Water conducts away heat about 25 times faster
than air. Since we rarely dive in water at the same
temperature as our skin, no matter how much epidermal
fat - natural insulation -- you might carry,
eventually you will get cold. Besides staying warm,
there's another reason to wear some coverage, as I
reflected when I lay in a hospital bed in 1999 while
doctors considered amputating my right leg!
A dive suit will protect you from the slings and
arrows of misfortune and what I call man-eating
plankton, what some in the Caribbean area call 'sea
itch.' I had snagged my ankle on something, probably
coral, while wading out to a liveaboard's tender
without my shoes on. It was not a cut, just an irritating
abrasion, so I covered it with Vaseline and went
diving for the week.
A month later, a hematoma appeared on my
lower leg. I continued to travel and dive, but my leg
didn't get better. Eventually, another more massive
hematoma appeared, my leg became twice the size,
and my lymph glands were working overtime, signs
of a serious infection. Surgery under full anesthesia and time with drip antibiotics saw me eventually
recover, left with nothing more than the scars. So
that's a good reason for wearing a suit whenever
you're in the sea.
Few ever called a dive
because they were too
hot underwater!
|
Our senior editor, Vanessa Richardson, had been
renting ill-fitting and smelly wetsuits on dive trips,
but decided to
spring for her
own. With all the
styles, thicknesses
and qualities to
choose from,
not to mention
price ranges, her
research will guide you if you're ready to replace
your old ill-fitting, smelly wetsuit.
The Material
Of course, you should buy a wetsuit designed for
scuba, but some divers who surf might be tempted
to seek a surfing wetsuit for double duty. They are
cut for maneuverability and comfort, but their neoprene
compresses at depth, so they lose buoyancy
and insulation. Modern neoprenes are so flexible
that scuba wetsuits have become much more body
hugging, making them both more efficient and
more flattering, even if you've developed a body
like a bag of chips.
Chris Moleskie, CEO of Wetsuit Wearhouse in
Williamsport, MD, explains that the ideal wetsuit
is made of gas-blown neoprene, the highest quality
because it's infused with thousands of tiny nitrogen
bubbles that insulate you from the cold. While it will compress and eventually wear out, as all
neoprene does, it is the most durable. A chemicalblown
wetsuit feels softer but will not be as durable."
The Inside
Most wetsuits have a standard nylon lining, but
some augment this with technology for a warmer
effect. Pinnacle Aquatics touts that the merino
wool lining of its wetsuits reduces water movement
inside the suit, and it's incompressible, therefore,
unaffected by depth. You might see them for sale at
online sites like LeisurePro and Scuba.com in the $300-$400 range. But, you need to try to a suit for
fit before you but it, because 'fit' is everything.
Jason Schmitz, a sales person at Dolphin Dive
Center, mentions another high-end lining, titanium,
which is either woven into the wetsuit or
put between the neoprene and the nylon interior
lining. He says, "It reflects body heat, reflecting it
back to the diver, instead of through the neoprene
and into the water, so it does keep you warmer. And
it's easier to put on. But the con is if you bend and
crush it, it degrades easier. And it's more expensive."
Few divers notice the difference in performance since so little titanium is used. It's probably
more a marketing tool than a noticeable benefit.
The Thickness
Fit and thickness are the most important factors
for staying warm. Every body is different, but for the
Caribbean, many people use 3-5 mm suits for water
temperatures in the 70-85 degree range. The 5-7mm
wetsuits are for
water temps
between 60
and 70 degrees.
One possible
rule: the older
you are, the
thicker the suit
you will need.
Another thing
to consider: how
much body fat
you have. "The
more body fat
you have, the
more insulation
you have," Schmitz says. "I'm a skinny guy, so I need
more layers of insulation."
Suits dried in the sun
can lose their insulation
because the nitrogen in
each bubble of neoprene
expands and leaks out,
effectively making the
neoprene thinner
|
Putting a shortie on top of a close-fitting wetsuit
will provide more warmth in colder conditions, and
if it's too warm, well, few ever called a dive because
they were too hot underwater.
