# Wet Suits



## Codslayer (Mar 2, 2012)

Hey everyone. I just signed up for SCUBA classes and purchased my basic supplies. I am interested in getting my own wetsuit too. How do you know what style you will need. I have seen short ones and long ones & different thicknesses. I am a serious hunter during the winter months, so my diving will be limited to Spring and Summer, mostly here in Pensacola or South Florida. Any input would be helpful.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

It all depends on water temp and sea life in my opinion


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## Flounderpounder (Oct 3, 2007)

It takes a while for all that water to warm up in the spring. If you are going to be limited to one suit, I'd suggest a 2 piece: farmer john and a jacket. That gives you some flexibility (wear 1, the other, or both), as well as max warmth when needed (both).


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## SaltAddict (Jan 6, 2010)

Go with flounderpounder's recommendation, or get a one piece 3 mil and a 5 mil hooded vest. 
I don't like having bare arms because if I don't stone a fish, I usually squeeze them between my arm and body while I dispatch them.


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## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

Codslayer said:


> Hey everyone. I just signed up for SCUBA classes and purchased my basic supplies. I am interested in getting my own wetsuit too. How do you know what style you will need. I have seen short ones and long ones & different thicknesses. I am a serious hunter during the winter months, so my diving will be limited to Spring and Summer, mostly here in Pensacola or South Florida. Any input would be helpful.


No matter what .... you'll probably have a closet full of various mils and configurations before you know it. (Then you'll be trying to sell the excess on here.)

Just buy what you need now and remember you'll be buying more in the future as needs arrive.

That said ... a full 2/3mil suit should be fine tor most situations if you're just going to be a warm water only diver as I am. If it's plenty warm you can just skip the wetsuit ... however a dive-skin can come in handy if there's jellies, so ya might wanna think about getting a skin too for the warmest part of the year.


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

I've got a few 3 mm farmer John wetsuits for sale if your interested call me @ 777-6722


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Don't listen to anyone your classes will supply the wet suit to suit the weather. After you are certified wait until it gets cold by renting a suit. Then you will know what you want. I can tell you what you will need for winter in Pensacola. A 7 mil farmer John bottoms and full top with a hooded vest over the Farmer john. Anything less for the coldest days and several dives will not be enough. I would never buy a one piece suit. But that's just me.with a few dives.......


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

The original post was from August and he said he was NOT diving in the winter because he will be hunting (in the woods).


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## Big B (Sep 7, 2009)

I prefer the 2 piece wet suits. It gives you the option of wearing only the farmer johns. This is nice in cool water. It also provides an extra layer of protection to your torso during the winter.


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## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

id wear a pair or old khajis and long sleeve tee shirt in the summer


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Old thread, but let's keep it going:

Wetsuit technology is growing by leaps and bounds these days, and the prices can be very reasonable for a good suit. For many divers, what used to require a 2 piece 7mm suit (and 40lbs of lead) can now be done with a one piece 5mm and hooded vest. 

Don't be fooled into buying based on Brand Names - every wetsuit company has their top new technology suits along with the old "cardboard" stuff. Names don't mean much by themselves. 

Avoid new technology in the first year out as they are more expensive and are unproven - there are lots of new "state of the art" suits that fail miserably. Before you buy anything, look for customer reviews!


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Evinsplit im glad you said can be done with. Because theres no way a 5mm one piece will keep you warm for as long as a farmer john 7 mm. Both with a hooded vest. You go to 90 ft with a 5mm and you are looking at less than 1mm thickness at 90 ft. On your entire lower half and a little more than 1mm on upper half with the vest.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

sealark said:


> Evinsplit im glad you said can be done with. Because theres no way a 5mm one piece will keep you warm for as long as a farmer john 7 mm. Both with a hooded vest. You go to 90 ft with a 5mm and you are looking at less than 1mm thickness at 90 ft. On your entire lower half and a little more than 1mm on upper half with the vest.


Some of the newer materials and linings make suits a lot warmer than the old "premium neoprene". I used to dive a 5mm farmer john with a hood, but I found a new 5mm jumpsuit with hooded vest that keeps me equally as comfy, and a lot more flexible with a lot less lead. I also don't dive through the winter anymore like I did in the good old days, so I can't give a good review for the penguin dives. :notworthy:


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Yes for summer and fall there great. I use a 5 mm top for summer but when the temps hit 70 and below my old ass gets into the 7mm farmer john with hooded vest. Plus my E tec 150 puts out hot water we fill the suits up with. 
Last year the end of December I saw a young diver on the 3 barges in a jacket without a hood make 2 dives. Water was in low 60s air was in the 40s.


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

sealark said:


> Yes for summer and fall there great. I use a 5 mm top for summer but when the temps hit 70 and below my old ass gets into the 7mm farmer john with hooded vest. Plus my E tec 150 puts out hot water we fill the suits up with.


 What did you do to set that up? Screw a quick connect onto the flush port / indicator?


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

DreamWeaver21 said:


> What did you do to set that up? Screw a quick connect onto the flush port / indicator?


Screw a hose fitting with a hose into the pee hole and got a small Igloo ice chest and two washed out tcw3 gallon jugs as pictured. Notice the fittings on each end the water gets too hot at times but in the middle of the winter on a freezing day its toasty, Don't let anyone tell you it restricts water flow once the box is filled and flowing it the same as running out the hole because the box is lower than the overflow outlet on engine. I been using this one for 5 years now. 
It will be hooked up again in a couple weeks after the first good cold front comes through. I tried this on other brand outboards and it didn't work only worked for me on E-tecs
:thumbup::thumbup:


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## Codslayer (Mar 2, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. I have put SCUBA aside til the spring due to hunting season. During certification I used a long sleeve shorty for the snorkeling reefs and used a farmer john with a shorty for Morrison Springs. A couple of weeks ago, I used a full 3m wetsuit for the Pete Tide & Russian Freighter. Each time I was very comfortable. So, I guess your right, I will have a variety of suits before I know it.


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

I really like the suits designed for surfing, work great for diving. Flexible, soft and warm. I have a zipper less 5mm semi dry rip curl, throw a hood on and I have never been cold even in January and you don't walk around looking like the Michelin man needing 40 lbs of lead. A lot of it has to do with neoprene design and quality. And the dang leaky zipper! If you ever try a zipper less suit you'll love it, pain in the butt to put on and you have to be flexible but really warm and dry.


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