Cool tropical diving

[Jack Scuba]

To me tropical diving means getting away from the 7 mm wetsuits. As mentioned above layers helps, especially a Lycra layer to restrict waterflow, and the use of a hood. I have seen people throw on diving blankets as soon as they leave the water. It keeps them out of the wind and warms them up a bit. Maybe try some of those options first as they're relatively cheap.

If you're still cold then the tropical drysuit seems to be the way to go. Less restrictive than a 7mm and not as bulky.

Of course there is always the completely free way to warm your suit up...but that's just gross.

 

[lxchin]

a polortech fleece hood will make a big difference as well as a titanium rashguard underneath. only other way i guess is to go a 5mm semidry suit.

 

[vel525]

The water doesn't need to be COLD in order to dive DRY!

I've worn my DUI 30/30 Tropical Drysuit while diving Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Bonaire, Curacao (x2), Truk, Florida (x2), Hawaii(x3), the Red Sea and elsewhere. I typically do 4-5 dives a day for a week or two when traveling. I've never ended a single one thinking "Would have been better if I was cold."

Do you get laughed at? Plenty of good-natured ribbing is thrown your way, for sure. When my buddy and I did the Town Pier in Bonaire we spend 90min in the water...while everyone else was done after 30min. On the Cayman Aggressor we exited the water after night dives and walked up to the bar for a beer, while everyone else huddled under blankets slurping hot cocoa, earning us both the coveted "Sissy Diver" award at the end of the week. Did 57 dives in 17 days in Truk; wreck penetration dives where you need full-body exposure protection down to 180' or so. 3mm not enough, 5mm sufficient, drysuit...perfect.



Also, it is far more comfortable on the surface than a wetsuit. It's been literally years since I've experienced the "thrill" of donning a cold, clammy, wetsuit. And the Gore-tex like material that DUI uses on the 30/30 is far cooler than a wetsuit of any thickness on a hot day, even in the midday sun at the Hilma Hooker...

RJP,

I've been considering your option as both me and my wife get cold fairly easily. On normal dive trips from land where we do 2-3 tanks a day is no problem, but on liveaboards where we're in and out of the water all day we definitely get chilly.

So, my question is....when I dive wet I get the urge to pee A LOT, but is it the same for diving dry? I always figured it was from the pressure of my wetsuit squeezing my bladder...he. I understand for longer technical dives this can be an issue, but for normal recreational dives (60 min or less usually) do you feel the urge? Hope this isn't too personal of a question

 

[aquaregia]

So, my question is....when I dive wet I get the urge to pee A LOT

I've been having the reverse problem: as soon as I get out of the water, my weight belt hangs against my bladder and I have to do a mad dash to get out of my wetsuit. Even unchinching generously doesn't seem to help.

 

[bigsnowdog]

That's my problem with a dry suit. I have to pee too often.

 

[a878bob]

I like to say dont be afraid to be warm. I dive dry here year round in the Great Lakes and local quarries. And always take my Henedreson 7ml hyperstretch to warm waters.
Plus 5/3 hooded vest just in case. My friends and I spend a lot of time in the water and its easy to get cold after 5 to 6 1hr plus dives. I dont understand being cold at all. Some people must think its a badge of honor to wear a 3mil and shiver. Or they dont want to travel with a heavier suit or spend the money for one I'm not sure.
Even when teaching in the pool, 81f, students would rather freeze and suffer than get a suit for the pool. Curious!!!! Maybe somebody could start a poll on why people like to be cold ?

 

[Sas]

In that temperature you could try a 7mm. I was fine in a 3mm when diving in 25C but I had come from 9C water to the tropics so was pretty sweet. Most divers were cold in their 3mm and 5mms though other than a few divers who brought 7mm.

Hoods help, as does putting on a warm jacket and beanie in the SI. I stayed warm by taking off my wetsuit asap after a dive and putting on a windproof warm jacket + a beanie. I got *mocked* for taking a beanie to the tropics though

 

[Damselfish]

Cool tropical diving is an oxymoron to me. I dive warm water to avoid heavy neoprene - which I hate with a passion. I gave that up long ago and if I would need 7mm someplace I simply wouldn't dive there. Fortunately I am fine for 3-4 dives a day in my 1mm at 80 or above, a little colder or more dives I add a 3mm vest. I have actually at times been too warm with the vest UW.

Staying warm between dives is an important consideration though. Were those freezing people getting out of their suits between dives? Depending on the weather you may really need to get out of at least the top of the cold wet neoprene and get dry, wet neoprene and wind on a cloudy day don't really mix. There's a huge difference between a surface interval on a windy overcast day, and basking like a lizard on the bow on a nice day.

 

[rongoodman]

By the end of the week last week on a liveaboard in the Bahamas, I was getting cool in a Pinnacle 5mm Merino/Elastiprene. Water temps were 72-74, for five dives a day. I'd spent the week in a 3mm hood, and was surprised how much warmer I was when I dug out the 5mm hood for the last couple of days. I should have been in it from day one.

The only cotton I had on the trip was socks and a pair of khakis for travel. Everything else was synthetic stuff that I used to climb in, including a nylon lined windshirt, so damp clothing on cool surface intervals was never an issue.

 

[vladimir]

So, my question is....when I dive wet I get the urge to pee A LOT, but is it the same for diving dry? I always figured it was from the pressure of my wetsuit squeezing my bladder...he. I understand for longer technical dives this can be an issue, but for normal recreational dives (60 min or less usually) do you feel the urge? Hope this isn't too personal of a question

Look up immersion diuresis.