wetsuit/rash guard for tropical waters

[NYCNaiad]

I'm all about the layering & options.

My beginning layer is a full dive skin which protects me from the sun & random stinging beasties floating in the ocean. I always wear that. For warm tropical climes, I have a 3mm & a vest which I can layer over the skin. I also bring my 5mm because I tend to get cold & usually towards the end of a trip with a helluva lot of diving I need a 5.

Completely agree with @Jason: I have almost never heard someone say they wished they were cooler when diving. I have often heard, "I've wished I was warmer."

 

[dmaziuk]

I'm all about the layering & options.

My beginning layer is a full dive skin which protects me from the sun & random stinging beasties floating in the ocean. I always wear that. For warm tropical climes, I have a 3mm & a vest which I can layer over the skin. I also bring my 5mm because I tend to get cold & usually towards the end of a trip with a helluva lot of diving I need a 5.

Completely agree with @Jason: I have almost never heard someone say they wished they were cooler when diving. I have often heard, "I've wished I was warmer."

You can always pull on your neck seal and let water in to cool down.

+1 -- I dive in tropical waters in 2mm shorty and

• come back from the trip peeling on the arms and legs: my skin doesn't tolerate sunburn as it used to anymore,
• tend to sleep under all available blankets in 30C heat by the end of the trip: core temperature does fully not recover overnight,
• on the last trip we repeatedly hit 24C thermoclines (after 30C temp at SS depth) which were a) cold and b) burning lots of air. Though I'm not sure it wasn't change, rather than the absolute value, that was the problem: people in 3mm suits seemed to complain just as much.

I'm aiming for frogskin for base layer, when I get around to upgrading, and keep my shorty for the top layer. If I didn't already have the shorty, I'd instead consider a vest, maybe hooded, and DGX shorts with pockets.

Note that I spend 4-5 hours/week in a lap pool that is rarely heated above 27C and is sometimes closer to 25, and have done so for years. I.e. my cold tolerance may be toward the higher end of the scale, YMMV.

 

[Saniflush]

What I have done in the past is 3mm on morning dives, rash guards during middle of the day and afternoon, and then 3mm for late afternoon/night. My tolerance for cold is horrible and I learned a long time ago that I could shed clothes if I was hot but not add them after I was cold.

 

[Bubblesong]

Brought a shorty to Bermuda and burnt arms and legs badly. Next time full coverage.

 

[AZNetEng]

In the caribbean the wife wears a 3mil and I dive with a rashguard.

 

[Lifelyjump]

Again, thanks for the all the responses.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I run cold so 26-30C is about a 5MM for me. Most people will be fine in a 3mm, or on back to back days of multi tank diving, you may also want to look at a hooded vest in addition, especially when it is towards 26C. A 3mm is a good overall option.

 

[Centrals]

Full suit gives better protection than shorty against anything from jelly fish to sun.

 

[urbaneve71]

See this is my same delima I am going to roatan in June and don't know if I should bring my 3/2 long sleeve shorty or my full 3/2 suit. I guess I'll just bring them both. I know there will be a few night dives, so I'm thinking the full suit. ..plus I have a rash guard to wear. ..

 

[dmaziuk]

See this is my same delima I am going to roatan in June and don't know if I should bring my 3/2 long sleeve shorty or my full 3/2 suit. I guess I'll just bring them both. I know there will be a few night dives, so I'm thinking the full suit. ..plus I have a rash guard to wear. ..

You will be out on boats, UV is the big deal. Water last April was -- for me -- the speedos temperature, and I don't recall running into any stingers. My calves were peeling (shorty) when we got back.