Which wetsuit for Puerto Rico’s water?

Puerto Rico’s water is warm all year, but water pulls heat from your body much faster than air. On a long dive, or two or three dives in a day, even warm water can leave you cold. The right suit keeps you comfortable and protects your skin.

Thickness

On average, most people here use a 3/2 mm full suit or a 2 mm shorty for most of the year. In the cooler months, people who tend to get cold sometimes bump up to a 5 mm.

Beyond that, it’s very personal. Most people already know whether they run cold or hot, and that matters more than any chart.

• Rash guard or skin suit: sun and scrape protection for snorkeling and short, shallow dives.
• Shorty: keeps your core warm, leaves arms and legs free.
• 3 mm full suit: a common choice for diving here. It also protects arms and legs from scrapes and stings.
• Thicker, or a hood or vest on top: for divers who get cold easily, or who do several dives a day.

For water temperatures month by month and the suit we suggest for each, see Puerto Rico diving conditions.

Sun, stings and scrapes

A thin rash-guard-type suit doesn’t give you much protection beyond the sun. As you go thicker, from about 1 mm up, a suit protects more against marine life and scrapes, which helps on rocky shore entries.

Fit matters more than thickness

• Snug everywhere, with no gaps at the neck, lower back or armpits where water can flush through.
• You can still breathe deeply and move your arms freely.
• No bunching behind the knees or at the elbows.

• Too big: it doesn’t do its job. Water flows freely between your body and the suit, so it doesn’t keep you warm or protect you.
• Too tight: it can restrict your movement, cut off circulation and be seriously uncomfortable.

Sizes vary between brands, so the best way to choose is in the shop, with our help.

Front zip or back zip?

It’s personal preference. People with limitations, like trouble reaching behind their back, often prefer a front zip. At the end of the day, pick the one you’re comfortable getting in and out of.

Mistakes we see

• Blindly following random recommendations. Everyone will try to push the suit they have in stock. Go by fit and by how cold or hot you run.
• Buying too loose. A loose suit won’t do what it needs to do, which is keep you warm.

Making it last

• Rinse it with fresh water after every dive.
• Dry it inside out so the inside of the suit gets aired out, and keep it out of direct sun.
• If it starts to stink, there are commercial wetsuit wash products to refresh it.

A suit lasts as long as it keeps you warm. Once it starts to rip, or it no longer keeps you warm, it’s done.