Who Needs a wetsuit for tropical water diving anyway?

[caydiver]

I think it also depends on how frequently over a period of time you are diving. If it’s 3 dives a day consistently you lose more body heat. I usually wear just a skin for now and then. Frequent consistent dives build up to more. Our DMs wear hoods and shark skins and winter jackets on the boat during our cold snaps. Different situations call for different methods.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Right. I'd never be in those places anyway since they (laws or dive ops or both) don't allow shell collecting. Too bad all divers just don't touch the reef, then you could have your hands protected just in case the unexpected happens (you get pushed into fire coral by another diver or run into a jelly or worse). But, that's life.

Stingers midwater often get me on the back of my hands and sometimes the bit of face showing. Yes, I've always known them to be called hydroids too.

 

[HKGuns]

I wear a full 3mm wet suit, at least, for all diving. I get cold just looking at water and I don't have a lot of fat to keep me insulated. I wore my 3mm Henderson diving in India and it was perfect.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I wear a full 3mm even in very warm tropical waters. On dive trips with 3 or more dives a day, I put on my hood too.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Anyone has dived Manta Point or Crystal Bay in Bail in Sept/Oct?

Dove it last year January and February. Dove my full 3mm, added myChillguard and Sharkskin tops, full bibbed 3mm hood, wore my gloves. Frick was the water ever cold. On the upside, saw mola mola.
Next year, will be bringing my 5 mm and do the layering again. My legs and butt got cold in the 3mm so I figure 5mm with the layering and the hood will make the cold sites more confortable.

You should check but it's my understanding that the water is even cooler in September.

 

[ToneNQ]

During summer the water temps will max out at 30⁰C, but I still wear a 0.5mm wetsuit and a lycra hood. Mostly for sun protection as the UV will roast me in 5mins.

Jellyfish are front of mind too. Box jellies are not common on the reef but other jellies are everywhere. Irikandji are very rare, but also tiny, impossible to see and based on the footage I've seen of the pearl divers that have been stung, painful as all.

 

[D_Fresh]

Location, location, location...

I was towing a tired diver back to the boat at the Christ of the Abyss in Key Largo and a moon jelly swam up my swim suit into the nether regions. My french was a bit fluent.

That might be true, I'm not sure... my experience with Moon Jellies is Alaska and Philippines....

But either way, I don't think I want any Jellyfish near my nether regions.... stinging jelly or not....hence, I wear wetsuit.... LOL

 

[100days-a-year]

I am almost always spearfishing, lobstering or fossiling therefore in need of some protection. Including gloves, booties and a hood even in near 90 degree water. I do change to shorts between dives. Still get fire jellies on my exposed skin occasionally, that would be my lips mostly.

 

[Searcaigh]

I'm one for full protection.

As @Diving Dubai mentioned we have massive differences in temperatures in the summer when it's above 40C in the air and 23C below 30m, and if you're on trimix for a 70m dive, a drysuit is preferred, but you can cook on deco where the water is usually 29C at 6m.

My current suit is a five year old 5mm and I was wearing it with a hooded vest last Friday.

We currently have a jelly zone between 16-20m to pass through at present.

In Bali last year a 3mm was fine, but I the past while diving Lembeh a 3mm plus hooded vest is necessary especially when doing 3+ dives a day.

I don't like being cold.

 

[Hethen57]

I wear a very stretchy 4/3mm in the 70 degree Carribean and a 7mm in the 50-65 degree Pacific, rarely too hot or too cold, but for me I'd rather be on the warm side to relax and enjoy my dive.