Who Needs a wetsuit for tropical water diving anyway?

[ATJ]

Air temp has nothing to do with water temp!

Those were water temperatures.

Did you see the mola mola?

Briefly - for like 5 seconds before two jerks chased it away.

 

[Calmseas]

Where are you?

In the US. I dive mainly in the summer on vacations and only when its a warm sunny day. Not the hardcore guy most on this forum are and still a relative newbie. However, I could dive warm shallow dives the rest of my life and be happy to never do anything else.

 

[agilis]

Getting wet and 'feeling' the sea is one of the many pleasures of scuba. Being as unconstrained by thick suits or bulky equipment as possible makes diving far more enjoyable. I strive for simplicity and sleekness, as unrestricted and as close to the water itself as possible. I did my first dives in the early 1960s with just a tee-shirt and trunks in ocean temps between 65 and 70F. A bit chilly, but after a few minutes you got used to it. Heavy suits are unavoidable in really cold water, but I feel sorry for people I see diving when water temps are in the 80sF all trussed up like a little kid with leggings and a snow suit.

 

[Darnold9999]

Depends, but my preference in warm water is a 2/3 shorty that is so old it is now a 1/2 shorty. Provides positive and instant feedback that my elbows, knees and fins are not too close to the reef. I rarely now come back from a dive trip with anything but a couple of souvenirs. Multiple dives a day I transition to a 2/3 by the last dive of the day. Locally - dry suit so getting in the water with minimal neoprene is a treat!

 

[cipherbreak]

I remember this one time I was diving in the Caribbean and this dude was pulled over mid water column by the scuba police for wearing gloves. It was embarrassing. Worst thing is they asked for his c card and registration and he had left it ashore.

 

[Charlie_diver]

 

[mattfish]

I’m mostly a tropical diver. I wear a 5mm full suit for temps up to 78°F, a 3mm full suit for temps up to 85°F, and a 3/2mm full suit for temps over 86°F. I also pack a 3/5mm hooded vest that I’ll put on under any of the above if I find I’m getting chilly on repetitive dives.

 

[mattfish]

Haha I just noticed how old this thread was.

Did I just earn my archeology cert-card?

 

[Manatee Diver]

Haha I just noticed how old this thread was.

Did I just earn my archeology cert-card?

Someone resurrected a 19 year old tread the other day.

 

[Pearlman]

I only dive warm waters and my 0.5mm full length steamer is like my standard dive uniform along with a 2mm hood. Much easier to wear than even a 3mm wetsuit, light weight almost like a second skin. I don’t even bother with my 1.5mm shorty as a comfortable alternative because I am never overheated or cold with the 0.5mm.

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.

I wore a 5mm wetsuit along with a 5mm hoodie and I remember I almost **** my pants the very first minute when we hit a thermocline here around 20m. It wasn’t my body but the chill on my scalp that put the fear of God in me… the same feeling when you are up on a mountain and realise that your “warm” jacket is no use against the cold weather you are facing …

In APAC being underprepared isn’t a big problem because all dive shops stock and expect to rent gear for cheap. And they always advice you on what to wear in the morning and rent it out on short notice - and I have found them trustworthy in their judgement over a decade of diving with rental gear here.

But in US or EU with club diving or “own gear” culture it could mean an aborted dive trip…

So for the light traveller to APAC I would say it’s ok to have “inadequate” apparel to wear and just layer up with rental wetsuits as and when the dive shop advices depending on local conditions.