Choosing the best wetsuit

The importance of choosing the best wetsuit is often underestimated. A lot of people choose their wetsuit based on the brand and size. These are both important factors to consider upon choosing the best wetsuit for you however there are other factors such as the fit, comfort and material that are ignored on a regular basis. Choosing the right wetsuit is so important due to the fact that if you are a frequent diver, you will be spending a minimum of a few hours every few days in this wetsuit, and you don’t want discomfort to take away the joys of diving.

Choosing the right fit

When considering the fit of your wetsuit, always keep in mind that the role of your wetsuit is to ensure your body temperature remains stable at depth. If your wetsuit doesn’t fit correctly, you will become too cold and uncomfortable long before you’re due to leave the water. Also, you need to ensure that the wetsuit is loose enough around the neck area, meaning you can make head movements with ease but without letting water in and that you are able to breathe easily. Another point upon choosing the fit of your wetsuit to consider is, to take notice of the small details on the wetsuit. These include; the zip, seals and kneepads. Also, check the lining inside the suit to see if the suit can dry quicker or carries additional comfort and warmth.

The final point to remember, when trying the wetsuit on, try to stretch your body. For example, bend over and touch your feet and turn to the left and right side of your body. These small stretches will show you whether you will be able to practice diving and swim safely.

Choosing the thickness

Upon choosing the thickness of your wetsuit, you will notice that there are a lot of different options when deciding which one you want. You will normally find that the thickness ranges from 1mm to 7mm. It is highly advised that before choosing your wetsuit, you should research the water temperature (depending on the season), in the area that you are planning to go diving. If you are unable to find this information online, call or message the diving company you are planning to dive with and they should be able to provide you with all of the information that you need. However, try to remember that the suits that have a fabric density of 5mm-7mm are more difficult to put on. If having difficulty regarding this, try getting the suit wet first or trying other options such as wearing socks underneath or a lycra rash guard, as long as it’s not thick. 

Cleaning the wetsuit

A common way that people wash their wetsuits is by hand whilst the suit is submerged in warm water. It is also recommended to use wetsuit shampoo as a detergent when washing your wetsuit. They can also be washed in a washing machine, on the ‘hand wash’ setting. This isn’t the most common way that wetsuits are washed, due to the washing machine not helping to preserve the neoprene in the wetsuit, meaning after using the washing machine, you will find that the suit is less able to maintain flexibility in regards to adapting to certain temperatures. However, you should find that wetsuit shampoo will help maintain the neoprene in the wetsuit, and you will find that the wetsuit will not fade as quickly and the rubber will remain strong. However, if you are very busy and don’t have time for hand washing, or you simply prefer to use the washing machine, always ensure that you don’t let the spin cycle finish and take the wetsuit out prematurely to let it drip dry,

Wetsuit alternatives

Depending on the location and the temperature of the waters that you will be diving in, sometimes a wetsuit isn’t the most appropriate attire to choose. There are however alternatives to a wetsuit, such as a ‘Dry-suit’ or a ‘semi-dry wetsuit’.

Dry suit- The purpose of a dry suit is to keep the diver dry upon entering the water. They are 100% waterproof and the diver should be as dry when leaving the water as they were before they entered it (aside from the areas that the suit does not cover). The advised water temperatures for these suits are between 4-15 degrees Celsius. The downside to these types of suits is that you have to learn how to use them prior to the first use; for this reason, they are mainly only worn by diving experts and professionals. Also, prior to the dive, the suit will be inflated to enable a stable body temperature and to avoid compression when diving. However, this process can only be done by a professional as it is a procedure that needs a lot of previous training.

Semi-dry wetsuit- Semi-dry wetsuits are more similar to the usual wetsuits however they are a little bit more waterproof in the sense that they have less water entry than the regular wetsuits. They are often used in temperatures between 10-20 degrees Celsius as they are not as waterproof as the dry suits, however they will keep you warmer than the average wetsuit as their water tightness is increased by the zipper on the suit. However, a downside to this is that they are not as flexible as normal wetsuits.