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In Regards To Scuba Diving, Where Is The Cut Off Between Warm And Cold Water Diving?

Posted in Diving Products on December 12th, 2009

Is there a specific temperature, or is it relative to the people/person diving?

tjs282, on December 12th, 2009 at 8:01 am Said:

I did some shallow diving without wetsuit in California in 64 degree water. It was very uncomfortable for me. After about 5 minutes I came out blue (fingernails were blue) and shivering. Others were cold, but okay with it. Others wouldn’t even go in the water.
It’s a personal thing.
Niner, on December 12th, 2009 at 8:36 am Said:

Most of the scuba diving industry refers to cold water diving as below 60F. Due to the extreme heat loss and potential equipment issues, once you start getting in <60F water these factors really start playing a role.
g8rphan1, on December 12th, 2009 at 8:41 am Said:

If you’re talking about personal comfort, I always say, cold is relative to what you’re wearing. I’ve dived 15°C in a two-piece semi-dry plus hood, but that was uncomfortable. Now I use a drysuit for anything under 20°C, and a two-piece with hood for anything up to about 25°C. Divers with lower surface:volume ratios (i.e. more natural insulation!) than me might think that a bit wimpy, but I’d rather be warm than not.
If you’re talking about the risks of regulator freeze-up, I would say ‘cold’ is anything under about 5°C (41°F), when the cooling effect of depressurising air, added to the low water temperature, might be enough to cause ice to form in/around the moving parts of your second stage. (If you’re diving in water that cold, your first stage should be environmentally-sealed.)