Who Needs a wetsuit for tropical water diving anyway?

[Russjstewart]

Big fan of cotton overalls here, the kind with sleeves, for tropical waters. I do use a sleeveless hooded 2mm vest, but mainly for the hood, being follicaly
Impaired the top of my head is a bit sensitive. Full body protection and cheap as.

I have been mistaken for the mechanic though

 

[scubadada]

I try to make it a point to only dive in places where I use a swimsuit only and nothing else. My last dive I used a skin shirt for the first dive and went down for the second dive with no shirt at all. It was great. This limits me to high visibility places with very warm water and I am fine with that.

Where are you?

 

[Centrals]

The tropical warm water in Philippines can be as cold as 20C(68F) in winter.
The tropical warm water in Indonesia eg. Crystal Bay is even cooler.

 

[ATJ]

The tropical warm water in Indonesia eg. Crystal Bay is even cooler.

I remember jumping in at Crystal Bay. I was in a full 3/2mm suit and many of the others in the group were in board shorts and rash shirts.

It was 28ºC where we jumped in and as we got closer to the point the temperature dropped. It was too cold for some and they turned back. It got down to mid 21s. I was so cold even in my full suit.

 

[agilis]

Do you hanker for some warm, tropical water diving? Stepping into the clear blue waters of the Caribbean perhaps? Do you notice it doesn't always stay warm for long though?

Alex presents her first ever video with Andre as they talk about the importance of wetsuits even in the tropics, but also about the wetsuits they prefer to dive in and why.

They had a lot of fun pulling this video together, watch to the end to see Andre being our Diva Diver View attachment 592039

Tell us about the exposure protection suit you use and why its the best for you in tropical waters, and what you like/hate about wetties...

Summer in the Caribbean requires only a thin lycra skin, for jellyfish and sun exposure, not warmth unless you are a candyass. In winter a 1 or 2mm suit is usually more than adequate, unless you are doing multiple repetitive dives. Then you may have to go to 3mm.

 

[scubadada]

Summer in the Caribbean requires only a thin lycra skin, for jellyfish and sun exposure, not warmth unless you are a candyass. In winter a 1 or 2mm suit is usually more than adequate, unless you are doing multiple repetitive dives. Then you may have to go to 3mm.

I guess I am am your candyass

 

[agilis]

I guess I am am your candyass

Don't beat yourself up over it. It's not the worst thing in the world.

 

[Jafo19D]

So far I only dive in the Carribean so no wetsuit. I use some ScubaPro shorts (love the pockets) and an Underarmor shirt for protection against the sun and warmth out of the water. Have hardly ever missed wearing a wetsuit but there was the time we penetrated a wreck and although I didn't suffer any big scrapes something was irritating my skin afterwards. On some rainy days I also got a bit cold while on the boat but I'm used to being outside in cold weather without snivel gear so I just suck it up. One dive operator made me take a 3mm wetsuit one time but it stayed on the boat the entire time and I didn't use it.

 

[scubadada]

Don't beat yourself up over it. It's not the worst thing in the world.

Don't worry

 

[Centrals]

I remember jumping in at Crystal Bay. I was in a full 3/2mm suit and many of the others in the group were in board shorts and rash shirts.

It was 28ºC where we jumped in and as we got closer to the point the temperature dropped. It was too cold for some and they turned back. It got down to mid 21s. I was so cold even in my full suit.

Air temp has nothing to do with water temp!
Did you see the mola mola?