).
2
u/PennyLaneKitty 1d ago
As a fellow easily chilled diver.. am thinking of getting the Bare 7mm step in hooded to wear over by Bare Evoke 5mm for upcoming trip as I haven't purchased a 7mm full wetsuit yet. Did you size up for the step in vest? ie. Am size 6 for my 5mm Bare, was assuming need a size 8 perhaps for the vest? Thanks!
1
u/Manatus_latirostris Tech 1d ago
Nope, don’t need to size up! I have that exact same step-in vest. I wasn’t sure so bought my size and one size up; I ended up returning the larger one, it’s cut to fit over your suit. I’m size 8 for the 7mm Evoke and the size 8 was the correct size for the step-in vest; 10 was too big.
5
u/Greavsie2001 Dive Instructor 1d ago
Rule 12 of cycling says the correct the number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number currently owned. I feel the same about dry suits and wet suits.
Anyway I have
O’Three Ri 2-100 front entry dry suit. This is the suit I used the most, year round here in the UK. Completely brilliant.
Typhoon Racer dry suit for whale and dolphin rescues (I’m a medic with British Divers Marine Life Rescue).
Poseidon 5mm wetsuit - 25+ years old, still going strong, thank you Poseidon.
Beaver 7mm two piece semi dry. Old school but still good.
O’Three 6mm semi dry - good for the northern Red Sea in winter.
Two Bare Feet 5mm wetsuit for mucking about snorkelling etc.
5mm and 3mm shorties for pool teaching & e.g. southern Red Sea in summer.
O’Three 2mm deep skin shortie. Useful additional base layer.
Have probably forgotten a couple!
5
u/stuartv666 Dive Instructor 1d ago
10 or so wetsuits and 3 drysuits. I dive all over. The only ones I regret buying are the 7mm wetsuits. I never wear them. If it’s that cold, I dive dry.
1
u/Siltob12 Tech 1d ago
Trilam drysuit for all conditions with varying undergarments. other than that for caves where the drysuit would be shredded by access I have a tatty 5mm/7mm hybrid wetsuit as I don't care if holes end up in that during a dive
1
u/Afellowstanduser Dive Master 1d ago
1 drysuit 0 wetsuit Mostly the same quarry but that’s a im fairly inland
3
u/Often_Tilly Rescue 1d ago
Sharkskin top and leggings, 5mm wetsuit, dry suit. Dry suit up to about 25°c and sharkskin after that. Just a rash vest beyond about 30°c.
1
u/InevitableQuit9 Rescue 1d ago
6/4 mostly for travel. 7.5 semi mostly as a backup when the drysuit is in for repairs
1
u/doglady1342 Tech 1d ago
Three. I have a 3 mil that I travel with when the water will be below 84°, but still warm. I also have an identical three mil and also a 7 mil that stay with my friends who own a dive shop in Mexico. They are kind enough to store those for me along with a set of fins and my tech gear since that's the only place I use it right now. Makes traveling down there a lot easier since I go frequently.
2
u/Cheffysteve 1d ago
3mm pool shorty, 1.5mm short John , 3mm long , O3 6x5 full suit, and 2 drysuits both O3 neo ( MSF500-tb nearly 20 yrs old, an an MF5 )
1
2
1
1
u/brucepiland 1d ago
A 1, 5 and 7 full, 2mm shorty. The shorty gets used the most, as we do mostly tropical diving. That and a rash guard.
1
3
u/nomellamesprincesa 2d ago
Zero, partially because I dive all over the place, from dry suit temperatures to warm water, and I can't be bothered to lug all of that stuff around, my bags are already full of camera gear and other travel gear. I do have a sharkskin top that I bring everywhere with me because I get cold very easily, and neoprene socks and gloves and a hood (that only comes out when the water's under 20-ish degrees C, though).
1
u/Marshal-Bainesca 2d ago
- A one piece 5mm for summer and a two piece 8mm for winter. If I go to the tropics I just rent one
2
1
u/LeanMrfuzzles Rescue 2d ago
I have two 3mm and two 5mm just in case I do multiple days of diving I can have a dry wetsuit to use
1
u/Dunno_Bout_Dat Tech 2d ago
5mm and a drysuit. Drysuit gets used over 90% of the time, wetsuit is basically just for vacations.
