As I was planning for an upcoming trip to Tonga (where I would be filming a documentary about the country’s eco-tourism industry), I wasn’t exactly sure what type of suits would be good for the conditions.
Tonga is known worldwide for its healthy whale populations, and by many accounts—including my own—it’s one of the best places to snorkel with humpbacks on the planet. I was all in!
The area I was traveling to typically fluctuated between a wide range of conditions: from 80F and heavy humidity topside and 75F in the water, to unpredictable storms with heavy squalls where the temperature can quickly drop 20 degrees or more.
This variance of temps and conditions—mixed with having to jump in the water at a moment’s notice—meant that finding a piece of gear that could stand up to whatever the elements might serve up was essential.
It was tempting to pack a normal piece of neoprene, but instead of choosing a standard 3-5mm wetsuit, I brought a jacket-top and pant-layer from BARE’s ExoWear line—and I’m really glad I did.
The ability to selectively remove either the top or the bottom layers of the suit comes in handy when you need to swap out a piece as required by the relative temperature. If I was running hot, I could simply take off the pants or unzip/remove the jacket. But the layers still kept me nice and toasty, even on days when we were stuck in the water for 6+ hours while in a storm (there were many of these days while I was there).
ExoWear layers are also thinner (approximately 1mm) than a traditional 3mm wetsuit, so I was able to wear less weight while free diving. The reduced bulk made swimming in the open ocean much easier. While both Freediving down to the whales—and getting back in the boat—I noticed that my movements felt less restricted and my range of motion was expanded in the stretchy, adaptable ExoWear.
I was actually really surprised at how well this pant/jacket ExoWear combo worked—partially because my ideas never go as planned, and partially because I typically dive in colder waters, and so I hadn’t known what to expect. But the consensus is: I’m stoked on ExoWear!
In fact, from now on, whenever I’m going to a warm-water destination—I’ll be using it again. I highly recommend ExoWear to freedivers and scuba divers, particularly travelers. If you’re traveling and want something that adapts and performs in a variety of conditions and temps, be sure to pull on some ExoWear during your next adventure.
