Lycra Dive Skin for Quick Wetsuit Don/Doff?

[divinh]

I have a 3/2m Xcel full wetsuit. It's neoprene on the outside but has another material in the inside, which I am guessing, is the reason why getting the suit wet first to don doesn't make it easier. If anything, it makes don'ing harder. There's a lot of traction to skin.

I would like to know if a lycra dive skin would making don'ing easier with such an internal material as is in the Xcel. Anyone have experience with both - lycra and inner material of Xcel?

(I have not tried the plastic bag trick yet, which is to put my arm in a closed-ended plastic bag and push through. I would have to do it with two arms and two legs, which seems time consuming compared to wearing a lycra dive skin.)

 

[agilis]

I would not even attempt to put on a wet suit unless I was wearing a lycra spandex skin. The difference is like night and day.

 

[Altamira]

Sometimes I use a polyolefin dive skin under the wetsuit which makes it easy to don as agilis stated. However, I also added long zippers to my wetsuits legs and arms which makes donning/doffing a wet wetsuit (sounds redundant doesn't it) very easy even without using a dive skin. If you want to add zippers to a wetsuit, or have a custom wetsuit made, I highly recommend Chris Summers, Terrapin Wetsuits (www.terrapinwetsuits.com).

 

[Marie13]

Lycra dive socks really help with the legs. I wear them and a rash guard shirt. My 7mm isn’t much trouble to get on.

 

[rhwestfall]

did that years ago when I dove wet.....

 

[outofofficebrb]

Yes, get a long sleeve rash guard (tight fitting, not loose fitting). That will help with the arms - you will be amazed at the difference. Plus, sun protection when you're not wearing your suit or want to go snorkel or swim. Get lycra socks for boots and legs...then also roll the legs up from the bottom once you get your feet in.

 

[divinh]

Thanks for all the advice! I have a lycra dive skin on order. I'll loop-back around when I have a chance to try it out.

 

[azstinger11]

Just chiming in here too. If I'm diving wet, I always wear a lycra skin suit and lycra socks. It makes getting everything on/off WAY easier. I have also found it's a really convenient sun-shirt between dives. Since its soaking wet it works well on tropical/warm dives to cool you off/prevent sunburns and since its thin, it won't freeze you to death if its chilly out (when under a boat coat of course!).

 

[outofofficebrb]

Just chiming in here too. If I'm diving wet, I always wear a lycra skin suit and lycra socks. It makes getting everything on/off WAY easier. I have also found it's a really convenient sun-shirt between dives. Since its soaking wet it works well on tropical/warm dives to cool you off/prevent sunburns and since its thin, it won't freeze you to death if its chilly out (when under a boat coat of course!).

People would say it was super hot that day and I wouldn't know because I left my long sleeve onesie on wet/damp and the evaporative cooling was lovely with UPF 50 as a bonus. I bought black and it isn't an issue with feeling hot. If anything, it dries faster!

 

[Resqdivemedic]

I went as far as getting lycra gloves. Makes getting the gloves on and off a breeze.