Wetsuit for MN

[CTA]

I am a relatively inexperienced diver, and would like to start diving more and want to start purchasing some equipment beyond mask, fins, and snorkel. Although I have been certified for many years, I have not dove in MN for a long time and cannot recall what thickness of wetsuit I should be looking at. Can anyone give me some advice or suggested thickness for what would work best? Would most likely be diving mine pits in June through August.  Also, is there any way this same wetsuit could overlap for use elsewhere (i.e. Mexico etc) or is temp difference too significant?

Appreciate any comments anyone might have.

[MNLakeDiver]

I use a 7 mill farmer john. it is warm enugh here for most dives down to 120 feet then it is too compressed to offer any real thermal protection. I use the bottom half when diving in warmer water so I have my knees covered and it keeps my core warm. when doing any deep diving or repetive diving I opt for my drysuite (that is dry now) and it has alot of advantages including less weight for me and better bouyancy controll.

[LKunze]

A drysuit is the way to go but if cost is a factor go with the 7mm wetsuit.  I wouldn't get anything less than a 7mm.

[arcFlash]

What's the word on the street about the semi-dry? I really like the idea but I already have a wet and dry and adding a semi may not be in the money.

I've heard good things about them and at $400 and change they may be worth it. I enjoy diving wet for the freedom but get cold after an hour or more in the wet.

If you do go 7mil the hooded bibs add a lot of heat if you need more. I wear a polertec fleece under mine and it makes a big difference.

FYI: My wife went right to a dry suit and I think she needed more dives in a wetsuit to learn control. But we figured she gets cold easy and a wetsuit wouldn't give her the protection she needed. In hind site we should have started with the 7mil or Semi-dry.

[LKunze]

They are better/warmer than a wetsuit from what I've heard.

I really like the idea but I already have a wet and dry and adding a semi may not be in the money.

In my opinion it would be an awful waste of money to purchase a semidry if you already own a drysuit and a wetsuit.  Also, if you already have a drysuit why even dive wet locally unless it's really hot out and you are planning on diving above the 15 - 16 ft thermocline.  Even then you could just wear a lighter set of undergarments or even just a light set of long johns under the suit if diving in warmer water. 

[freedivernd]

I love talking wetsuits.. I just don't use 'em much for scuba.. but check out and look into their custom made wetsuits.. now don't go running away because I said custom made.. they are far more reasonable than most off the shelf suits and they are top quality plus you can get them in any configuration and/or type/quality of neoprene you can think of.  Just getting a taylor made suit alone will keep you warmer because of the fewer pockets that allow water exchange.
Fred

[Shooter]

I started out with the same plan of having a dual purpose wetsuit.  My first suit was a 543 that I could use for relatively warmer diving.  And when I dove locally, I added a hooded vest.  This still works at times.  I dove the Madeira in August using this method.  Not recommended, however, serious shrinkage factor :o

As the obsession continues.  I now have
dui tls 350 drysuit with two different thicknesses of undergarments.

7 mm hood
5 mm hood

3 mm beanie hood

excell 543 wetsuit.

Henderson 3 mm wetsuit.
I love the flexibility of the hyper stretch materials, way more comfortable and flexible that my Excel

Henderson 1 mm wetsuit
I usually always wear a full wetsuit, keeps the wreck rash off

I am hoping to add a blue water camouflaged free diving wetsuit soon!

[arcFlash]

Some reasons: I like the freedom. No air in the feet, no venting, I feel more like a fish. Dry seals only last so long so I use it when I need it. If I wear then down at Square and Perch I'm more likely to tear one when I need it in Superior.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't live in MN without a dry but I like the choice and durability. I guess I'm more freediver in spirit.

[LKunze]

True...I get 2 years or 150+ dives out of my seals before replacing.  It's about $70 per neck seal replacement and $70 per wrist seal pair so around $140 total.  You may already know this but if you do blow out a seal you can save the dive with a little duct tape.  My neck seal tore all the way down to where it meets the suit material after my first dive of a three day dive weekend at Wazee a couple years ago.  I saved the whole weekend of diving just by slapping on a little Kentucky Chrome.  Jeff Leech did the same thing this past year.  It actually works and doesn't leak either if you do a good tape job.

[CTA]

Thanks for all the input.

I was leaning toward getting a 5MM, as I will likely dive other warmer water places more often than MN, although I also know that once I buy, I could get the itch to do it more here. So if this were the case, it sounds like I could get by with an additional hooded vest (via shooter)? That would be ideal for now, given I own no other gear just yet. Are there any particular brands I should avoid? Not overly price conscious, i.e. quality is much more important to me, but not sure where exactly to start.