Wetsuit

We humans may enjoy being in water, but it's not our natural environment. To stay safe and warm in the water requires a second layer of skin. It requires a wetsuit.

The why's and how's of the wetsuit

A wetsuit is worn to preserve your body heat and protect your skin. A general purpose wetsuit can be worn for such activities as surfing, water skiing, or other basic water sports. A specialized wetsuit is usually worn for activities that demand speed or enhanced physical protection, such as scuba diving or triathlon swimming.

A wetsuit is necessary because water absorbs body heat about 25 times faster than air. But contrary to what beginners think, a wetsuit doesn't keep all water outside the suit. Neck, wrist, and ankle seals reduce the flow of water into the wetsuit, but the pressure differential between the air and water forces some water into the wetsuit.

A wetsuit keeps your body warm in two ways. The first way often surprises novice wetsuit owners: the water that gets into a wetsuit is warmed by your body. Trapped between your skin and the wetsuit, the water works as an insulator.

The second way is the neoprene used to make the wetsuit. Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that contains small bubbles of nitrogen gas. Unlike water, nitrogen is a very poor conductor of heat. For that reason, a wetsuit discourages heat transference between your warm body and the cold water.

A snug fit is very important for a wetsuit to work effectively. A wetsuit's design can also greatly enhance athletic performance. Thin and lightweight foam materials give extra buoyancy to a wetsuit. That combined with a sleek wetsuit surface can dramatically improve swim times even for marginal swimmers.

If you're planning on swimming in water that is cold or only moderately warm, we recommend supplementing your wetsuit with protective accessories such as hoods, boots, and gloves. Always make sure that the wetsuit you wear is appropriate to water and weather conditions.