Water is not mens natural environment and since we can not breathe underwater a jump into the sea is always also a bit of a jump into the unknown. Of course fear is not the reason to wear a wetsuit, there are many much better reasons, but a wetsuit will also give you some comfort.
So what are the main three reasons why should you wear a wetsuit? I will list them here and then we will take a look at each one of them in more depth. 1. Wetsuit will keep you warm. 2. Wetsuit will give you extra protection. 3. Wetsuit will improve your buoyancy.
1) Hypothermia. You might not think this is a serious problem, especially to those who only surf in the summer. However, you will find that the risk of contracting hypothermia is still there even when you are swimming in warm waters at noon. It’s due to the fact that water is 25 times more heat-conducting than air, making you lose your body heat. So, the longer you stay in the water, the more body heat you will lose.
Wearing a wetsuit can prevent that. Made of lightweight closed-cell neoprene, it allows a film of water to exist between your body and the suit. And since water is heat conducting, the water draws away the heat from your body but is not released to the surroundings, due to being trapped by the suit. This layer acts as an insulator, providing you warmth derived from your own body. Add that to the nitrogen gas bubbles that exist in the lining of the suit which further prevents heat loss and you will stay warm in cold waters!
2) Protection. Wearing a wetsuit protects your body. Although not indestructible, the neoprene material is able to dampen any blows your body might receive. And between pieces of coral tearing your suit open, instead of your skin, it is perhaps wise to wear a wetsuit.
3) Wetsuit improves your buoyancy. Because it contains many air bubbles it will help you stay on the water surface. But this effect is not so big that you could depend on it as you would depend on a life vest. Before enjoying water sports you need to know how to swim. And not just swim – you need to know hot to swim good! Wetsuit can help you be more confident in the water when you are learning how to swim, but it is not a substitute for your swimming abilities.
Especially when it comes to protection against cold the wetsuits played an important role in the popularity of water sports today. Without them these sports would only be limited to a few lucky warm places and would never grow so popular.
Clement C. has been wearing wetsuits for many years while swimming and surfing in cold ocean. If you need more information on triathlon wetsuits check out his website where he will also help you find how thick wetsuit do you need in different water temperatures and answer any other questions you might have.
