Suit Up! A Scuba Divers Guide To Exposure Protection

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Exposure protection does exactly what it says on the tin. Protects you from being exposed. Im not talking about the kind of exposure that will get you on the front pages of magazines or questionable looks from your mom. No, exposed as in unprotected from the elements.

As divers we are constantly exposed to dangers, from animals with spines and stinging tentacles to sharp corals and wrecks. However maybe less obvious and far more dangerous is the water itself. You see water can conduct heat up to 25 times faster than air. So even when diving in warm waters we can quickly get cold. In fact this is how we burn so many calories scuba diving.

Aside from making us uncomfortable and cutting our dive short there are actually far greater threats that come from being cold when diving. Firstly it can effect our mobility, secondly it causes distraction (which is a trigger for much greater issues down the road), thirdly it can lead to hypothermia and lastly it increases the risk of decompression sickness. When cold, blood vessels constrict and blood flows slower, therefore taking longer for your body to release excess nitrogen.

However different water temperatures, activity level and cold sensitivity call for different levels of exposure protection. So how do we decide if we need a skin suit, wetsuit, semi-dry suit or drysuit? Read on to find out.

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Skin Suits

Also known as ‘rash guards’ or ‘dive skins’, skin suits are the thinnest form of exposure protection we can wear when scuba diving. They are usually made of similar material to swimsuits. As they provide minimal insulation they are best used in tropical waters above 28°C/82°F.

Although it is possible to dive without them in these temperatures, skin suits also provide a range of other benefits. Most divers wearing them to prevent minor cuts, stings and also sunburn. Not to mention the protection they provide from your own equipment! Trust me, diving in a bikini may seem like all fun and games until all those straps and buckles start digging in.

But if you’re worried about looks then don’t fret. Out of all the exposure protection skin, suits come in the widest variety of styles and colours. Popular brands being:

Oceanmimic (use code SCUBASPECIES for 10% off)
Waterlust
BluWild
Slipins
Spacefish army (use code THESCUBASPECIES10 for 10% off)
Aurora

Some even incorporate thicker materials and fleece lining like the sought-after Sharkskins.

They are sold as full body suits, leggings, tops, vests and even hooded vests. This coupled with their lightweight design and relatively cheap price tag make them pretty versatile. Many divers using them as layering under a wetsuit as well as a standalone piece. Not to mention this makes it a hell of a lot easier to get the thicker neoprene on and off.

Wetsuits

Made from closed-cell neoprene – a synthetic rubber with large uniform, bubbles – wetsuits are not designed to be fully waterproof. You will get wet. Shocker!

In fact water is a key ingredient in a wetsuits insulating capabilities. Designed to be as tight fitting as possible without being restrictive, the suit traps a thin layer of water between the neoprene and your skin. This water is then warmed by body heat and helps to keep the wearer warm. However this insulation can only go so far and it is recommended to only use wetsuits in temperatures above 10°C/50°F.

That being said wetsuits come in varying thicknesses from 1mm to 9mm. The most frequently used being 3mm (warm water), 5mm (temperate water) and 7mm (cold water). Choosing the right thickness for your requirements is key in keeping warm.

Having such a large range and also the option to layer this exposure protection makes it a firm favourite amongst scuba divers.

Semi-Dry Suits

Just like a wetsuit, a semi-dry suit is also made from neoprene. The difference being that it has better seals around the wrists, ankles and neck. Whilst not designed to complete keep the water out, these seals do radically reduce water movement in and out of the suit.

This movement or ‘flushing’ in a traditional wetsuit can happen for various reasons be it an ill fit or just excess motion. However it does displace the already warmed water inside the suit and increases your heat loss.

Although not completely watertight a semi-dry suit is a great option for cold (but not too cold) water divers, typically in the temperature range of 10°C/50°F to 20°C/68°F. Providing all the flexibility and comfort of a wetsuit with some nifty advantages of a drysuit.

Drysuits

Most people are familiar with what wetsuits are thanks to their use in warm water scuba diving and surfing. However even with thermal protection from a wetsuit, divers can still get cold when they spend a lot of time exposed to the elements.

But if we’re getting cold in warm water then how in the world do we stop ourselves from freezing to death in cold water?

Well we take away the thing which is causing the issue in the first place. Water.

Like a balloon which fits over your body with seals at the neck and wrists, drysuits are designed to keep water away from the skin where it can sap away heat. The added advantage of this being that because the user is dry they can also wear insulating clothes underneath with different thickness and layers depending on the outside environment.

The recommended temperature for use of drysuits is anywhere around 16°C/60°F.

and below however they can still be used in warm climates. Especially if you will be exposed to the water for long periods of time. A prime example being technical diving.

Ready To Suit Up?

They say that you can take on the world in a good suit and for scuba diving it couldn’t be more true. Pick the wrong one and it could not only be uncomfortable but dangerous too.

Just remember that feeling cold is subjective. Not only do water temperature and activity level play a role but also you’re cold sensitivity. Where one person may feel toasty warm diving in a skin suit in 28°C/82°F water another may still feel the chill in a 5mm wetsuit. Like me!

Although it is a good idea to follow the general guidelines don’t blindly follow others. The more you dive the more in tune you will be to your body needs. Listen to what it is telling you. If in doubt then always err on the side of caution and opt for the warmer suit. If you start to shiver then start heading to the shore.

Luckily there is a fair amount of overlap in the options available so finding the perfect match shouldn’t be too difficult. Especially now you have read the scuba divers guide to exposure protection.

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Katie Braunstein

I have been a traveler my whole life, having been born in Zimbabwe but growing up mostly in the UK. I first got into diving three years ago when I met my partner and fell in love. Since then it has been my passion to share this love of our underwater world with others.