Recommendation for wet suit top, warmish water

[markww]

Hi,

I'm not a surfer, I was hoping someone could give recommendations for a wet suit top though.

I'm going to the caribbean in february and water temperatures are 78/79f. USVI message boards are lit up with complaints that it's unusually cold this year (I'm from NY though so 78 is probably wonderful).

Anyway since I want to swim/snorkel as long as possible, I thought it couldn't hurt to pick up a wet suit top and just bring it along. I don't know where to start really. These looked ok:

1.5mm:
http://www.amazon.com/ONeill-Wetsuits-H ... 59&sr=1-47

0.5mm:
http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/30170.htm

I don't know if I'll be dying of heat exhaustion in one of those in 78 degree water. I was thinking of getting a "rash guard" too, but hear they don't do anything for you heat-wise.

Any info would be really helpful,

Thank you

[travelzomg]

if its realy 78, than you dont need any protection heat wise...
if you defo want to get something, dont go higher than a 0.5..

i have 1mm summer tops and they are nice to somewhere up to 24°C.. further up, it starts to get hot in those too...

[markww]

Thanks for the info, definitely a big help - there's a sports store nearby and I saw a 1.5mm and 3mm top, I see what you mean. Thanks again!