wetsuit/rash guard for tropical waters

[Lifelyjump]

I am planning to dive in tropical waters and the water temperature is ranged from 26 to 30 degrees at day time(not planning to do night dives). Under such condition is wetsuit a necessity. I am thinking if 1mm or 0.5mm rash guide alone would be sufficient. What do you guys think?

 

[SeaHorse81]

It depends in part on your thermal tolerance (some people need more protection than others) but also on how much diving you intend to do. If you're just doing a dive or two a day, you can get by with less than if you're doing multiple dives daily which would cause a slow loss of core temp over the course of, say, a week.

 

[Resqdivemedic]

My son and I both use 3mm suits in the tropics and were very comfortable.

 

[Jason]

I just went through this same decision not long ago and spent quite a bit of time looking at rash guards and 1mm skins. I ended up buying a 3mm wetsuit and don't regret it. Some will tell you that it's overkill, but almost nobody will tell you that it's too much.

Some advice that I received at the time: "I've almost never wished that I was cooler when I was diving. But I've often wished that I was warmer."

That one stuck with me.

Also, if you really are too warm, you can flush water through your suit or unzip something. But if you're too cold you'll just end up suffering through it.

 

[Trailboss123]

Totally agree with @Jason from Nebraska. Get a 3mm wetsuit. You will always be able to use it for future diving. Also, it will provide protection from the sun and from the reefs, if you were to inadvertently lose buoyancy control and bump up against any corals or sponges, etc.

 

[Lifelyjump]

well I got a 3mm wetsuit but then it seems to be too cumbersome to bring it to another country and drying a rash guard is much easier than to dry a wetsuit. But then on the strength of the advice I am getting, I better bring it along.

 

[TMHeimer]

I did one tropical week in Panama in 76F (25C about) and used a Henderson full body suit (guess that's the same as what they call a rash guard). No thermal protection, but I wouldn't dive anywhere with just a bathing suit (or without gloves, no matter what anyone says), especially in the tropics with all kids of stingy things. Also for protection on the back for rubbing of tank/BC.

 

[Diving Dubai]

My 2 bar as someone who lives and dives consistently in hot climates..

As mentioned above your cold tolerance is dependant on your choice. I wear a 3mm for water temps of up to 30C because Ihate cold.

For a rash guard, especially in tropical climates with high humidity I strongly recommend something like a Sharkskin or Lavacore or Fourth Element Thermocline.

Why? Because they breath. Normal rash guards don't and speaking from personal experience it's easy to over temp in a rash guard on the surface, where the Shark skins etc let you breath,and dry rapidly allowing you to wear them between dives as sun protection.

Mine did get uncomfortable today with air temps of 43C but I just dunked i tin water and put it back on (it's black) If' I'd have been wearing a rash guard I would have seriously over temped. Even with factor 50 I like to cover up

 

[cipherbreak]

For recreational dives in the Caribbean, I wear a 3mm. When it gets a bit cold, I add a 5/3 hooded vest. That pretty much covers everything.

In fact, it was 26 - 30C in FL and PR when I went diving this winter and the 3mil was perfect.

 

[Damselfish]

No one can guess how much you need, in those temps you will see people in everything from 5 (or even 7mm at the lower end) to a bathing suit. Skinny people with low body fat will tend to be cooler. People who are used to warmer temps in general will also tend to be cooler. As said, the amount you are diving can make a difference too.

Personally at 30C I would be in a Lycra skin. At 26C I would be in a 1mm with my 3mm vest, or maybe my lavacore/sharkskin.

People often say you can't be too warm, you can let water in, etc. This is true to an extent, but having a heavier suit than needed can be a problem on the surface if you are in a hot sunny place. There's also a certain comfort and freedom for many people in wearing something lighter, and having less bulk to pack is nice too. (Light suits means I can pack 2, which means I will usually have a fairly dry one to put on.)