Wet Suits & Dry Suits

Exposure suits work dynamically to provide comfort, warmth, and flexibility while diving. There are four kinds of exposure suits: dry suits, wet suits, rush suits, and thermal suits. The most commonly used for professional and recreational activities, though, are dry suits & wet suits.

Dry suits, which are designed for diving in less that 15 degrees Celsius, are made in three types: membrane, neoprene, and crushed neoprene. As indicated by its name, membrane dry suits have least natural buoyancy and need to be inflated to compensate for the water pressure applied upon descent. The air between the body and the water prevents the space within the body from becoming too compressed. Neoprene dry suits, closest in design to the wet suits, however, are just the opposite, in that they have the greatest degree of buoyancy and keep the body warm. Neoprene dry suits require weights affixed to the wrists and ankles to counterbalance the buoyancy and allow the body to gradually descend. Although, like the neoprene dry suits, they keep the body warm (the key purpose of the dry suit), crush neoprene dry suits are not as naturally buoyant, so they sink easily. These are probably the most comfortably fitting dry suits around.

Used more for commercial and water sport activities, wet suits feature a thin coat of water between the skin and the suit (hence the name “wet suit”) and allows the body to warm the water. This explains why wet suits are designed for higher temperature waters, ranging from 15 to 26 degrees Celsius. Types of wet suits come in a wider variety than dry suits do, and there is no wonder why—these are more dynamic than dry suits and allow more flexibility. Semi-dry suits, one-piece suits, two-piece suits, shorties and streamers, and surface-supplied wet suits are all types of wet suits. The basic difference between one-piece and two-piece wet suits, aside from the obvious, is the fact that the former is less buoyant and requires inflatable space to counteract against the water pressure during descent, while the latter is more buoyant and, like the neoprene dry suits, insists on the use of wrist and ankle weights to allow the body to gradually fall during deep dives. The best semi-dry wet suit would probably be the one-piece because it is less buoyant and can sink easier while protecting the body from water pressure and still allow flexible movement for the diver. Surface-supplied wet suits are exactly what the name infers: They are usually employed for long-duration commercial diving in extremely cold water, with warm water forced into the suit from the surface in order to constantly maintain the diver’s body heat.

Both dry suits and wet suits can be purchased online at various sites and at reasonable prices. Pinnacle dry suits & wet suits, for example, can be found on discount, if timing is right. The key, though, is to compare . . . and make sure that the suit is going to fit comfortably before buying.