If you have a wetsuit, and some bike shorts, you may be wondering if you can combine them…
Can you wear cycling shorts under a wetsuit?
You could wear biking shorts under a wetsuit, but you wouldn’t be very comfortable on your dive. Cycling shorts, especially the gel variety, are designed to help minimize sweat, and thus they are highly water absorbent.
If you were to wear them with a wetsuit, they will soak up an abundance of water and you’ll feel like you’ve wet your pants for the entirety of the dive. You could wear something like compression or triathlon shorts, but cycling shorts are not recommended unless you enjoy feeling wet.
Are you supposed to wear anything under a wetsuit?
You can, and it’s a good idea if you will be diving in cold waters. In such a case, a compression shirt or a rash guard would be a good choice as your first layer against the cold, and diving shorts will also help to keep you warm, without chafing you in the process.
Be sure to check in advance what is available locally, as this will give you the best representation of the cold that you will be dealing with if it is your first time diving in this locale.
What do you wear under a wetsuit rental?
You have many options as to what you may wear under your wetsuit, so ultimately it is going to be up to you. Examples of appropriate garments to wear under your wetsuit include sleeveless vests, one-piece swimsuits, diving shorts, rash guards, or compression shirts and shorts.
You could even go as far as a full-body jumpsuit, but if the clothing you are considering is not on the list then you may want to think carefully about it. Cycling shorts, for instance, can soak up water, while regular underwear may become readily visible underneath the tight wetsuit and this can be a bit awkward.
Can you wear biker shorts in the water?
It depends on the absorbency of the shorts. If they are simply tight-fitting shorts, then that should be okay, but the problem with cycling or biking shorts tends to be the padding involved and the absorbent materials that are designed to minimize sweating.
If the shorts that you select are ultra-absorbent, then there will be a bit of drag while you are swimming and they’ll likely take a considerable amount of time to dry. Still, if there is no absorbent padding, such as gel or sponge material, making them effectively just ‘tight shorts’ then you should be perfectly fine.
Just feel the shorts and use your best judgment for that particular pair.
Can you wear compression shorts under swim trunks?
Yes, you can certainly wear compression shorts underneath your swim trunks, and a lot of people do this quite regularly. Compression shorts work well under your swimming trunks because they help to reduce the friction that occurs when the trunks rub against you over a long period of swimming.
This helps to reduce the chances of chafing, rashes, inflammation, and general skin irritation so that you can have a good time swimming while making an active effort to protect your sensitive skin.
Can you wear compression shorts under the wetsuit?
Yes, you can wear compression shorts under a wetsuit, and it’s a great way to help prevent skin irritation. By reducing the overall friction from the wetsuit, you’ll have a more comfortable swim and reduced chances of irritation by chafing, rashes, and the resulting skin inflammation that might otherwise arise.
Do you wear anything underneath compression shorts?
No, you do not need to wear anything under compression shorts, and doing so can make them function less efficiently. When you are wearing nothing underneath them, compression shorts are designed to keep rubbing at a minimum on the skin so that you’ll have a more comfortable dive.
If you wore shorts or underwear underneath them, then this would create a separate layer in between the compression shorts, and this will likely cause the garment that you chose to wear underneath to rub at you more.
This can result in chafing and skin irritation, so it’s best to simply ‘go bare’ underneath your compression shorts to let them work the way that they are designed.
Do you wear undies under a wetsuit?
You can, but you really shouldn’t. Undies worn underneath a tight wetsuit tend to create telltale outlines so that when you come out of the water everyone is going to be very aware of the type of undies that you like to wear. Protip: It’s not as sexy as it sounds.
Most divers agree that it’s better to go with something like diving shorts, compression shorts, or other options which are specifically designed for diving. The other people diving with you may not say anything if you wear them anyway, but it’s a good way to embarrass yourself and generate gossip, so it’s best never to dive in your undies!
What kind of shorts can you wear for swimming?
It’s less about the style that you choose and more about the material. You want to go with any kind of shorts that incorporate non-absorbent fabrics and materials into their design. Nylon and Lycra, for instance, are just about the best choice that you can make for swimwear.
These materials are both non-absorbent, so they will be comfortable to wear in the water and you won’t be spending hours trying to dry them after your swim. Keep in mind also that shorts that look great, but are not designed for swimming, will suffer a lot of wear and tear over time if you swim with them anyway!
Do wetsuits get tighter or looser in water?
In water, your wetsuit is going to fill with water, so it will feel looser to you when you are actually on your dive. Once you get back out of the water, however, it’s going to feel much tighter – almost restricting – but that’s just because it is no longer filled.
The change in tightness feels very dramatic as a combination of the drained water, temperature, and because you’ve been underwater for a space. It’s pretty close to the tightness that you felt initially putting it on, but not much more than that.