Always wear a wetsuit?

[Searcaigh]

I always wear full protection from drysuit in the winter and basically a skin last weekend where we had 34C water temps.

There's plenty of things in the water that will react with human skin given the chance.

 

[Russjstewart]

Sleeveless hooded vest, ‘cause I have way too much exposed skin on my head, wetsuit boots, for open heel fins and mechanics overalls, works rest, but you do get funny looks on dive boats

 

[Jcp2]

It's a wonder you don't dive in a spacesuit coming from the over-engineered life of AUS!

A drysuit is kind of like a space suit, and some people use them even in relatively warm water.

 

[Catito]

Wondering how many folks on this site dive in a wetsuit regardless of the water temp, and how many ditch the wetsuit when the waters get warmer.

In my limited experience so far, I've always ditched the wetsuit around 80 degrees in favor of a rash guard and shorts.

A rescue instructor and I were talking today about an upcoming trip to Jupiter, and he mentioned that, unless he's diving dry, he wears a wetsuit every dive, regardless of how warm the water is, for protection from Jellies and the reef, and because "any water below body temp is water you can get cold in."

Diving in shorts and a rashguard is A1, but he got me thinking about my approach. Curious what others have to say.

Did a cursory search of threads but didn't find anything. Apologies if a duplicated question.

87F is warm water to me. Anything below is cold. I always wear a skin plus a wetsuit. In the summer, I wear a skin plus a 3mm shorty. It does help reduce jelly stings and keeps me warm. I see lots of Fla divers (mostly men) wearing only a rash guard and shorts. Whatever works for you.

 

[divinh]

I ditched the wetsuit, for shorts, the first chance I got after courses, then I got rash burns from the BC on my soulders, so added a rash guard. After my first jellyfish encounter, I switched to a lycra suit. I suppose I'm slowly learning why most people wear wetsuits...

All of my diving has been in warm water, bordering on mid-20's to 30 C on average.

 

[seeker242]

I always wear a full wetsuit, always. Doesn't matter what the temp is. A full 3mm in 85 deg water is quite nice!

 

[Pkishino]

Dry suit as much as possible, even when it’s quite warm.. I’ve dived dry in 28 degrees, breathable shell suit with thin underwear underneath.. great for liveaboard as I definitely don’t feel as tired as most others after a day of 4-5 dives. But I do have a 5mm when I do some fun diving in 30+, but exceedingly rare.. Sweden, Norway, Egypt,Mexico,indo,Japan all dry 95% of the time

 

[CuzzA]

80 degrees and up I'm in convertible fishing pants and a long sleeve light weight moisture wicking shirt. Wetsuits suck.

 

[Steelyeyes]

Wondering how many folks on this site dive in a wetsuit regardless of the water temp, and how many ditch the wetsuit when the waters get warmer.

In my limited experience so far, I've always ditched the wetsuit around 80 degrees in favor of a rash guard and shorts.

A rescue instructor and I were talking today about an upcoming trip to Jupiter, and he mentioned that, unless he's diving dry, he wears a wetsuit every dive, regardless of how warm the water is, for protection from Jellies and the reef, and because "any water below body temp is water you can get cold in."

Diving in shorts and a rashguard is A1, but he got me thinking about my approach. Curious what others have to say.

Did a cursory search of threads but didn't find anything. Apologies if a duplicated question.

Same here. Cuts from petrified coral are nasty, as are some jelly stings. Our dives are longer, like 80 minutes or sometimes longer if we stay shallow. Two of those day takes a lot of calories just in body heat so the wetsuit is the way to go. I gave up being macho 30 years ago.

 

[CanadaDan]

In the pool for training it's a cheap sleeveless shorty to keep the straps off my skin.

For trips to warm waters (tropical islands, liveaboards, cenotes trips etc) I wear a full 3mm Reactive, full sole boots and beanie.

For diving here at home in the Canadian Whiteshell its the drysuit, wool thermals, gloves and hood.

I have been known to dive in far less for fun