A wet suit made only by neoprene has a “smooth” exterior and an “open cell” interior. These words are used to explain the surface of the wet suit. Smooth means the suit is shiny on the outside and it’s that surface which comes in contact with the “pan” we talked about in the previous article. Open cell means that the interior of the suit has small cups – or suckers if you wish, since the bubbles have been torn in half.
Taking as a fact the initial material of Neoprene (thickness of the material and size of the air bubbles), there is no way to increase the elasticity or the insulation of a wetsuit. There are nevertheless ways of increasing its durability or making it user friendly. Let’s see the several combinations we can use on our wetsuit and what they involve (advantages - disadvantages).
“Smooth – Open cell”
It’s actually the simplest kind of wetsuit. It’s the most elastic and provides insulation since the open cell interior “sticks” on the skin not allowing water to enter into the suit. It can easily tear when it comes in contact with rocks or other parts of the sea floor and wearing it can be a tricky case since water or soap are needed. The same goes when taking it off.
“Smooth – Jersey”
It’s the wetsuit that has a jersey film in the interior. It can be worn without soap and is more durable than the one we mentioned above. Its elasticity nevertheless is reduced and water can enter easily into the interior. It can also be worn with the jersey on the outside, making it even more resistant to any careless contacts with rocks.
“Jersey – Open cell”
It’s the wetsuit that has a lining of jersey on the outer surface. It’s worn with the help of soap water but its more durable in careless contacts and while putting it on or taking it off. Water may not enter easily but because of the jersey, water remains on the suit, making movements with the boat especially in the winter time, a very difficult task.
“Jersey – Jersey”
It’s the wetsuit that has a jersey lining on both sides. It’s very durable in all cases but its insulation and elasticity are much reduced.
Of course there are also wetsuits that combine several materials on their exterior, especially the knees and elbows or even the chest (for those who load their guns) and which are custom made.
Small and bigger secrets about wetsuits
1. Don’t buy wetsuits with a zipper if you want to go freediving or spearfishing. They may be easier to wear but are more suited for scuba divers (yes, those guys with the tanks on their back!) who don’t spend so much time in the water (insulation is not so important for them) and don’t need so much freedom in their movements (so elasticity is not so important to them)
2. Ideally (depending on how much you can endure the cold) you need 3 wetsuits for the whole year. Usual thickness begins at 3mm and increases every 0.5mm. If you don’t have a wetsuit, buy a 5mm one, since with some sacrifice, it can be used throughout all the year. As time will pass, you will probably find yourselves with 3 suit (3mm,5mm,7mm). According to the water temperature you will be able to combine jacket and trousers as you wish obtaining maximum comfort and insulation.
3. Jerseys are not all the same. Some are more elastic making movements even easier. To compare, stretch two pieces of identical neoprene that use a different jersey lining. If the neoprene is not exactly the same, you will not be able to come up with correct conclusion.
4. Wetsuits need love too! After each dive they should be rinsed with water and laid in the shade to dry. Once in a while some antibacterial liquid can be used to disinfect while using the washing machine is not a very good idea.
5. When the season of a wetsuit comes to an end, we rinse and dry the suit carefully and put it in a large bag (a garbage bag will do) sealing any opening to avoid air circulation. We store it in a horizontal position (for example: under the bed) and not hanging from coat hangers.
6. The wetsuits found in many stores have different sizes and the salesman by looking or measuring you can tell you what size will fit best. The best solution however is to make a custom made suit since it won’t be made for the “average diver” but for your body especially. That fact by itself is worth the extra cash.
7. Even if a wetsuit is not used at all, it has a certain life span after which it slowly loses its characteristics. This is because the material ages as it comes in contact with the sun and the air (that is why we seal any openings when storing a wetsuit). This explains the special offers you may come across when a season comes to an end. It’s not a bad idea to purchase an “old” wetsuit in an importantly low price, as long as you are aware of it.
8. In any case do not buy a “monoshort” or “surfing” type of suit to save money or because you dive only in the summer time. They simply cannot be used in what we do and eventually your money will be lost. I also did that mistake! Be a bit more patient and purchase directly a normal wetsuit (jacket and trousers). For the beginning my choice would be a 5mm jersey – open cell custom made!
