Who Needs a wetsuit for tropical water diving anyway?

[Fastmarc]

Live and dive in tropics year round. I wear a 2mm shorty over a full rash guard. The rash guard was added after encountering some very small jellies during a free floating SS. It also helps with sun protection. The rash guard will make you chilly if you are wet and in a moving boat with the wind especially in the cooler months though. I started feeling chilly with this config and bought a new 2mm to solve that. Funny how much of a difference between a new vs an old suit.
I don't wear gloves, but always have in my pocket.

 

[homerdoc]

Me, in Bonaire, shorts and a rash guard shirts. - I never take a suit so I can stay under the weight limits with all the gear my ladies make me drag down.

The girls, 5MM full + vests + hats (not hoods)

I will however wear a full rashguard suit when doing a night dive. Worried I am not as maneuverable as the Chairman at night

JJ

 

[chillyinCanada]

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.

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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.

Gosh, I had forgotten how cold we were in Lembeh, last timethat I was there! Especially near the pump house, brrrr

 

[Gary_Ward]

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.

I had a similar experience demonstrating 'Surfacing an Unresponsive Diver' with a fireworm that somehow got up my board shorts.... OMG, I have never felt discomfort like that before (needless to say it was not a good demonstration!)

 

[Brett Hatch]

I was in Bonaire earlier this year, wore a full 3mm Deep6 wetsuit. Did 20 dives or so that week, up to 5 dives/day, never even close to cold. No gloves or hood, but I wore booties and a du-rag to keep my hair from getting too messy underwater, and for the sun on the surface.

The suit, by the way, is awesome. I would highly recommend them to anyone -- and since they have discontinued the suit, they're on sale for half off until they run out. Had planned a trip to Maui and was going to bring the same, but had to cancel due to covid-19. Maybe next year.

 

[TMHeimer]

I had a similar experience demonstrating 'Surfacing an Unresponsive Diver' with a fireworm that somehow got up my board shorts.... OMG, I have never felt discomfort like that before (needless to say it was not a good demonstration!)

OMG is right. What is a fireworm? I was lying in 1 foot of water years ago and noticed a green crab heading toward the bottom of my bathing suit.....I jumped up. Not the way to get crabs.

 

[Gary_Ward]

OMG is right. What is a fireworm?.

This is the bad boy you most definitely do not want making an appearance up your board shorts.... Each one of those bristles fires into you skin and BURNS....

Bearded fireworm - Wikipedia

 

[WeRtheOcean]

I didn't get the memo that the purple meanies were out swimming and I was the only one in just a t-shirt and swimsuit.Those guys were everywhere and I almost didn't splash. Imagine everyone's surprise (and dismay) when I was the only diver to not get stung at all. Situational awareness helps a lot.

I'm with you there. It is like when I go off-trail in the woods -- in my short shorts. Never gotten poison oak; poison ivy, maybe once on my arm; and hardly anything in the way of scratches, either. I agree, knowing I'm vulnerable makes me more aware and careful.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Not Manta Point, but Manta Alley south of Komodo in June, wore a full 4mm with a 3mm over that. And requested double hot chocolates topside when I came out.

@Centrals

I was in Manta Alley in south Komodo in late October...It was a brisk 68F. The only thing keeping the edge off was spending 30 minutes with 12+ mantas hovering in place as we were reef-hooked in. Brrrrrrrr!

I always wear a 5mm (well, it's pretty smashed now, so probably more like a 3mm) in tropical waters. I run cold and I do a lot of repetitive diving for a few weeks at a time, 4-5 a day. Muck diving also has me moving very little so I tend to wear Frogskins under my wetsuit and a Frogskin hood when I do that.

 

[CosbySweater]

So, against the grain, I wear a full 3 mm wetsuit, at a minimum, under all diving circumstances. I'm never too warm, but I'm often the only warm person on the boat. Wearing little protective gear sometimes seem like quite the macho thing.

I'm the same way. I wear a minimum of 3 mil. Never shorties or rash guards. I typically don a 5 mil min for anything under 75 degrees, and a 7 mil for sub-70s. I've never been "too warm" underwater but I've frequently been cold. I don't care what other divers think or say. Wear what you're comfortable in. For all the time, money, and effort that goes in to diving, you should be as comfortable underwater as possible. Being cold is one of many contributing factors that can lead to DCS.