Lycra Dive Skins

Dear Brian,


I have infrequent cause to wear a lycra or nylon dive skin beneath a wet suit. In my limited experience, it makes entry and exit of the wet suit easier and provides for a bit more warmth. It didn't seem to cause any problems that I noticed. I would say try it. If you find it helpful, then carry on with it. If you don't like it, then press on au naturale.

Charles Engles

Hey Brian, the point of the exposed rubber against your skin is to seal you in, especially in a custom suit. Wearing nylon underneath gives water a place to sit, even if it doesn't keep pumping through your suit. water is a brutally terrible insulator and you will get colder, faster, no way around that. But that might be ok if you're in nicer waters and have better tolerance etc. If you like to dive for 3 hours and don't start shivering before your time is up, and you're wearing nylon inside, then that would be fine IMO.
You might try wearing the diveskin underneath but making sure that your forearms and calves are against the rubber, effectively sealing those points of water entry. I'd still make sure the pants of the suit were folded over to seal against the jacket too.
Cheers,
Erik