An Overview Of A Wetsuit

The wetsuit function is essentially to allow the water to come into the suit and form an insulating layer of water, held within the material, which is warmed up by the wearer's body temperature. This insulating layer then serves to keep the wearer warm in the cold water conditions. Some people get confused between a wetsuit and a dry suit, the dry suit functions to keep the wearer dry, whereas the wetsuit allows the water into the material to then in turn to be heated up and retain an insulating layer of water to keep the wearer warm. The dry suit also seals out the water with rubber seals around the neck, ankles and wrists.

The wetsuit is one device which has changed its functionality and design over the few decades since it was first designed. These days, however, the wetsuit has gone the way of other types of sporting clothing, and has undergone a culture and fashion of its own. Just as skiers and snowboarders are now subject to 'fashion on the slopes,' divers are able to purchase designer made wetsuits which are customized to each person's exact specifications.

The warmth you get from the wetsuit will also be determined by the thickness of the neoprene. The suit will keep you warmer if the neoprene is thicker. The thickness is measured in millimeters. The largest size is 6 millimeters. Some manufacturers will use different thickness for different parts of the suit.

The wetsuit can be purchased in thicknesses varying from 1mm to 4mm in most cases. The wetsuit function is determined by the environment in which the wearer will wear the suit and the thicker material or neoprene will be more suitable for the colder water regions. Hence the colder the conditions the thicker the suit to enable correct wetsuit function.

Whilst the traditional wetsuit was only ever really commercially available in black, new technologies have allowed modern wetsuits to be made in a wide variety of colors, due to advancements in neoprene, the material used in wetsuit production. However, the functionality of modern and customized wetsuits is not lowered in any way, shape or form, as the massively high standards required in wetsuit production are also kept with integrity. It is always of utmost importance that a wetsuit maintains is primary purpose of preserving body temperature, to ensure that divers are able to swim in cold water climates without risk of injury.

The design or construction of the wetsuit is enhanced by the technique that the manufacturer uses in terms of assembling the suit. Some manufacturers may stitch and glue the suit, whilst others may either just stitch or just glue the suit together. A combination of the two is normally recommended as this will add to the durability of the wetsuit, and considering the amount that will be invested ensures that the suit will last a long time.

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