Choosing a Wet Suit

So you want to get out and explore the ocean? Whether you want to go wading, swimming, surfing, spearfishing, scuba diving, kayaking or freediving, one of the first equipment items you’ll need is a wet suit. Below we will discuss the different types of wetsuits, their benefits and whether or not you’ll need one on your next adventure. Today we will be focused more on diving and spearfishing, as surfing and swimming has its own sets of considerations to take in before making a purchase.

The first and main factor in picking a wet suit is the temperature of the water that you are diving in. Because after all, that is the wet suit’s main function. The Neoprene Rubber that the suit is made out of is designed to trap water and air in the suit and retain body heat so that you can enjoy your time in the water. The thicker the rubber, the better the suit will insulate you and keep your core temperature from being impacted by the conditions around you.

In more tropical climates (85 - 70 degrees) you may not need a wet suit to keep you warm and people dive to depth with out anything but regular swimwear. Some people decide to still wear thin wet suits in this climates to protect them from getting sun burned, reef rash or jelly stings. In medium climates (70 - 60 degree) you might find yourself reaching for a medium thickness (3mm to 5mm) as even though the surface might be warm, the temperatures below can be a bit uncomfortable. In colder places like the Northern California Coast, (60 - 50 degrees) diving with out a thick (5-7mm) wet suit is practically impossible and you can even be risking your life due to factors like hypothermia and loss of dexterity and motor control while in the water.

Eric Keener sits in the Eel Grass in his Polo Sub 7mm Open Cell Wetsuit. This suit was custom made to fit him and allows him to stay comfortable and warm in the Monterey Bay for hours on end.

The other factor regarding suit thickness is solely dependent on your body composition. You may be able to dive with a thinner wet suit, or you may find that you get cold faster then others and want to go towards a thicker model. For example, In my home waters of Monterey Bay, I dive in a 7mm, where as a few of my dive buddies dive in 5mm and seem to do just fine for going for the same time and depths as I do.

Beyond neoprene thickness, there are two different types of lining inside a wetsuit that can impact your purchase referred to as Open Cell and Closed Cell. While you can use both for freediving and scuba, there are a few reasons to pick one over the other,

Open Cell wetsuits are unlined on the interior, leaving exposed neoprene against your skin. The benefit of this is that it allows the pours in the neoprene hold in air and water more efficiently which keeps you warmer in while the lack of extra material is beneficial in keeping the suit more flexible. This is preferable when freediving as any added restrictions in movement can hurt your ability to get comfortable and can decrease bottom time. The down sides of closed cell suits is that they are a little more fragile then lined neoprene and you can rip them while struggling to get them on. Why would you be struggling to get them on? Because the raw neoprene is very sticky and if not lubed properly can be a real pain to get on. This requires rubbing a mixture of water and either baby shampoo or conditioner to get the suit in a state ready to pull on. There is also some conjecture that the neoprene in these suits is more vulnerable to compression and that scuba diving in them at depth for long periods of time can ruin the suit. After some research on this, I have found that many scuba divers still use these suits and have had no problems. The only time I would suggest not buying this is you are a planning on scuba diving on a very frequent basis as the suit may not hold up as long as the closed cell.

Closed cell suits have a lining over the interior of the suit, which separates the neoprene from the skin. This makes the suit easier to put on, more durable, and because the suit has a interior lining to sew into, they can add things like zippers which will again make the suit easier to get in and out of. The down side of these suits is that because of the extra material, it can restrict movement and the added zippers and over method of construction, they tend to allow more water and air in and out of the suit. This makes it harder for you body to regulate temperature as the only way to heat up the new water in the suit is through body temperature. I will offer that having dove in both closed and open cell wetsuits, I find that the movement restriction to be the bigger issue. While open cell suits are definitely warmer, I have never been chased out of the water by the cold any sooner then usual in my closed cell wetsuit..

Zippers can make wetsuits easier to get in and out of, but they can also allow cold water to seep into the suit while diving and make staying warm a little harder then the suits with out them.

One of the things that I don’t see mentioned in the wetsuit conversation is the need to get a proper fit. This is a much bigger issue while freediving because the effort it takes to move translates directly into the quality of your diving. For people who are of more average build, you won’t have as many problems with this. But for people who are built like a short, broad, stocky individual, you will find yourself swimming in either a suit that is too long in the arms and legs or one that is too tight in the chest and shoulders. This turns your surface swims into banded work out and can even keep you from getting full breath on your breathe up. There is important space in your chest, ribs and shoulders that when restricted can effectively decrease your ability to intake and retain air for your descent, which means less time at depth.

The outline will hopefully get you started on the road to finding a good wetsuit, but again I will add that there are some factors that are less definable and can vary from person to person and as you progress into the underwater activity of your choosing, you will learn more about the suits that are most commonly used and what works best for each thing. It is not uncommon to find people with a few different styles and thicknesses of suits in their arsenal and different opinions on what works best for them. I highly suggest you find a good dive shop and rent a few different types before making a purchase. Finding yourself out on the water being uncomfortable can be a real let down, especially if you just spent $250.00+ on a suit that you can’t return. Beyond the financial impact, being underwater is all about being relaxed and calm and if you find yourself fighting the suit or being noticeably cold, it can decrease your bottom time, ruin your breathe ups and keep you from finding that zen like state that we all strive for when making a dive.