dive skin recommendation for roatan please

[donnad]

our first trip to roatan is in 10 wks. i normally wear 3mil wetsuit,full length in caribbean, but hubby is warmer natured than i am and is considering wearing only a dive skin. He hasn't bought one yet, and is seeking information/recommendations please. thx in advance

 

[Doc]

Skins is skins- maybe you'd get a better response in the wetsuit forum?

A nice multi-use item would be a polarfleece/polartec suit. Gives you the rash-guard plus a modicum of thermal protection. See http://www.wetwear.com/lycraskins.htm for my favorite custom manufacturer.

I'm with him, though. It can get pretty warm about this time of year, often above 82 degress, at least in the shallows of the South side....

Any thin layer of protection, even pantyhose, will protect against the minor annoyances of the occasional stinging critters that you might encounter. I mostly wear (horrors!) simple cotton overalls. I'm not very streamlined, but I'm not in the fast lane, anyway.

If he is balding, remember that it would also pay to wear something like a DeeRag Welcome to the home of Dee Rags! to protect the scalp and ears, also a likely contact point for invisible gotcha critters.

 

[WOODMAN]

I'm in full agreement with Donnad's guy, and I would not get caught dead diving without a good quality lycra skin. I may wear a shorty neoprene suit over it, but that skinsuit has saved my bacon more times than I can count. I use a premium lycra suit from Henderson (now discontinued, sadly) and many's the time when I got sunburned or bitten on my hands or neck, and the damage stopped right at the skinsuit line. The skins mentioned in Roatanman's little aside look very interesting, as it is hard to get that premium grade lycra in a standard skinsuit anymore. But whatever- a good skin by itself is probably gonna do just fine for your hubby. It has for me many times. Woody

 

[parrotheaddiver]

the water temp when I was diving there last week was 83-84 on my computer....the front yard at cocoview in about 3-4 ft was at 86....I wore a 3/2 all week doing multiple dives a day and I was comfortable.... have a great trip wish I was still there

 

[georoc01]

Yeah..the thermocline when I was there just a few weeks ago didn't kick in till 130 feet. You should be good in a skin.

 

[donnad]

Wow. That's pretty warm water! Thanks for the info......there's no way he'll want to be in a wetsuit if it's that warm.

 

[Eduardo]

I've been here in Roatan for a week and have done most dives in trunks and a rashguard. Temps are 83 to 85 degrees. I used a 0.5 mm Scubapro Profile wetsuit for a night dive just for a little extra protection.

Enjoy!

 

[CajunDiva]

I MUCH prefer diving Roatan in skins. I feel much too confined in a 3mm wetsuit. In the winter time I will add a 3mm shorty over my skin if I absolute HAVE to. That being said, all skins are not necessarily created equal. As mentioned above, the skins made by Henderson are great. They have a good deal of stretch and are not so confining. (Do you detect my claustrophobic tendencies ) There is a "scaled down" less expensive version by NeoSport by Henderson. This model doesn't stretch AT ALL and in my opinion is not comfortable enough.

That's my 2 cents worth...since you asked

 

[texas-buzzard]

I used a skin last mar. my wife used a 2 mil. we take both just in case we get chilled. they pack light so it never hurts to pack-um.

 

[Angry Turtle]

.....There is a "scaled down" less expensive version by NeoSport by Henderson. This model doesn't stretch AT ALL and in my opinion is not comfortable enough....

I use a neosport (less than $30 online) and it has worked very good for me.

I haven't used a premium or expensive one to have a frame of reference but I think it has as much stretch as it needs. The other day I lent it to my buddy who is wider and shorter and it fit him just as good. I would buy it again if I needed another one.