Keeping Warm in winter without a new wetsuit

Here in SE Brisbane, home of Adreno, the water temperature has really started to drop! Although such a massive chunk of the year is consumed by this cold weather, that should not mean you put your diving gear into storage and sit on the couch until summer – there’s still plenty of good diving, and good visibility to be had! Of course though, you need to keep warm in the water to make your diving truly enjoyable and successful and we aren’t all lucky enough to be able to afford a brand new wetsuit to accommodate the varying seasons – so here’s some helpful tips on keeping warm!

The cold affects every person in different ways. Some make it through winter with a 3.5mm suit, some wouldn’t jump in with less than 5mm of coverage, and some divers have an in-between level of tolerance to the cold.

No matter what category you fit into, the harshness that cold water can bring is easily avoided with a few cheap and simple additions.

First and most importantly, if you haven’t already got a dive hood – GET ONE! Scuba diving hoods are great all year round, but especially in winter when the temperature of your ears often determines how susceptible the rest of your body is to the cooler water. Hoods will protect you all year round from nasty stingers too, so they are a worthwhile investment starting from just $24.95!

Secondly, a vest or hooded vest will be a comfortable and affordable addition to your aresenal. It is our vital internal organs in our torso area that the human body tries hardest to keep warm. Often this means drawing heat from your hands and feet, arms and legs, to accommodate the needs of your torso. Scuba diving vests come in ladies and men’s fits, hooded vests, green and blue camo vests and much more. From as little as $29.95 you don’t need to go without one this winter!

Thirdly, there are the all-important thermal wetsuit tops. Again, Adreno has a great range here with men’s and women’s cuts, long sleeves, short sleeves, long leggings or short cuts, hooded, vest and much more. Besides keeping you warm, a great thing about these thermal items is that they are generally only about 0.5mm in thickness, but provide the same warmth as 2mm with their hi tech design that reflects heat back to your body. This means less neoprene (a diver’s worst enemy!) to worry about. From just $39.95 a piece you won’t need to invest in an expensive new wetsuit this winter if you purchase some thermal add-ons!’

Fourthly, every diver needs gloves and booties all year round. If your gloves and booties aren’t of the proper quality and fit they will be letting water in – making for a cold and uncomfortable dive. While swimming in cool water your body is drawing heat to protect your vital internal organs, and the first place it draws from are your hands and feet. Investing in a quality set of booties and gloves will benefit you all year round and ensure your hands aren’t numb and your feet aren’t cramping – even in the coldest of waters.

One final tip is that the vests and thermal add-ons are fantastic if your body shape means your wetsuit top or pants are just a little bit loose. By adding the small thickness of these inexpensive add-ons you will ensure that your wetsuit isn’t letting in more water than it should be.

Wetsuits should allow for only a very thin layer of water to be let in, which your body warmth then heats up, keeping you warm. If too much water is being let into your wetsuit then your body will become cold as it will not be able to warm the water – making your wetsuit virtually ineffective. So if your wetsuit is a little loose in areas we cannot recommend enough a comfortable, warm and affordable add-on such as tops, pants and vests!

We hope this helps everyone, even those on a budget, to continue diving throughout the colder winter months!