Schmitz (Dolphin Dive Center) says a 7mm
to 8mm is best for places like the Galapagos or
Northern California. What's most important is the
core layer, and keeping your torso warm. That's why
some wetsuits have two different thicknesses on different
parts of the body -- a 5/3 mm wetsuit thickness
means there's 5 mm on the torso and 3 mm on
the arms and legs. For standard wetsuits, Schmitz
recommends adding a sleeveless hoodie to warm
the core layer or a neoprene vest or tee with sleeves,
plus a hood for colder waters.
A two-piece combo -- often called a Farmer
John -- of which each part is 7mm, means you
could potentially have 14mm covering from neck to
thighs. It might sound great for diving in Monterey
or Carmel, "but that's a lot of flotation, so you'd
need more weight," Schmitz says. "That said, in temperate
waters, you want at least 7mm on your core."
A lot of heat loss occurs while bareheaded,
although some argue about this. Hoods certainly
add to your insulation and can be bought in 3mm,
5mm, and 7mm thicknesses. We knew of one diver
in the Caribbean area who dives with a hood and
very little else.
The Stitching
Besides thickness, stitching determines how
long the seams and suits last. Moleskie of Wetsuit
Wearhouse explains: "The cheapest, least strong
seam is a glued stitch. It will sometimes have a piece of tape glued over the seams, which helps with comfort,
but it will probably give out the quickest.
"Another basic stitch found mostly in 'bargain'
wetsuits is the overlock stitch, which joins the neoprene
at the seams by stitching the edges together.
The ridge is on the inside of the suit, which can
become uncomfortable. If this seam is stretched to
its limit, it may let in some water.
Schmitz recommended looking at wetsuits that
have weld tape covering the stitches. "The tape covers
the threads, which means theyhave less abrasive
and rubbing on them."
"At the other end of construction quality is the
blind stitch -- the material is first glued and then
stitched on one side. However, the stitch doesn't
pierce the material, which would give an entry point for water. The blind stitch is then done on the
reverse side and interlocks with the first stitch. That
gives the strongest seam. It's found on the more
expensive wetsuits."
Some suits use high-tech materials that are not
neoprene. Lycra skins offer no insulation. Sharkskin
and Fourth Element Thermocline figure-hugging
suits are the equivalent of 1mm in neoprene. They
can be worn under the wetsuit for a light boost in
warmth or under a shorty for protection against
abrasions.
The Fit
A snug feeling is normal. As long as you don't
have trouble breathing, you can assume your suit
is not too tight (it it's too tight, a wetsuit restricts blood flow, not good if you have poor blood circulation,
and may obstruct off-gassing.) A suit too
loose lets water flow freely through your wetsuit and
doesn't feel good especially in colder waters and
under the arms. Women's suits have narrower shoulders
and broader hips than men's do, and extra
room built into the chest for a proper fit. The suit
should fit snugly at the wrists and ankles, with no
gaps for water to seep in, and the neckband should
be snug, but not tight enough to keep you from
breathing normally. And, move your arms and legs
up and down to make sure there are no gaps in the
underarm or crotch area.
The latest super-flexible neoprenes fit well and
are easy to get in and out of. Aqua Lung touts its
AquaFlex as having three times the stretch of standard
neoprene, eliminating the need of ankle and
wrist zippers (two sources for water exchange and
heat loss), and still making it easy to get in and out
of them. At $329, it's not inexpensive. That said, the
more expensive suits are usually more comfortable,
less restrictive, and they give you more motion and
flexibility.
Heavier-weight suits tend to be called semi-dry
although they are really semi-wet. Seals at wrist and ankle, behind the zip and at the neck reduce the
chance of water flushing and make the perfect body
fit less of an issue.
The Maintenance
After diving, throw your suit into a bathtub with
a little wetsuit shampoo or any detergent, rinse and
hang it to dry in the shade before storing. Schmitz
notes that it "must be completely dry, so that no
mold or decay forms, or else it starts to smell." Suits
dried in the sun can lose their insulation because
the nitrogen in each bubble of neoprene expands
and leaks out, effectively making the neoprene thinner.
Most of the physical abuse a wetsuit takes comes
from divers sitting on their knees above and under
water, which could compress and decompress the
neoprene quicker than normal. But the common
rating for wetsuits is 200 dives. "Most people don't
dive that much," says Schmitz. "The max for an average
diver is less than 50 dives a year, so a well-made
wetsuit could indeed last you a lifetime."
- John Bantin & Vanessa Richardson