Always wear a wetsuit?

[edoralive]

What about a lava core or similar brand? I'm not sure if you'd get as much protection from stings as a 3mm suit though. I went to cozumel recently with the top and pants and it honestly was so easy to move in, not like a wetsuit. I didn't even feel warm on the boat before we got in the water. Pain in the ass to dry but very comfortable.

For sure - I'd thought about that. On the way to Jupiter I'm stopping off in Orlando and hoping some of the warm water dive shops have a better warm selection than my local cold water shops.

 

[TMHeimer]

My computer was down so I haven't read all.
I only have made one tropical trip and wore a body suit, though I didn't have to (76F water).
I would always cover up in the tropics. There are way more things that can sting you than here in Nova Scotia. I have worn my shorty a lot for NY/CT shore dives and regretted not having my lower legs covered a time or two when meeting the jellies.

 

[Attreui]

Living in the tropics, I still wear one. I don't wear a hood, but will always wear a suit. I had a remora get way too friendly with my bare leg in Belize a few years back. Didn't hurt me, but that's a weird feeling and experience I don't want to repeat.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Even in water 80-84F I have always worn a wetsuit--full wetsuit, not a shorty. Too many things that sting. On shore dives, where there are rocks, the wetsuit helps protect against abrasions, too. Because I like to minimize how much work I have to do to propel myself, I am rarely too warm. It's easy to cool oneself if necessary by letting a little water in the neck, but there is no way to warm oneself. Even in 79-80F water, I have gotten slightly chilly after an hour just drifting along.

 

[James79]

but there is no way to warm oneself

But isn't there.... lol

 

[Antonios (Holy Diver)]

I always wear a wetsuit, at least a 3mm shorty. Even in warm mid-summer Mediterranean seas (28 Celsius/82 Fahrenheit in South Greece, mid-July) I have yet to meet a diver without wetsuit.

 

[BlueTrin]

But isn't there.... lol

It actually cools you down

 

[James79]

It actually cools you down

Why do you have to hit my humor with facts!

 

[Lorenzoid]

I had a "relief zipper" installed in my wetsuit. I suppose I could regulate my temperature by how far open or closed the zipper is when I pee.

 

[Jafo19D]

Don’t own one yet and haven’t used one since OW. With the deception of a trip to Roatan all my diving is in the Colombian Caribbean and the coldest it’s been there has been 77F (Sta Marta) and i was fine.

I’ve heard that on the Pacific side you need a wetsuit so I’m interested in getting a Henderson Greenpeen 3mm.