Long-sleeved rash guard=solo wetsuit divers best friend

[diver_doug]

I love solo diving, but I hate putting on the wetsuit. I have some nylon socks and underarmour compression shorts that make it easier, but a rash guard made all the difference in the world. Not only did it make donning the wetsuit much easier, but because the wetsuit fit better I noticed that there was less water exchange, resulting in me being warmer. Plus I look damn good in a rash guard. Just thought I'd throw this recommendation out there to my solo-diving brothers.

P.S. Get one that's form-fitting and it won't bunch up under your wetsuit

 

[Jai Bar]

I always thought that Front Zippered wetsuit == solo diver best friend

And back zippered is definitely the solo diver's worst friend...

 

[Stoo]

And back zippered is definitely the solo diver's worst friend...

Try a back-zip drysuit sometime. Where there's a will there's a way though. I hunk of rope, a clip, the A-frame on my RIB... Piece of cake.

A larger friend of mine wears a lime-green rash-guard suit down south. Sadly, it is form fitting, but what a form! He looks like a very pregnant Kermit the Frog.

 

[diver_doug]

I always thought that Front Zippered wetsuit == solo diver best friend

And back zippered is definitely the solo diver's worst friend...

Revised title: A long-sleeved rash guard=solo wetsuit diver's best friend, assuming one is adorning a back-zippered wetsuit and cannot currently afford to upgrade to a wetsuit of the front-zipper persuasion.

 

[Jai Bar]

Try a back-zip drysuit sometime. Where there's a will there's a way though. I hunk of rope, a clip, the A-frame on my RIB... Piece of cake.

A larger friend of mine wears a lime-green rash-guard suit down south. Sadly, it is form fitting, but what a form! He looks like a very pregnant Kermit the Frog.

I actually dive with back zippered suits. Here is a confession from my first solo dive : (http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/solo-divers/315315-confession-2.html)

My first solo dive was in the Mediterranean sea.

To avoid being harassed by people ("where's your buddy" *****) I choose a cold wintry night on an dark isolated beach.

Being alone and all that, I discovered a dark gear manufacturer's conspiracy: the back zippered wetsuit is a "buddy system enforcement design"!!! The damned zipper is not designed to be used by solo divers!

So, after struggling with the zipper, looking for creative ways to pull up the stubborn zipper I even tried to tie the pulling chord to a high fence- if there were any people passing by they would have though I was trying to kill myself . On the other hand, this is the attitude towards soloist in my area anyway...

Eventually decided that it is OK to dive with the suit only half zippered

On the way to water line I had to descend from a 1m high rock step, somehow managed to put the mask under the tank. The glass broke to pieces, luckily I always have a spare mask in my pocket, so the dive went as planned.

Did I mention it was winter night? Oh yes, water temperature was 15 degrees (Celsius for sure, but still cold as hell), so I dived (or is it "dove"?) with a chilled spine...

 

[diver_doug]

I actually dive with back zippered suits. Here is a confession from my first solo dive : (http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/solo-divers/315315-confession-2.html)

My first solo dive was in the Mediterranean sea.

To avoid being harassed by people ("where's your buddy" *****) I choose a cold wintry night on an dark isolated beach.

Being alone and all that, I discovered a dark gear manufacturer's conspiracy: the back zippered wetsuit is a "buddy system enforcement design"!!! The damned zipper is not designed to be used by solo divers!

So, after struggling with the zipper, looking for creative ways to pull up the stubborn zipper I even tried to tie the pulling chord to a high fence- if there were any people passing by they would have though I was trying to kill myself . On the other hand, this is the attitude towards soloist in my area anyway...

Eventually decided that it is OK to dive with the suit only half zippered

On the way to water line I had to descend from a 1m high rock step, somehow managed to put the mask under the tank. The glass broke to pieces, luckily I always have a spare mask in my pocket, so the dive went as planned.

Did I mention it was winter night? Oh yes, water temperature was 15 degrees (Celsius for sure, but still cold as hell), so I dived (or is it "dove"?) with a chilled spine...

Sounds like a pretty crappy first solo dive...on mine my tank fell out of my BC's tank strap about 100 yards from shore :dork:.

The first time I zipped my wetsuit zipper by myself it was terrible...I was hot and sweaty and cussing and I felt like I wanted to beat the hell out of something, AND I wasn't making progress. Finally I relaxed and pulled up the zipper an inch, deep breath, couple more inches, deep breath...eventually it was on. But now with the rash guard, putting on the wetsuit just sucks instead of being a fu*#ing nightmare.