Wetsuit

Some wetsuits are better than others and maybe it is even not right for you.

They are made of neoprene. Neoprene is a special material that only allows one way transit of water.

This basically means that water can flow into it, but not out.

The reason this is, is because they work by the water heating up due to your body's warmth.

The heated water in turn acts as a protective barrier to the cold, almost like an extra skin.

So this is great if you fall into the water. The warm heated water cannot leave your neoprene suit and so you remain warm and cosy.

If you were to not be wearing it, your skin would be the only thing protecting you against cold water.

It is quite tight and it is usually quite hard to get on and off especially when wet, since the neoprene sticks to your skin.

They are usually the colour of black, because black absorbs heat, which gives you maximum heating capacity for your suit.

They are also usually much cheaper than Dry Suits, which are commonly twice or even four times more expensive.

So to recap:

• They are not watertight, they let water in
• The water is heated by your body and acts as second protective skin against the cold
• If you fall in the water, the heated water stays in the suit
• They are only usually made in black. So if you don't look good in black, don't get one!

That last one was a joke by the way!

Finally to conclude here are the pros and cons of buying a wetsuit:

Pros

• Very cheap
• Keeps you warm - even when you are not moving
• Best for Spring to Autumn

Cons

• Don't last long - Break easily
• Can be uncomfortable
• Hard to take on and off

Hopefully you can make an unbiased decision on whether or not to buy one. They are usually used for the summer months of cold areas (like the UK).