Wetsuits & Semi Dry Suits

One of the first and most essential pieces of kit you need for almost every diving activity is a diving suit. There are three main types of diving suit available on the market which are the commonly known wet suit, the less known semi dry suit and the more advanced drysuit. Many divers and newcomers to diving often ask what is the difference between a wet suit, semi dry suit and drysuit? There are a few distinguishing features that separate them and personal preference also plays a large part when choosing a diving suit.

When choosing a diving suit the most important thing to consider is the temperature of the water you will be diving in. If you are diving in cold conditions (ie. when the water is below 10°C) you will need a dry suit or semi dry suit. For warmer conditions a wet suit is well recommended.

Below we have prepared a quick comparison of features to help you purchase the right diving suit for your diving activity.

Wet Suits - Wet suits are designed to keep you warm while diving in cold water temperatures. Wet suits provide their warmth by trapping a layer of water against your skin which then gradually warms with your body temperature. As with almost all diving equipment there is a wide variety of different wetsuits available on the market to choose from. One of the most important aspects of a wetsuit is the material it is made of. All wetsuits are made of neoprene of varying qualities and composites so if you are going to choose a wetsuit it makes sense to choose one within your budget that is well recommended.

Semi Dry Suits – Semi dry suits and drysuits both have the advantage of keeping you warm in and out of the water. Semi dry suits are comparatively more manoeuvrable than drysuits in the water and have less issues with buoyancy which makes them easier for newcomers to use. Semi dry suits layers can also be adjusted to adapt to the temperature which makes them versatile for a range of temperatures when diving.

Drysuits – Drysuits are recommended for colder temperatures and offer good protection. These advantages come at a price, quite literally, as the higher quality construction of drysuits means they will cost comparatively more compared to semi dry suit or wetsuit options. Training will also be required before you can use a drysuit safely and effectively. You can view our Drysuits and Accessories page by following the link to find out more.