Manta rays and stingrays: what's the difference?

Manta rays live in open water and feed on plankton, filtering it through their wide mouths; the giant oceanic manta can reach a wingspan of about seven metres. Stingrays spend most of their time on or near the sand, hunting shellfish and crabs, and carry a barbed spine on the tail that they use only in defence. Both are calm around divers who stay low, move slowly and keep their hands to themselves.

Where divers meet rays

Mantas visit cleaning stations, where small fish pick parasites off their skin; divers wait at the edge and let the mantas come in. Well-known spots include the manta night dive off Kona in Hawaii, Manta Point in Komodo and the atolls of the Maldives. For stingrays, Stingray City in Grand Cayman is the classic: a shallow sandbar where southern stingrays glide right up to visitors. Walking in from a sandy beach? Shuffle your feet, so any ray buried in the sand has time to move away.

Sizes, fabric and delivery

Ray rash guards come in sizes XS to 4XL, in a quick-dry 82% polyester / 18% spandex fabric with four-way stretch and flatlock seams. The zip-up hoodies have a soft microfleece lining, and the polos are rated UPF 50+. Everything is printed and sewn to order in 4–9 business days, then shipped worldwide.

More ocean animals: sharks, whales, octopus, sea turtles and marine life, and the diver down flag.