Wetsuit

By type

• Dry wetsuits . As the name implies, suits of this class almost do not let water in. This effect is achieved through the use of sealing cuffs (obturations) on the arms and neck and water-tight zippers. Previously, dry suits consisted of two parts, upper and lower; To seal the joints, they used rubber glue , rubber belts and various ways to connect parts of the suit. They can be made from trilaminate (membrane) or neoprene .
• Wetsuits . Made of neoprene (foam rubber). From the name itself, it follows that water falls under the suit, but, having got there at the beginning, in the future it almost never comes out. The material of the costume provides thermal insulation due to the presence of air bubbles. It is important to understand that the water falling under the suit, of course, cannot be a heat insulator. The better the suit sits, the less water circulation underneath it, the less body heat is spent on heating a new, cold portion of water.
• Semi-dry wetsuits . Intermediate class of suits: despite the presence of seals, water can penetrate into the suit space (if air enters it), but in a smaller amount, and with a tight fit of the suit, water practically does not flow, due to which the heat-insulating properties increase.

Fit

Costumes are divided by type depending on the cut:

• wetsuits with short arms and legs (shorts, from the English. shorty , "shorty") - wet, 1-3 mm thick
• wetsuits with completely long arms and legs - dry wetsuits are made that way
• wetsuits with long legs and short arms (or detachable sleeves)

Any of these types of wetsuits can be accompanied by either a separate helmet or glued into a jacket.

• women's wetsuits - bikinis . Often they are sewn of neoprene in bright colors (blue, pink, orange, red, yellow, light green) with reflective or luminescent properties. Often they have wide belts for attaching equipment. The most famous bikini-wetsuits manufactured by Triangl (Australia).

By appointment

Diving suits vary in the thickness of the material (usually neoprene, trilaminate and rubberized fabric are also used to make dry suits) of which they are made, which is measured in mm, the thinnest wetsuits are 0.3 mm.

For scuba diving

For underwater dives, suits of different thicknesses are used, which depend on the conditions of diving: suits in warm water use suits 3-5 mm thick, and in cold water up to 11 mm thick. However, it is necessary to take into account the fact that with an increase in depth, neoprene suits, under the influence of external pressure, become thinner, as a result of which the thermal insulation worsens and the buoyancy of the costume decreases, the lack of which must be compensated by blowing the vest . Dry suits are free from the above disadvantages, however, they require air (or argon ) to be inflated into the undersuit space to compensate for crimping.

Spearfishing

We use wet suits made of cellular rubber of the “open pore” type: The inside of such suits consists of many small suction cups (hemispheres formed when a sheet of porous material is cut), when put on, the material literally sticks to the swimmer's body and becomes the “second skin”. This is where their name came from - “open time”. The material from which wet wetsuits are made consists of cellular neoprene. The difference from a conventional sponge having an open-pore structure is that the bubbles in such a material are not connected to each other, and therefore the material does not absorb water. "Isolated" bubbles in the structure of the material contain nitrogen or air, which are good heat insulators. This explains the fact that wet wetsuits have positive buoyancy.

Hunting diving suits consist of two parts, high trousers (Long John) and a jacket, this allows you to abandon the most "vulnerable" to the element of water - lightning. Depending on the water temperature, the thickness of the wetsuit is selected. If you pick it up incorrectly, you can freeze or overheat, which is also very dangerous. So, for spearfishing in warm seas at a water temperature of +21 degrees, 3-mm wetsuits are selected. For immersion in water in the summer in the middle lane, 5 mm suits are used. Wetsuits with a thickness of 7 mm or more are selected for cold water.

The approximate dependence of the water temperature and the thickness of the suit for a comfortable dive:

The table is approximate, because all people have different sensitivity to temperature conditions. If one is comfortable in a 5 mm suit at a water temperature of 15 degrees, the other and in a 7 mm suit can “freeze”. Or vice versa, with active swimming in a 7 mm suit at a water temperature of 10 degrees it will be quite hot.

For freediving

Wet suits of the “open pore” type are used with an external coating minimizing friction against water to reduce muscle oxygen consumption. Apply polished neoprene , "shark skin." In the shoulder region, the cut should provide free raising of the hands. Typical suit thickness is 3-5 mm.

For various types of surfing

For windsurfing , wet or semi-dry suits are most often used. 1-5 mm thick. The most common are: 2 mm short arms and legs or 3/4 mm short arms and long legs. In some cases, the thickness can be combined (in places with active movement: under the knees, in the armpits, on the elbows, the inside of the thigh), inserts of thinner material are made. Then the minimum and maximum thickness, for example 2/3 mm or 3/4 mm, are indicated. In addition, wetsuits made specifically for windsurfing are rubberized on the lap to give extra protection against damage to the suit.

To ensure the longest possible life, it is necessary to service the wetsuits.

Wetsuits

Before diving:

1. Wet your wetsuit (do not try to put it on dry).
2. If necessary, use soap, shampoo or a special gel.

After diving, you must:

1. Rinse suit in clean fresh water.
2. Do not wash in a washing machine!
3. Under no circumstances should oil be used, as this may lead to seam divergence
4. Dry the suit in a dark place away from heaters.
5. It is recommended to store the suit in limbo. This will avoid strong bends and permanent creases.

Dry Wetsuits

Before diving:

1. Sprinkle the inner surface of the sleeve and neck cuffs with talcum powder to improve gliding. It is not recommended to use talcum powder with flavorings, these chemical compounds can destroy the material of the cuffs.
2. Rub the outer part of the teeth of the water-tight zipper with wax or paraffin to facilitate fastening.

After immersion:

1. Wash the outside of the suit in clean fresh water.
2. Wipe the inside with a good absorbent cloth or sponge to prevent condensation and / or sweat .
3. Dry the outside of the suit in a shaded area.
4. Turn the suit inside out, put crumpled newspapers or bags with silica gel in bots (they don’t turn out), dry.
5. Rub talcum rubber cuffs inside and out.

• Diving suit for underwater work.
• Burkini

• Sirota E. N. Development of technologies for the design of wetsuits. - 2007.
• POLITKO E.V. Influence of wetsuits on the dynamics of the highest sports achievements of the strongest swimmers // Bases to encourage the trenuval process in cyclic sports. - 2015 .-- S. 61-66.