Questions about wearing a BP/W w/o a wetsuit

[diversteve]

How many of you dive in tropical water without a wetsuit?

Is is still as comfortable with just a t-shirt?

If it is, what specific setup do you dive? Any padding on the straps?

I'm considering making the switch, especially for travel reasons but I never dive anywhere a wetsuit is needed.

Anyone ever wore DSS's Kydex backplate over a t-shirt?

 

[divad]

If I were walking far, I would consider padded sleeves on the shoulders. Off of a boat, no padding is fine.

 

[cool_hardware52]

How many of you dive in tropical water without a wetsuit?

Is is still as comfortable with just a t-shirt?

If it is, what specific setup do you dive? Any padding on the straps?

I'm considering making the switch, especially for travel reasons but I never dive anywhere a wetsuit is needed.

Anyone ever wore DSS's Kydex backplate over a t-shirt?

I have Stainless Steel, or Kydex, t-shirt, no shirt, no problem. Single tanks? Using al 80's you will have only about 42-44lbs on the rig (dry) anyway.

I should point out that unless dry travel weight is the absolutely most important factor, that you will typically benefit from a SS plate in tropical conditions with a buoyant tank.

Tobin

 

[Cuda_72]

I dive the local lake during summer months with no wetsuit. I have a DR AL plate and a hog harness. No problems for me even with a small walk to get down to the water.

I also dove Bonaire without a wetsuit and all was good. Sure, if there is a bit of a walk then the straps can dig a little, but it was relatively minor. Just make sure that the bolts that secure the wing to the plate don't protrude far enough to dig into your back.

 

[Otter]

I dove Florida with a DSS stainless backplate with Hog harness wearing a rash guard and x-shorts....absolutely no problem.

 

[diveski01]

Rash guard probably better than t-shirt so harness can glide over the material easily when getting into/out of gear. Rash guard will likely rinse and dry better between dives than t-shirt.

 

[Nemrod]

OxyCheq and perhaps a few other places have the neoprene shoulder harness covers, I think I saw them listed on the scubatoys web page. I have several sets from AquaCraft (long gone) and they serve well for T shirt diving. Though a fan of a T shirt and swimsuit for diving I have to say the rash guards do better and dry faster and don't bag and drag and flop like a T shirt.

N

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Pony up and buy a cheap 2mm shorty for like $59. You won't regret it.

It's cheap insurance for a vacation.

 

[Narcd_dvr]

I dove my Halcyon a couple of times in shorts and t-shirt and it was pretty comfortable.

 

[Tom Winters]

Get a set of Tobin's delrin thumbwheels instead of the standard stainless wingnuts. With no suit, sometimes you feel those little wings trying to remove your spine.