Wetsuit Buying Guide

A Wetsuit is a garment, made of light material such as neoprene, the wetsuit actually does let a little water into the suit. The water is allowed to circulate between the skin of the diver and the outside suit layer. As a result, the trapped water is gradually warmed up to near body temperature and can help keep the diver comfortable during the diving process. The suit layer helps insulate the warmed water next to the body from the outside water. A wetsuit's purpose is to provide thermal insulation, abrasion resistance, and buoyancy.

Styles

Wetsuits range from a thin (1 mm or less) "shortie", covering just the torso, to a full 8 mm semi-dry, usually complemented by neoprene boots, gloves, and hood. Wetsuits come in different thicknesses depending on the conditions for which it is intended. The thicker the suit, the warmer it will keep the wearer.

	Shorty Shortie wetsuits offer the least amount of warmth to the diver or snorkeler. They cover the torso, part of the arms (to the mid-bicep point), and part of the legs (to the mid-thigh region). Shorties keep the diver safe from scrapes that may occur during inadvertent contact with underwater hazards; they can also keep the diver/snorkeler safe from injury due to stinging sea life. Some snorkelers wear shorties to protect themselves from sun damage while spending time in the reflective water, even if the water's temperature doesn't call for insulation gear. Shorties typically zip in the back, allowing for easy donning and ditching of the suit.
	Full Wetsuits One-piece wetsuits are more commonly used by cold-water divers who want to protect their torsos, as well as their entire arms and legs. Jumpsuits typically zip in the back, allowing for easy donning and ditching of the suit. Jumpsuits frequently offer a slightly taller neck/collar, which protects the diver's neck from the cold water and accommodates and hood quite easily. Because a one-piece wetsuit covers the entire arms and legs, the suit offers a more restricted range of motion than does a shortie. The payoff if you'll be a lot warmer in a one-piece wetsuit than you would in a shortie.
	Two-Piece Two-Piece suits are arranged in two parts; the jacket and long johns can be worn separately in mild conditions or worn together to provide two layers of insulation around the torso in cold conditions. Typically, two-piece cold water wetsuits have 6 to 14 mm of material around the torso and 3 to 7 mm for the extremities.

Thickness

Wetsuits are made in a variety of thicknesses of neoprene. The thicker the neoprene, the warmer you'll stay and the more flexibility you lose. One thing to keep in mind is because neoprene contains air bubbles, the deeper you descend in the water, the thinner your suit will become. If you're comfortable on the surface, you may find yourself feeling cold at depth if your suit isn't thick enough.

Choose your suit by water Temperature
Water Between 71°F(22°C) and 88°F(31°C) For warm water, use a suit with 2.5 mm or more of neoprene	Water Between 60°F(16°C) and 75°F(24°C) For temperate water, use a suit with 5 mm or more of neoprene	Water Between 50°F(10°C) and 65°F(18°C) For cold water, use a suit with 6 mm or more of neoprene

2-3mm-thick neoprene is ideal for warm water diving and snorkeling. This thickness slightly insulates the diver from the water and protects the diver from sharp or injury-causing objects at depth. This option is also a great way for snorkelers to protect themselves from the sun. If you tend to feel warm easily, this is probably the best thickness for you if you plan on being in warm or slightly cool water.

5mm-thick neoprene is ideal for warm water divers and snorkelers who tend to feel cold easily. This thickness insulates the diver better than a 2 or 3-mm suit; the tradeoff is that the diver's range of motion is slightly reduced because of the thicker material.

6mm-thick neoprene is cold-water gear. It offers the greatest amount of warmth and the least amount of flexibility. The 7mm thickness offers a large amount of air bubbles to trap the heat, which is important, especially as your descend and the water's pressure compresses your suit.

Because wetsuits offer significant protection from jellyfish, coral, sunburn and other hazards, many divers opt to wear a thin suit that provides minimal insulation (often called a "bodysuit") even when the water is warm enough to comfortably forego insulating garments. A thick suit is stiff, so mobility is restricted; at a certain thickness, the suit would become impractical, which is why drysuits must be worn in particularly cold environments.

A wetsuit is normally described in terms of its thickness. For instance, a wetsuit with a torso thickness of 5 mm and a limb thickness of 3 mm will be described as a "5/3". With new technologies, the neoprene is getting more flexible. Modern 4/3 wetsuits, for instance, may feel as flexible as a 3/2 of only a few years ago. Some wetsuits have extra layers added for key areas such as the lower back.

"When divIng, the cold is your worst enemy!"

In addition to your one-piece, don’t hesitate to put on more layers of neoprene to avoid having a suit for each condition, several products can be added to your suit depending on the temperature.
Improve your thermal insulation with a hood, a neoprene undershirt, a neoprene top with a hood, a 1 mm under-shorty or a 5.5 mm over-shorty

Using hoods: in the thermal balance of the human body, the heat loss over the head is at least 20% of the whole balance. Thus, for the sake of thermal protection of the diver, wearing a well-fitting hood is good practice, even at fairly moderate water temperatures.

Fit

While the wetsuit does need to be form-fitting, it is important that it not be too tight OR too loose. This allows the warmed water to remain in place for the duration of the dive, especially important in recreational scuba diving, as the material will compress somewhat as the diver goes deeper. Too loose and water will constanly move in and out of the suit preventing the water from being warmed.

1. Because wetsuits trap your body heat, they need to fit snugly. It is important to note that snug does not equate to uncomfortable. If the suit pinches you or if your hands and/or feet start to tingle, it is too small. It is important to note that you will have a reduced range of motion in a well-fitted wetsuit. The thicker the neoprene (necessary for warmth), the less freedom of motion you'll have.

2. Once you're in the wetsuit, look at yourself in a full-length mirror and if possible have a buddy assist. If the suit bulges anywhere, that allows water to flow in and out easily if it is too big. (Slight puckering at the bend of the elbows and knees are common, however.) If you feel slightly restricted when taking a deep breath, the wetsuit fits your torso well.

3. If you are unsure of the exact size look at the manufacturer sizing chart and if you can't find one give us a call we will help you with this.