Hello folks, I have been looking into buying a wetsuit as there are a few mines I want to go that are fairly deep but after looking at some I dont know what to get. I didnt realise there was different types and thicknesses and was wondering which thickness to go for. I guess the 5mm will be warmer than a 3mm but will they be too bulky and difficult to move around in when not in the water?

Its a subject I know absolutely nowt about so any advice is greatly appreciated :thumbup:

Hello folks, I have been looking into buying a wetsuit as there are a few mines I want to go that are fairly deep but after looking at some I dont know what to get. I didnt realise there was different types and thicknesses and was wondering which thickness to go for. I guess the 5mm will be warmer than a 3mm but will they be too bulky and difficult to move around in when not in the water?

Its a subject I know absolutely nowt about so any advice is greatly appreciated :thumbup:

Now there's a question...

3mm will generally have 2mm sleeves and may be called 3x2
5mm will generally have 3mm sleeves and may be called 5x3

3mm is generally considered a "summer" suit
5mm is generally considered a "winter" suit

I've swum round Scottish lakes (lochs I guess) at around 2 degrees C in a 5mm suit and not got at all cold, so if it's winter use, I'd suggest 5mm.

If there's going to be not much water, but a lot of walking, then I might steer you towards 3mm (with clothes on top*) in order to try and prevent boiling yourself in the thing, but then again there's a chance you'll get cold!


* I used to sail in said wetsuit and wore a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt over the top to prevent the wetsuit from being abraded. I suspect a similar tactic in a mine might not be a bad idea.

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I'll respond to this as a diver, NOT on the subject of mines.
Movement - 3 or 5 won't make a jot of difference, they are both fine to wear on the surface, and a 5 will keep you a lot warmer for longer in the water (or when you get back out)
In a 5mm wetsuit, water temp 20 C, it starts to get a bit chilly afyer 30 minutes or so, BUT - the average water temp in mines is 6-7 C, I wouldn't consider going into Dorothea (v deep) or Vivian (we take trainees there) unless I was wearing a drysuit. Vivian I've done in a drysuit at a water temp of 5.5 C, and couldn't feel my hands for the best part of an hour afterwards (drysuit, insulated layers, gloves, hood, etc).
The only problems with drysuits - you will cook in it when out of the water, and they are incredibly expensive (oh, and if you don't know what you are doing in a drysuit, you can get an inversion, which means you drown with your feet in the air)

An alternative would be a semi-dry suit. I've never used one, so don't know how good they are.

Please note - all this comes from experience UNDER water, which saps body heat at an amazing rate. IN water (part-time) will be a lot different (as Vanoord has posted already)
Good luck !

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I always use 5mm with a boiler suit or similar oversuit to stop wear and tear to the the wetsuit, find it comfortable for longish sough trips 1 hour or so and 3-4 hours in mine out of the water.

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Wow! Didnt think it was so complicated 😮

I think I will go for the 5mm then. I suppose once out of the water, if I get warm I could unzip it a bit. I think I would rather be a bit too warm than freeze!

Thanks for the help guys, thats really useful stuff to know :thumbsup:

Have a look at this page:

http://www.warmbac.com/wetsuit.htm 

the last item is what I'm thinking of.

ATM I use a windsurfing wetsuit, (t-shirt cut sleeves) ita a bit on the big side for me, with a furry over that then either a boilersuit, or my gucci warmbac oversuit.

That's generally fine for wet mines/c****s. I'd also recommend some knee length wetsocks and knee pads.

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I'll respond to this as a diver, NOT on the subject of mines.

Movement - 3 or 5 won't make a jot of difference, they are both fine to wear on the surface, and a 5 will keep you a lot warmer for longer in the water (or when you get back out)
In a 5mm wetsuit, water temp 20 C, it starts to get a bit chilly afyer 30 minutes or so...

Ahaha!

There is one feature of diving that shouldn't be overlooked: the neoprene compresses as you go down and this reduces its efficiency massively.

Basically, the wetsuit works by using body heat to warm a layer of water that's trapped in the material and this acts as a barrier between the body and the water and slows the cooling down massively.

A thicker wetsuit acts as a better insulator, but if you dive in a 3mm suit, it will compress, hold less water and thus not work as well. Basically, think of it as a duvet: if it's plumped up it works better than if it's all compressed.

I think you're probably right to go for a 5mm suit (with a boiler suit or similar over) and bear in mind that if you get too hot you just need to wallow in a puddle to cool down... :lol:

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Thats a good point about the compression Vanoord. I hadnt thought of that. Yes the 5mm it is then. And Wormster cheers for that link. I alredy have some long wetsocks, but after going somewhere recently up to my crotch in icy water I thought its time to get a wetsuit. It was rather refreshing though 🙂

No worries,

One tip though, TRY before you buy, there's no point in ordering a wetsuit/neoflece over t'internet because we're no all a standard size.

Unfortunatley I'm not sure where the nearest kitshop is to you.

