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Neopren thickness

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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S

Skalpel

New Member
Mar 7, 2021
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Hi,

looking for advice from experienced divers. Issue at hand:
Will 5mm neopren be enough for short swims in cold (5-10 °C) waters?

Explanation:
Need to work on swimming technique, to meet certain physical requirements. I am a swimmer, but training is needed. Covid has all pools closed in my country (CZ), no chance of opening up soon. Test is in two months.
Swimming outside possible. Waters around 5 °C, thats kind of cold, I cant do more than 4-6 minutes bare skin in that. Thats too short for efficient training.

Two months until the test - thinking about getting a neopren suit to help with the cold. I dont need to stay in cold water indefinitely - 20 minutes would be at least something, 60 minutes would be gold. Do you think this is a viable solution? How thick does the neopren need to be?

Appreciate any answers or tips, I dont know any divers personally.
Got into this mess myself. I knew the swim test was coming since last summer (pools still opened back then), should have trained sooner.
 
If you're going to freedive in 5°C waters, you'll need a 7 mm minimum. For swimming, 5 mm could be enough.
 
I agree, 5mm would be sufficient but would advise a well fitting open cell interior w/integrated hood and at least minimal gloves and socks. A one piece inside lined suit may restrict movement and flush cold water down the neck and through zipper reducing the insulating effect of the suit with a lot of movement. That said, I have used an Omer UP-W14 suit in 10 C water and did fine for 30 min or so.
 
Hello, I'm a diver and occasional triathlete. I suggest looking at triathlon wetsuits that are designed specifically for surface swimming. For racing, the maximum thickness is limited to 5mm and will be the most common available. However, suits often have thinner areas where movement is required for swimming; e.g. arm/shoulder area. An old diver trick is to take warm water to your swimming/diving area and pour it inside your suit just before entering the water. It lessens the initial chill of cold water entering your suit.
 
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