How thick of a wetsuit do you need?

I am wanting to get back to diving and know I will want to get some new gear. I currently have a 3mm wetsuit (if it still fits)but have moved from Hawaii to Georgia (with a stay in the desert in between). Most of my diving will probably be from Jacksonville, Fl to the southern area of South Carolina. I will also be making a trip or 2 to North Carolina and southern Florida. I am a bit of a wimp to cold though I have dove in 45 degree water in a 7mm long john style wetsuit several years back. So I figured with all of you pros on here maybe I could get some advice on what thickness would be standard for wetsuits in this region? If I can avoid a new wetsuit, I can start getting other gear (slowly) but I hate renting wetsuits.

I'd start with what you have and maybe add a hooded vest for when its cooler.

But it all depends on the diver. On the South Florida trip we had people in everything from swimsuits to a 7MM with lavacore underneath. Water temps were in the low 80's most of the week then all of a sudden we had a dive day where it dropped in the low 70's, upper 60's, warming back up the following day.

Hawaii diving was generally around 80 degrees with the occasional mid 70s. I just don't know how the temps and thermoclines are in this area and figured some on here would know. It has been a few years since I wore the wetsuit I have, so I know I will have to see how well it fits. It was a little tight last time but I had also just had a baby 5 months earlier. It would be great if the water were warm enough for just a swimsuit but I know that isn't happening. Even though my certification at the lake was that way many many years ago.

Everyone is different but I've pared my exposure protection to a half mil full suit, a 3mil one piece, a Henderson 5mil hyperstretch hooded vest and a whites dry suit. The 3mil and hooded vest get me down to 70 deg. Below that and it's dry suit time! I personally have no use for 7mil neoprene. The buoyancy characteristics are horrid.

Try writing in your log book your experiences; air and water temps, how comfortable you were so you can build a database to refer to and make informed decisions.

This is such a personal thing that no one will be able to answer exactly what you need, but.....I know you need somewhere to start. Jerry MXZ hit it on the head with the log book records. You know what temps you have been in and how comfortable you were. Aside from your neoprene thickness record your weighting so that as you adjust your neoprene, you know how to also adjust your weights.

I myself like to dive with swim trunks and a rash guard shirt, but if the temps are not near the mid 80's I cannot dive like this for a week without cooling down. So low 80's I dive a 2mm shorty, and I might have to add my 5/3 mm hooded vest as the week goes on. Very high 70's to low 80's I am comfortable in a 3mm full suit, but jsut high 70's I will have to add my hooded vest as the week goes on. I have a 7mm full suit, but I rarely use that now that I dive dry. Everyone's cold tolerence is different. My favorite buddy is a female that gets cold easily. I have dove with her while I was in swim trunks and a rash guard, she was in a 5mm full suit. We were both very comfortable-water temps 84-86. When I travel to dive a warm water trip, I bring a 3mm full suit, a Hooded vest (5mm hood, 3mm vest combo, a 2mm shorty, rash guard and swim trunks. With all of this I can mix and match to cover a wide variety of warm water situations. I just wish that Garanimals made wetsuits so it would be easier for me to match my outfit!!

Yeah it has been awhile since I have dove and I will need to figure out my tolerance but I guess I would be more curious as to what others diving Northern Florida find the conditions to be like. If it is 80-85 I think the 3mm would be fine for me and maybe a vest for a longer trip where my core temp was more likely to drop a couple of degrees. I am still looking for the opportunity to take a refresher and jump back in and will probably have to wait another month because of the family schedule. I figured I will probably head to Jacksonville but will probably do the refresher here in Savannah so I can use the pool to practice a bit before going out on a boat. It is all about staying safe and while it all comes back pretty quick, I am cautious getting back in the water after a few years away. The only time I did the cold water was a lake dive in Oklahoma in February. It had been snowing and the point was to try out a drysuit but the drysuit vendor didn't show that weekend. It was still a blast but more for the party than the 15 minute dive. It was cold and the conditions were to murky to see anything. I think I was the only girl willing to dive wet that day . lol

I usually dive a 3mm in SC and was usually good to mid-60 degree water; anything colder I use a drysuit (or if I use steel tanks). I would stay away from thicker wetsuits - as Jerry said their 'buoyancy characteristics are horrid.' If you need increased therman protection a hooded vest will work, or you can move into a drysuit. I haveen't dove off SC in a while but want to get back there and hit a couple of my favorite sites. Good job getting in the water on the snowy day...I don't think I'd have done it.