Facts about wet suits that every Scuba diver should know

Starting the first day of Scuba class, divers learn that water conducts heat away from their body ... quickly. After a two or three hour pool session, even in an 80 degree pool, divers start to get chilly. It's during these early stages of learning, we come to realize that the thin layer of synthetic rubber called neoprene can be a diver's best friend.

Neoprene wet suits come in many different sizes, colors and configurations. Many divers may have several wet suits to accommodate diving in different conditions. Divers in the Caribbean may use a 1/2mm shorty to keep the chill off of them. Divers in the Northeast may wear a farmer john which has multiple layers with up to 10mm of neoprene protecting the core of the body. Divers will often add vests, vests with hoods and other protective layers to further insulate their bodies. Comfort and relaxation are the keys to fun and exciting dive adventures. Avoiding the shivering cold is an essential component to realizing a comfortable and relaxing dive.

Wet suits are much like ordinary clothes and work in a very similar way. When the weather is cold outside, most people layer up in warm clothing. Most people, in cold water climates, know that layering in many thin layers keep you warmer than one thick layer. Several thin layers trap air in between them and the air is what keeps you warm. The person's body, through a process called conduction, is what heats up the air pockets. Put on lots of layers and trap warm air in between them and the heat has to flow through a series of warm "airlocks". Air is mostly empty space, so these airlocks are effectively barriers that stop heat escaping. If it's harder for the heat to escape, it's a whole lot easier to stay warm.

For Arizona Scuba divers, we are more often surrounded by cold water rather than warm water. Venture into water that cold without a wet suit and you risk a life-threatening condition called hypothermia, where the inner "core" of your body gets so cold that it doesn't warm up again. It is very dangerous to swim in water that cold. Your heat stops beating properly and you can die in a matter of minutes.

There's an added problem because water is very different from air. Air is a thin gas, while water is a heavy, dense liquid. So, when you swim, there are far more water molecules surrounding your body. The water molecules are also much nearer to one another, so they can conduct heat more efficiently than air. This is why water carries heat energy away from your body around 20 times faster than air. It's also why, on a warm summer's day, you can get in the ocean and feel freezing even when the water and the air are the same temperature: you feel cold because the water is ferrying heat away from your body like a conveyor belt!

As described above with layered clothing, wet suits work similarly. Wet suits trap a layer of water between the diver's body and the insulating neoprene. The diver's body heats up the water trapped in the inner layer. The warm water and insulation keep the diver warm. Some wet suits are lined with a layer of copper or titanium with the intent to reflect body heat back at the diver. Some other wet suits use a wool type lining to expedite the drying process (once out of the water) and to provide another warming layer. All of this is added engineering to the basic wet suit design to keep divers warmer.

With the correct wet suit, a diver can remain very warm in the coldest of waters. Buying the right wet suit and taking proper care of it is essential in the warming process.

Purchase Considerations

It's not hard to find many places to purchase a wet suit. You can buy them online, go to a sports store, or find a local dive shop (of which there are over 20 in the metro Phoenix area). Finding a dive professional to assist you in this process can be very helpful. Simply going to a sports store and grabbing any wet suit can end up costing you more in the long run and making for some uncomfortable dives in the short term.

The first step to purchasing a wet suit is to start doing your research. Ask other divers what they like about their wet suits, visit several dive shops and talk to the dive professionals there, post questions to online forums like Arizona Scuba, and read as much as you can get your hands on. Sites like Scuba Diving Magazine and the many wet suit vendors are important resources to learn about the various features and benefits of different wet suits.

Another important step in your research is to try on many different wet suits and make sure the fit is correct. Wet suits should be snug to minimize water movement, but loose enough to move freely and breath without restriction. Trying them on is the only way to determine the right fit. Also, sizing does vary from one manufacturer to the next. You may be a large in one brand and a medium in another. Do your due diligence, a wet suit is a significant purchase. Buy once; buy right.

Price is an obvious purchase consideration. However, you have to weight the benefits versus budget. It may be in your best interest to wait on your purchase and get the suit you want versus the one you can afford.

Wet suit technology has come a long way over the last 20+ years. With that in mind, a significant purchase consideration is the flexibility or 'stretchiness' of the suit. The more stretch built into the wet suit (because of the fiber technology or amount of seams), the more comfortable the suit will be. However, like every benefit, there is usually a flip side to it. In the case of flexibility, the more flexible the suit generally the less heat tolerant it will be and the more susceptible to wear and tear.

Rugged construction is important in wet suit selection. A couple of good indicators for good construction is double stitching, glue on top of the stitching, and high quality workmanship. If the suit looks ragged in the store, it will only get worse as you dive with it. Be careful of glued elbow and knee pads. Double stitched pads are a good indicator to the suit construction. Turn the wet suit inside out and review the seams from the inside.

Lastly, spend some time looking over the different zippers on the wet suits. Zippers are a huge point of failure on wet suits. If you have a zipper fail during a dive, you will get a spring of cold water running down your back. A thick pad on the inside of a zipper is a good way to minimize water seepage.

Off the rack or custom fit?

While it is easy and tempting to buy off the rack, you may want to consider purchasing a custom fit wet suit. Companies like Wetwear out of Florida will custom fit a suit to your specific body specification. If you are an odd size or a "big and tall" customer, you should seriously consider a custom wet suit.

Don't make your wet suit investment lightly. Spend time visiting several shops trying different wet suits on and evaluating different manufacturers. When it does come time to make a purchase, support your local dive shop. Most dive shops will match online pricing if you ask. Additionally, if it wasn't for them, you wouldn't have been able to try them on. While I am not opposed to purchasing some Scuba items online, wet suits are not one of them.

Proper Care and Maintenance of Your Wet Suit

To receive the best results in maintaining insulation and suit life, the following methods of care and maintenance are recommended.

The entire suit should be thoroughly washed after the dive in fresh water. Salt and chlorine are very harsh on neoprene. Many manufacturers recommend a wet suit Shampoo for general cleaning, and wet suit degreaser for tougher stains. Both are specially formulated to clean deeply with will effect to the suit material.
All suits should be stored on a hanger specially designed for wet or dry suits. We especially recommend the Flex Fashion Hanger.
Do not store suits rolled or folded. Hang as above in a cool dry place. A garage in Arizona is not a cool dry place. Keep your Scuba gear inside
Avoid diving in areas polluted with gas, oil or other chemicals, but if you must and the suit becomes soiled, clean immediately with shampoo and degreaser in warm - not hot - water and rinse thoroughly. Remember - the sooner it is cleaned, the better the results.
DO NOT DRYCLEAN. DO NOT MACHINE WASH
When transporting the suit rolled or folded, make sure the zipper is not pressed directly against the other suit materials as this can produce scarring
Storing the suit out of direct sunlight reduces the speed and degree of fading.
Use zipper wax on the zipper periodically to ensure all salt and grime are not trapped in the teeth. Clean the zipper with a toothbrush frequently after diving.

DID YOU KNOW that a wet suit when not used frequently will lose its elasticity. If it seems that your suit has shrunk, just let it soak in warm water for 6 to 8 hours and hang to dry.

If you have questions about wet suits, talk to your favorite dive professional or contact us at the Academy of Scuba.

Dive safe and have fun!

For more information about the author and where he teaches, please go to the Academy of Scuba.
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