Wetsuit 101
Insulation
Wetsuits
insulate your body in two ways:
- First, they trap a thin layer of water between your suit and
skin to reduce heat loss. That's done by the neoprene, which
traps nitrogen bubbles to provide the insulation.
- Second, by keeping cold water away from your skin, you receive
further insulation
Thickness
- Thickness is expressed in millimeters
- Thicker wetsuits provide greater insulation but less mobility
- If your diving conditions vary from the extremes, you should buy
the thickest wetsuit to cover your needs
- Refer to the chart below to help determine the appropriate
wetsuit based on the water temperatures where you plan to do your diving
Styles
Shorty
These are one-piece, short sleeve shirt and short set best in
waters over 72 degrees to take the “edge” off the water temperature
Full-length
This suit has long sleeves and legs that extend down to the
ankles. For water less than 72 degrees.
Farmer John/Jane
Two-piece suits that make it easier to get off and on and to
provide double the warmth for your core.
They can be worn separately if temperatures permit.
Front Zipper vs Rear Zipper
Rear zippers come with a pull string to make it easier to put on
and take off. A common misconception is
the rear zipper is more difficult to take on and off. You do have to be able to grab the long leash
to pull on and off but removing the suit is much easier with a rear zipper. You pull forward to remove vs pulling
backward with a front zipper. Still
about 75% of our suits sold are front zipper.
In the end it comes down to what you are most comfortable with and look.
Arm and Leg Zippers
Some wetsuits come with arm and leg zippers, these do make it
easier to put on and take off the suits.
You should consider if you have larger hands and feet. One thing to consider is the more zippers the
more expense and the more that could wear out down the line.
Materials and construction
- Most wetsuits use neoprene, a synthetic rubber that is
waterproof, insulated and flexible
- Lycra, a type of nylon, is used in thinner suits. These are
more flexible but are most appropriate for diving in warm and shallow waters.
- The inside and outside of wetsuits typically have a nylon fabric
laminated to the neoprene. This helps resist tearing and abrasion.
- Manufacturers use different stitching techniques to increase the
seal at the seams. These are usually glued and blind stitched or glued and
taped. TommyDSports uses the highest
quality seals, glued and double blind stitched.
- Zippers are very important, without a good zipper, you are
literally stuck. TommyDSports uses the
best in the world, YKK #10 zippers which are corrosion free.
Layering & Rashguards
When snorkeling or diving in warm tropical waters, Lycra rashguard
tops and shorts may be all that is required. These protect you from UV rays
and scratches or abrasions from dive gear or the environment (such as
jellyfish). They are great for
controlling the amount of sun you get, much less body area to keep
lotioned. For cooler waters, many divers obtain
additional warmth by layering Lycra rashguards under their wetsuits. (They
also make putting on a wetsuit much easier)
Tips and Tricks
A wet wetsuit is harder to put on than dry because it sticks to
your skin and it won’t go on. So to do it faster, put a plastic grocery
bag on your leg or arm before you push it through your wetsuit. Your
arms/legs will slide right through.
The other trick is to have a dry rash guard, put it on before
you get into a wet wetsuit and you won’t feel the cold neoprene on your body.
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