Will lycra actually give you abrasion protection?

[webbah]

It seems so thin - like if I were to accidentally scrape against a piece of coral - it would scratch right through. Anyone have any opinions on this? The reason I may want the lycra is for my micronesia trip but also to have for donning my 7mm in Seattle and can't afford both a 3mm and lycra - one only. But should I consider the 3mm anyway?

 

[g1138]

Lycras are good against jelly stings. Rash guards are good against abrasions from surfboards and jelly stings.
Both are not good against coral. If you want to protect yourself from coral, keep your buoyancy in check and stay off it.

I personally would prefer to wear a 3mm. There's no ocean temp warm enough for me to be comfortable in a lycra for prolonged periods. I'm so used to diving in a wetsuit I kinda just have to.
Plus I like back kicking. I'd hate to take a jelly up my board shorts

If you ever think you'll be using a 3mm for multiple trips or pool sessions then buy one. If not then buy a lycra so you can actually use it both for home and your vacation. Get your money's worth out of your gear.

Edit:
From what I've seen of lycras, they're very similar to spandex and stockings. Continuous use may cause it to sprout holes and rips. Be sure to trim your finger nails.

 

[beertiki]

Learn good buoyancy control. Do not rely on a wetsuit to protect yourself, rely on your buoyancy control to protect the coral. If you do bump into it, a nice boo boo might make a good reminder to avoid it.

 

[DevonDiver]

Aside from the obvious advice to focus on your buoyancy and awareness (thus negating contact with the coral in the first instance)... I would recommend investigating alternatives to either neoprene or lycra...

I often use 4th Element Thermocline for tropical diving. It gives comparible thermal protection to 3mm neoprene, but is very light-weight, machine washable and quick to dry. It is basically a rubberised/impregnated fleece.

I believe that Sharkskin also sell simular diving apparel.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I wear a 3mm for all of my diving in micronesia, although many divers around here don't wear a wetsuit at all. Even though the water here is around 82 F, you'll still get cold after repetitive dives.

I think the lycra dive skins are of very limited value, plus they look gay (or should I say fabulous?). Unless you wear a cape with one, then you'll look awesome!

Kind of remind me of an old Damon Wayons skit....."does this shirt make me look gay?"

As for coral protection. Just don't bump into the coral, then we won't have to cover the reef in lycra to protect it from the divers.

-Mitch

 

[DevonDiver]

Unless you wear a cape with one, then you'll look awesome!

Does a big, over-size flappy wing count? I hear Halcyon are making pink ones now

 

[vladimir]

I wear a lycra skin sometimes, and a 3-mm suit most of the time. I do look pretty fabulous in the skin, I'm told, but I look pretty fabulous without it too. A 3-mm is not too much; I am not particularly susceptible to the cold, and I am never too hot in my wetsuit.

DevonDiver has a good idea, I think. I used a Polartec (fleece-lined skin, basically) for years. As Andy indicates, it was roughly equivalent to a 3-mm in thermal protection, but it had the advantages of being neutrally buoyant (not that a 3-mm has huge buoyancy swings) and warmer on the surface than a wet 3-mm. They stopped making them for a while, I think, or were hard to find, so I went to more conventional wetsuits. I am going to look at those Thermoclines next time I'm in Singapore.

 

[bracko]

my experience as a competitive gate skiier and recreational road cycler says "not really".

I've found for warmer diving a pair of board shorts and a sharkskin 1mm 'rash shirt' the best.

 

[DandyDon]

It seems so thin - like if I were to accidentally scrape against a piece of coral - it would scratch right through. Anyone have any opinions on this? The reason I may want the lycra is for my micronesia trip but also to have for donning my 7mm in Seattle and can't afford both a 3mm and lycra - one only. But should I consider the 3mm anyway?

The short answers is Yes. I'm more concerned about ladder scrapes as well as floating singers and if you don't rip the lycra skin, it's not likely you'll hurt your skin much. I also wear thin, synthetic socks if I wear my low booties as well. Many a time I have bumped my head hard enough that I might have cut my scalp if I hadn't been wearing a farm cap - same principle.

Oh, and no they don't tear easily. Not at all. All that said, I prefer my 1 mil equiv suit with no buoyancy, but for warm water where I don't feel the need for thermal protection - lycra or it. Don't want to have to add more lead than needed.

On the other hand, I will take more thermal protection that needed just in case, as I hate to dive cold! :cold: But I'll try my beanie first.

 

[DevonDiver]

Lycra bodysuits.... enough said....