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I'm a proper surfing veteran and there are 2 camps of wetsuit users. Old heavy rubber people (divers/cavers/windsurfers) and the stretchy rubber people (surfers/spongers)

I go out in 8 degree water wearing a 5/4/3 which is fine, it is warm in the right places and stretchy also.

Looking at diving suits, they are like suits of armour and total overkill unless you are going much below 5 degrees. I spent time in Newcastle surfing (got down to 4 deg) and was fine if I kept moving in a 5/4/3 and boots/gloves/tw@ cap.

I'm not sure what you would be looking at price wise and the lastest fashion surfers rip cuuurrrlll maaaan! seasons colours will rape your bank faster than possible. Ebay is your friend for last years colours.

I hate wearing a wetsuit underground. You end up sweating like a blind lesbian in a fishmongers. However, with some trips it is a necessary evil.

Regardless of how much you go about being careful, you will tear a suit and so either a boilersuit or an oversuit is the way to go, which will soon have you sweating like a Gary Glitter in a playgroup. I wear a very old 3 mill which has the legs cut off and is fine. I still sweat like a beast and SRT really gets you sliding around in your own emanations like you will only know once you've done it. Foul.

I would recommend an ebay last years suit. For caving I'd use a 3 and cold diving, full immersion a 5. Unless you are looking at being totally wet from the neck down most of the time, I would consider a shorty. You could always cut the arms and legs off afterwards. There is nothing worse that exerting yourself in a wetsuit and when you take it off, you will smell like a nice set of used trainers and continue to do so until you've had a proper bath.

I would look at Billabong who seem to have their quality right, Sola seem to be good as well. Avoid Gul as they are made of shite by monkeys who can't sew.

I can't comment on the more heavy stuff but I suppose it could double as fetish wear. You will come out looking like a raisin in a pool of your own cloudy, limpid soup!

Don't say I didn't tell you.

Stu

I detest wearing a wetsuit underground and wouldn't consider it unless the water is going to be waist deep and over for a good part of the trip. I have a couple of suits but the one I like best is a 3mm shorty which I use with a fleece and pair of overalls over.
Full length suits are a b$&**~rd when you get out of the water and need to climb or srt. Ok though if you're just walking around in water, depends what you're going to be doing really.

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I didn't realise they made you so hot. Maybe I should just stick with the long wetsocks for now. I was in a place recently with water up to the thighs and although I was cold it didnt do me any harm, and as soon as we got into the dry I did heat up with the walking /crawling etc.

I'll see how I get on with what I have got for now but I'l keep in mind the good advice 🙂

Just spotted your question,

I have a 3mm Warmbac, and it is fine for even long water trips. I have worn it up to 9 hours (anything more than that and its called a fetish :lol: ) with no real discomfort. I wear my oversuit over it as 3mm does not withstand wear too well. 3mm also does not cause that much overheating when out of water, my friend has a 7mm, and on long trips where it goes dry he is for ever rolling round in pools of water.

I also have a pair of 5mm bottoms, for when I know I will be in waist deep water most of the time.

That's my six pence worth.

Go on, get a wetsuit, just think of all the things you will be able to access!!

If you find a 4mm one go for that!

Mr Mike

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Hi Mike, you mentioned bottoms only, now thats an idea and would be cheaper for now. I dont think I will be in any neck deep water so for what I want to do the bottoms are a good plan. I am going to do some research right now, thanks for the tip!

Wet legs don't lose that much heat. I'd be more looking at keeping your thighs/torso warmer. You will still sweat too much in wetsuit trousers. Cold legs aren't a problem. Getting wet to "the key area" isn't that much of a problem, you get cold when you get your chest/back wet. These are the bits you need to insulate.

All in my opinion...

Have a look at a Warmbac Neo fleece - Wet suit body with fleece arms and legs...
The fleece arms and legs give you freedom of movement for crawling/climbing/srt and its not quite as opressive out of water as a full wetsuit. I still wouldn't wear one in a dry mine though!
I've never had a problem getting cold wearing one even though its not a "full" wet suit and i frequently wear mine on caving trips that require full immersion (Ducks/Sump Dives etc) so it is a good compromise.

I would take the plunge and get a full 3mm from Warmbac, just getting bottoms with the view to getting a top later, will cost more.

I tried a neofleece once and think its a waste of money considering for a few quid more you could get the full 3mm wetsuit.

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Its not the price that makes the neofleece more attractive - simply that the construction of it with fleece for the arms and legs makes it much more flexible than a traditional wetsuit and so more suited to climbing/ crawling and srt...
Its not "quite" as warm as a full wet suit so its a trade off between warmth and mobility...

Thanks Jason for the info. I had a look at the neofleece but to be honest I would be happier with the full suit as I suffer terribly from cold legs. Didn't realise there would be so many choices though!

I saw a cheap 3mm full suit for 50 quid new, is this a good price?

Thanks Jason for the info. I had a look at the neofleece but to be honest I would be happier with the full suit as I suffer terribly from cold legs. Didn't realise there would be so many choices though!

I saw a cheap 3mm full suit for 50 quid new, is this a good price?

Er, probably not!

How tall are you and what sort of chest measurement?

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