|
Wetsuits work by trapping a layer of water in-between your skin and the neoprene of the suit. Your body then warms the water providing thermal protection. Wetsuits are available in a wide range of types and configuration.
'Shorties' are wetsuits with short legs and arms and are generally for spring/summer use. Such suits are normally manufactured from fairly thin neoprene, often 2-3mm. Spring/summer wetsuits can also be purchased in full length versions. Winter wetsuits, also known as 'steamers' are much thicker, often constructed from 5mm and above neoprene.
Wetsuits can be purchased in a variety of qualities and price ranges. Spring/summer suits can cost between £40-£120 whilst winter suits can cost between £100-£250. The higher the price, the more technical the wetsuit.
When purchasing a wetsuit its essential that it is a good fit. Too tight and it will be uncomfortable to wear and will seriously restrict your movement. Too loose and it won't keep you warm.
Wetsuits are relatively inexpensive, simple, Neoprene suits that are typically used where the water temperature is between 10 and 25 °C (50 and 77 °F). The foamed neoprene of the suit thermally insulates the wearer.[2][3] Although water can enter the suit, a tight fitting suit prevents excessive heat loss because little of the water warmed inside the suit escapes from the suit.
Proper fit is critical for warmth. A suit that is too loose will allow too much water to circulate over the diver's skin, robbing body heat. A suit that is too tight is very uncomfortable and can impair circulation at the neck, a very dangerous condition which can cause blackouts. For this reason, many divers choose to have wetsuits custom-tailored instead of buying them "off-the-rack." Many companies offer this service and the cost is often comparable to an off-the-rack suit.
Wetsuits are limited in their ability to provide warmth by two factors: the wearer is still exposed to some amount of water, and the insulating Neoprene can only be made to a certain thickness before it becomes impractical to don and wear. The thickest commercially-available wetsuits are usually 10mm thick. Other common thicknesses are 7mm, 5mm, 3mm, and 1mm. A 1mm suit provides very little warmth and is usually considered a dive skin, rather than a wetsuit.
[edit]
Wetsuits are often worn for many water sport activities
such as surfing, windsurfing, triathlon, diving or just for splashing around.
A "wetsuit" is a garment typically made of neoprene foam which insulates against the chill of cold water.
They are often used by divers, surfers, snorkelers, and kayakers.
Wetsuits come in different thicknesses (usually measured in millimeters), and the lighter weights can be worn in warmer water situations.
Neoprene has the quality of being a somewhat buoyant fabric, and the thicker the material, the greater the added buoyancy.
Wetsuits can come in full-body options (long sleeves and legs that run to the ankles or feet) or short-sleeve/no-sleeve and thigh-length options (sometimes called a "shorty"). They can consist of one piece, or two pieces (top and bottom).
Wetsuits work by trapping a layer of water
in-between your skin and the neoprene of the suit. Your body then warms the water providing thermal protection. Wetsuits are available in a wide range of types and configuration.
'Shorties' are wetsuits with short legs and arms and are generally for spring/summer use. Such suits are normally manufactured from fairly thin neoprene, often 2-3mm. Spring/summer wetsuits can also be purchased in full length versions. Winter wetsuits, also known as 'steamers' are much thicker, often constructed from 5mm and above neoprene.
Wetsuits can be purchased in a variety of qualities and price ranges. Spring/summer suits can cost between £40-£120 whilst winter suits can cost between £100-£250. The higher the price, the more technical the wetsuit.
When purchasing a wetsuit its essential that it is a good fit. Too tight and it will be uncomfortable to wear and will seriously restrict your movement. Too loose and it won't keep you warm.
History
There is some controversy over who invented the wetsuit.
Most say it was Jack O'Neill who started using neoprene, which he found lining the floor of an airliner, to make a simple vest.
He went on to found the successful wetsuit manufacturer, O'Neill.
Bob and Bill Meistrell, two kids from Manhattan Beach, California, claim to have started experimenting with neoprene around 1953.
Their company would later be named Body Glove.
Snug and Warm
A modern wetsuit is mostly made from thin neoprene, which provides limited thermal protection,
and lined with a nylon fabric to strengthen it and to make it easy to put on and take off.
Some newer wetsuits, usually marketed as "superflex", contain spandex in addition to neoprene
to allow the suit to stretch (the panels of a wetsuit of this type typically contain 15-20% Spandex).
This counteracts neoprene's tendency to shrink with age and also allows the wearer to grow slightly
without making the suit uncomfortable.
Rash Vests
Whatever suit style you decide on,
we also suggest getting a "rash vest" to wear under your suit
if you are going to be moving around a lot,
otherwise you get wet suit "hickies" on your neck, armpits and other areas of high movement and tight fit.
These swim shirts are made of a soft material which you could wear all day long, not just for surfing and swimming,
but also on land on their own or under your hoodie.
Warm Water Layer
A wetsuit allows a small amount of water into the suit, but traps this thin layer of water between the skin and the neoprene,
and the body heat then warms it.
The neoprene insulates the warm water layer against the surrounding cold water.
The wetsuit must fit close to make the suit work efficiently,
as too loose a fit will simply allow the warmed water to flush away and be replaced by cold water.
The suit loses buoyancy and thermal protection as the neoprene is compressed at depth.
Thickness Matters
Wetsuits come in different thicknesses depending on the conditions for which it is intended.
The thicker the suit, the warmer it will keep the wearer.
A thick suit is stiff, so mobility is restricted.
A wetsuit is normally described in terms of its thickness.
For instance, a wetsuit with a torso thickness of 5 mm and a limb thickness of 3 mm will be described as a "5/3".
|
Most wetsuits have a soft outer nylon fabric cover. Smoothskin suits do not.
The advantage is that when you're out of the water it just runs off, avoiding evaporation chill.
The downside is that it is more delicate and can get damaged.
