I currently have a 5mm open cell wetsuit, it's a budget suit that I bought a little over a year ago and was/is my first suit. I struggled through last winter in it but I'd like to get something warmer for this winter. I dived this weekend in it in 6 degree water and was freezing after about 2.5 hours. Water temps around here drop down to around 5 degrees over winter.
I also think that I may be on the upper size limit of my current jacket so a new one wouldn't be such a bad thing, also means I've no chance of getting a vest on underneath.
I was thinking of buying a 7mm jacket to begin with and see how I get on, and if needed I could then get some 7mm pants. But the price of 7mm jackets isn't far off some heavily discounted full 7mm suits, so I may as well buy a full suit and potentially save money in the long run/end up with a better quality suit (full suits seem to be more heavily discounted than individual jackets/pants).
But then I wonder; how much warmer is 7mm than 5mm? Is that 2mm actually going to make that much difference? I've also seen some 9mm suits?
I also think that I may be on the upper size limit of my current jacket so a new one wouldn't be such a bad thing, also means I've no chance of getting a vest on underneath.
I was thinking of buying a 7mm jacket to begin with and see how I get on, and if needed I could then get some 7mm pants. But the price of 7mm jackets isn't far off some heavily discounted full 7mm suits, so I may as well buy a full suit and potentially save money in the long run/end up with a better quality suit (full suits seem to be more heavily discounted than individual jackets/pants).
But then I wonder; how much warmer is 7mm than 5mm? Is that 2mm actually going to make that much difference? I've also seen some 9mm suits?