Scuba Diving Wetsuits
As we are aware, wetsuits are made of neoprene that acts like a sponge adding buoyancy without absorbing water. The insulation depends on the type of suit. Materials used for manufacture include rubber, PVC, open and closed-cell neoprene which contains low thermal conductive nitrogen gas allowing for the separated bubbles to trap heat, insulate and protect. The thicker the suit, the more insulation they provide in accordance with the depth you plan on diving.
Add spandex to the mix and you get what is marketed as Superflex with added advantages of countering neoprene’s’ age shrinkage. Neoprene is naturally buoyant and facilitates easy flotation, adding to the buoyancy considerations underwater depth does however affect not only buoyancy but thermal protection due to pressure compression.
Water affects human temperature differently to air making it just as possible to suffer from hypothermia in warm water on a sunny day. Cold water suit seams are sewn to ensure optimal insulation and newer ones have wool and titanium fibre to keep the suit as streamline as possible.
Ambient pressure suits include wet, dry, semi dry, hot water suits and dive skins. This type of wetsuits is used for elemental across the board by outdoor sport enthusiasts.
Thick Neoprene Semi dry suits have better wrist, neck and ankle seals to control the amount of water entering the suit upon submersion as well as body-heated water lost during the dive. Spandex dive skins, on the other hand, are used for more tropical conditions. Hot water suits are used mainly by commercial divers and are supplied with warm water via a cord that feeds into the suit from on land.
Hang your wetsuit carefully after rinsing in thoroughly in clean water and avoid folding it as this damages the Neoprene cells.
Add spandex to the mix and you get what is marketed as Superflex with added advantages of countering neoprene’s’ age shrinkage. Neoprene is naturally buoyant and facilitates easy flotation, adding to the buoyancy considerations underwater depth does however affect not only buoyancy but thermal protection due to pressure compression.
Water affects human temperature differently to air making it just as possible to suffer from hypothermia in warm water on a sunny day. Cold water suit seams are sewn to ensure optimal insulation and newer ones have wool and titanium fibre to keep the suit as streamline as possible. Ambient pressure suits include wet, dry, semi dry, hot water suits and dive skins. This type of wetsuits is used for elemental across the board by outdoor sport enthusiasts.
Thick Neoprene Semi dry suits have better wrist, neck and ankle seals to control the amount of water entering the suit upon submersion as well as body-heated water lost during the dive. Spandex dive skins, on the other hand, are used for more tropical conditions. Hot water suits are used mainly by commercial divers and are supplied with warm water via a cord that feeds into the suit from on land.
Hang your wetsuit carefully after rinsing in thoroughly in clean water and avoid folding it as this damages the Neoprene cells.
