I'm a novice who's going to be doing a little snuba and snorkeling for the first time in a couple of weeks. I had planned to buy a proper rashguard for sun protection and to keep me a little warmer underwater, but last night while I was shopping I came across one of those form-fitting polyester/spandex workout tops by Reebok. They call it a "hot weather compression top". Will this do just as well, or is there any important difference between a watersport rashguard and something like this?
Poly/Spandex 'Workout' Top -- Same as Rashguard?
- Thread starter Leo Jay
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dumpsterDiver
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should work fine, but it will not keep you warm. In fact, once you get out of the water, the evaporative cooling from the wet shirt will make you cooler than wearing nothing. The cooling is a significant benefit when it is really hot out.
Thanks for the reply. So a rashguard will keep me warmer than what I was looking at? I was considering this rashguard.
dumpsterDiver
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In my experience a rash guard, or lycra dive skin provides zero thermal protection in the water. I love to dive with them, but the water has to be like 83 degrees for me to leave my wetsuit in the garage.
Having dove with NRS, Henderson, Evo, and other rashguard types, I can say that other that fit and cut, they aren't much different from a "protection" standpoint than those stretchy shirts you can buy at the sporting goods store (which I also have dove with). Those shirts tend to be much cheaper, too.
You may need to upsize those stretchy shirts however. I wear size Large and XL rashguards, but can only squeeze into 2XL sizes for those athletic tops.
I get "thermal protection" from rashguards not from their insulative properties, but from the physical barrier they create between my naked torso and water currents. Rashguards greatly attenuate the cold shock that you can get when dipping into 80-85 degree water cold turkey, and they'll also negate the slight chilling many tropical divers get when water moves across their exposed torsos.
For indoor pool work with students, a generic rashguard can increase my (comfortable) bottom time with students by up to 50%. Diving in the Bahamas, I am hardly ever bothered with 1-2 degree thermoclines or "cold patches" since I started wearing rashguards or their equivalent.
Dumpsterdiver is correct that wet rashguards actually COOL you off when on land. Which to me is an added benefit; I wear the silly things ALL DAY in the subtropics.
**As an aside, "NRS Hydrosilk" is the best rashguard I've come across**
You may need to upsize those stretchy shirts however. I wear size Large and XL rashguards, but can only squeeze into 2XL sizes for those athletic tops.
I get "thermal protection" from rashguards not from their insulative properties, but from the physical barrier they create between my naked torso and water currents. Rashguards greatly attenuate the cold shock that you can get when dipping into 80-85 degree water cold turkey, and they'll also negate the slight chilling many tropical divers get when water moves across their exposed torsos.
For indoor pool work with students, a generic rashguard can increase my (comfortable) bottom time with students by up to 50%. Diving in the Bahamas, I am hardly ever bothered with 1-2 degree thermoclines or "cold patches" since I started wearing rashguards or their equivalent.
Dumpsterdiver is correct that wet rashguards actually COOL you off when on land. Which to me is an added benefit; I wear the silly things ALL DAY in the subtropics.
**As an aside, "NRS Hydrosilk" is the best rashguard I've come across**
EvilSlumLord
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Leo Jay:
It varies for everyone but as an example I was just diving in Tahiti in the last couple weeks. The water there is pretty consistently 80 deg F (even at 80'!). I wore my full 3mm wetsuit and was comfortable. Without it I would have been pretty cold. A lady on the boat I was on wore a 3mm shorty, got cold on the 1st dive and passed up the 2nd dive because it was too cold for her.
Anyway, 45 minutes in the water, even at 20' might be enough to make you cold. I paid something like $60 for my full 3mm suit and it was WELL worth the cost (and I can use it for a long time). When I was topside I just took off the upper part of the suit and let it hang and was completely comfortable in the 80+ degree air.
YMMV.
If you're still deciding.... my wife wears some of the long sleeve Starter brand shirts you can find in the mens/boys section of walmart. They are stretchy, and a little thicker than the usual moisture wicking shirts. She loves them and suggests them to people who ask. I'll typically wear one of the Nike dry-fit shirts as well, as they dry very quickly when traveling and can double as a rash guard.
Me again.
I just realized that with my shaved head, some kind of dome protection would be good as well, and in searching I came across this hooded "Thermo" top. It seems as though it would provide more insulation than a rashguard, and also take care of my head. I notice that it has a visor, though, which I don't care for. Is anyone familiar with these?
Thanks.
I just realized that with my shaved head, some kind of dome protection would be good as well, and in searching I came across this hooded "Thermo" top. It seems as though it would provide more insulation than a rashguard, and also take care of my head. I notice that it has a visor, though, which I don't care for. Is anyone familiar with these?
Thanks.
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