Keeping warm in the Red Sea

[alross]

Howdy,

Firstly I know this question has been asked one or two times before but i'm still in two minds as to what to do having read the previous posts!!!!

Hopefully heading off to the red sea at the start of march to dive the brothers. :-)

Was diving north red sea in july and wore a 3mm full suit which kept be reasonably warm although i did begin to feel the chill at times.

Now my problem is that I dont know what to take for diving in March. Should I take my drysuit which is a little on the big side when i'm not wearing UK styleee undergarments or should i wear a 5 / 4 mm full suit with the option of wearing my shortie as well if the full suit isnt enuf on its own

I'm worried about being reliant on my drysuit when on a weeks liveaboard as it seems more likely to break / leak than a wetsuit.

I'm built like the gable-end of a pound note so find it difficult to get a wetsuit which fits well and as a result most suits aint very tight around my middle.

What does everyone think? I'll try to add a poll.

[Sakara Drinker]

The dry suit is OTT for the southern red sea in April. Take the wetsuit, you will be fine. Enjoy.

[cheryl t]

Wore a 5mm all in one in Jan and was plenty warm ebough. Did wear a rash vest underneath it, but they are not exactly made for warmth.

[Rod]

I wear a 3mm full with a rash vest underneath and that is plenty for me.

[nigelH]

I've always worn my 7mm steamer.
Never a problem in the water.
Cold unkitting in the wind early in the year.
Hot kitting up in the late summer.
However those two would probably be the same in anything.

[StevieH]

3mm wetsuit, if you do get cold you can always have a pee
Regards
StevieH

[robertsT]

just come back from egypt took my dry suit and was to hot quite a bit of the time. Although I was good when the wind picked up. I would go with the wet suit

[MartyC]

Dived at Sharm last March in a 5mm, can't remember being cold, going to Southern Red Sea in May, taking a 5mm full suit..
personaly I wouldn't bother with the dry suit.
Enjoy!!

[davepazzer]

I always take my 5mm suit even in the warmer months, in March last year I also took a thin undervest which came in useful and a thin hood which also helps with the heat loss especially for the night dives.
Don't forget if you feel cold you will use more air.

[Houseplant]

Just got back, saw everything from shorties and skins to drysuits + undersuits. I wore an aged 5mm full length wetsuit and an over shortie. Latter bought in Sharm because I was starting to shiver at the end of each dive. Hood, as always, made a big difference. Was fine in the water with this combo, but freezing in between dives. Can't imagine wearing anything less than a 5mm full length wetsuit anywhere at any time of the year, but that's just me