The Importance of Wetsuits While Snorkeling or Diving

For snorkeling in warm waters, a dive suit is normally not essential, but you may be more comfortable wearing a Lycra dive skin. A dive skin is a very thin, form fitting suit that provides protection from the sun, stinging sea creatures (which are rare in most places), and minor scrapes.

Dive skins are stylish and ideal for tropical diving. They are available in an incredible array of colors. Unlike a wetsuit, however, dive skins provide no buoyancy.

In cooler waters, or if you plan to spend lots of time in warm water, you may prefer to use a very thin wetsuit. Wet suits are made from a synthetic rubber known as foam neoprene. There are thousands of tiny nitrogen bubbles in this material which provide insulation and give the suit a great deal of buoyancy. If you wear a wetsuit and you only plan to snorkel, without diving underwater, you'll find the wetsuit makes loading effortless.

Thin tropical wet suits are usually no more than two or 3 mm thick. You can purchase shorty suits, with short sleeves and legs, or one piece full coverage suits that protect your entire body. These suits are ideal for skin diving and scuba diving in tropical waters, above 75°F. They are thin and flexible, yet provide reasonable insulation.

For waters between 68 and 75°F, most people will be comfortable with a 3/16 inch wetsuit. The suit should include both jacket and pants; a hood may not be necessary. For colder waters, below 68°F, a thick wetsuit is normally worn. The rubber used to make these suits is usually about 6 to 7 mm thick. There are numerous different styles of suits, but the most popular ones usually consist of a farmer John set of bib overalls, and a separate jacket with an attached hood. These suits have tremendous buoyancy.

Keep in mind that each person varies in how much insulation they need to be comfortable in the water. Smaller, thinner divers usually need to wear a thicker wetsuit with more coverage than larger, heavier divers. No matter what type of suit your dive partner wears, you need to wear a suit that provides enough insulation for your personal needs.

The most popular wetsuits have nylon on both the inside and outside of the suit. The nylon on the inside makes it easier to don the suit. The nylon on the outside makes the suit more resistant to abrasion and can be ordered in a variety of colors.

A wetsuit must fit snugly to be effective. The suit allows a small amount of water to enter the openings at the wrist, ankles, neck, and waist. This water is warmed to your body's temperature, and in combination with the suit's own insulation, helps to keep you warm.

While some people find that they can wear an off the rack wetsuit, many people find they need a custom suit to get the best fit. Any good sport diving store should be able to help you determine whether you can wear a stock suit or need one customized to your measurements.

Wetsuits can be ordered with a variety of special features including pockets, knife sheaths, knee pads, and spine pads to help fill the void along the small of your back. How many options you get on your suit is a personal decision depended on your needs and the size of your wallet.

If the water is cold enough to wear a thick wetsuit, you'll almost certainly want to wear a hood as well. Much of your body's heat is lost through your head, so a properly fitting hood can go a long way toward making diving more enjoyable. You can either buy a separate hood or get a jacket with a hood attached to it, as previously mentioned. In colder waters, and attached hood will provide the most warmth.