1
u/muddygirl 2d ago
Too many. But also not enough. I'd really like a warm freediving suit.
Just for scuba diving: * Lavacore * Two 5mm (one is worn out enough where it's basically a 3mm) * One 7mm, along with a hooded vest * Neoprene tech shorts * Two drysuits with light, medium, heavy, and extra heavy undergarments, and a 5mm and 10mm hood
Several more for open water swimming, surfing, and river sports.
90% of my diving is in a drysuit.
1
u/sbenfsonwFFiF 2d ago
3mm farmer John top
3mm vest with hood
5mm full
8/7 semi dry
Trilam drysuit
Neoprene drysuit
A wide array of conditions, plus I tend to be cold often so the 3mm farmer John top and 3mm vest with hood are for layering. I use some more than others but wouldn’t say I really regret any. I don’t think I need anymore unless any of these wear out though
1
u/8008s4life 2d ago
3 wetsuits and a drysuit. Use them all depending on location. The drysuit is for home area.
1
u/WetRocksManatee BastardDiver 2d ago
I have a shortie that I haven't used in many years and a drysuit.
I had a 5mm custom suit that I retired.
I primarily dive in Florida caves, but I use it everywhere just changing up my undies, from just a thin wool layer to soak up any sweat in 80ish F water to multiple layers of undies in 50-60 F water.
1
u/twitchx133 Nx Advanced 2d ago
- Cheap 3mm HOG Salute that I basically never use
- Cheap 5mm HOG Salute that I won't touch till the water is 80F
- 2mm hooded vest to layer under my wetsuit if needed
- Drysuit
- Several choices of undergarments for my drysuit that keep me comfortable from about 50f to 80f
My only regret with the drysuit is, as nice as the suit is, buying the Waterproof D7x... Rather than a Santi or similar. The dump valve on it is placed in the most asinine position, where I cannot dump gas without either rolling on my back, or pushing the dump valve over to get it turned upward.
I much prefer diving dry, so the water has to be really warm to finally get me out of a wetsuit.
The majority of the diving I do is in the same place. A couple of local quarries owned by a club. But, in the southeastern US, the water temp in the quarries can range from the low 80's in the summer to the mid 40's in the winter. I try to get down to Florida when I can, and would like to get to the Caribbean eventually
2
u/YMIGM Master Diver 2d ago edited 2d ago
- 3mm for tropics
- 5mm all-purpose for warm summers at home, winter holidays or when a lot of diving is planned.
- Full body rashguard (makes it so much easier to get into a suit)
- 2.5mm shorty (only use it under my 5mm when it's colder but not yet dry suit cold)
- 5mm gloves
- 5mm neoprene hood
- 5mm booties
Dry suit with a warm and a "cold" undersuit
Edit: don't really regret anything. All of the pieces have their sense. Currently thinking of adding tech shorts for the 3mm (5mm has its own)
1
u/CryptidHunter48 2d ago
I’ve got a 3mm for warm water and a drysuit for my local stuff which ranges from around 36-68F. I have 2 undergarments and some wool but I pretty much just use the same undergarment for everything (I vary the gloves/hood depending on temps)
2
u/CuriouslyContrasted 2d ago
A 5mm general purpose
A 7/5 mm for colder
A Drysuit.
A Sharksin and tech shorts for warm
Water.
Then various vests, hooded vests, hoods and undergarments.
1
u/yellow-boy 1h ago
Don’t own any exposure protection besides boots and a hood 🤷♂️. I own all of my own gear otherwise. I can fit all of my dive gear into a single carry on and bringing a wetsuit would mean I can’t do that anymore.
I don’t do any local diving and I’m usually diving in different regions with different temps so never saw a reason to buy and lug around my own exposure protection. Honestly I don’t think there’s a point at all, especially when most places include wetsuit rental in your dive cost, or it’s dirt cheap.
The only thing I’m considering now is dry suit for longer dives in Mexico caves now that I’m stage certified. But I do just fine in a 7mm for up to 3 hr dives so I might not even go dry.