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Wetsuit facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
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Two people in wetsuits

A wetsuit is a garment used by scuba divers, snorkelers, windsurfers, and surfers to keep themselves warm when they are in cold ocean water. Wetsuits let water in that acts as insulation to help the body keep its heat. They are made of plastic or rubber materials such as neoprene. Wetsuits include torso coverings, leggings, head coverings, and hand and feet coverings. The wetsuit is believed to have been invented by Jack O'Neill.

Partial wetsuits

When people are doing diving or water sports in areas where the water is not very cold, they may only wear some parts of a wetsuit, such as a torso covering or leggings.

Full wetsuits

Deepwater divers often wear full wetsuits that include torso coverings, leggings, head coverings, and hand and feet coverings. In very cold water, a scuba diver may need to wear a dry suit.

  • Dry suit - a type of protective clothing for scuba divers that keeps the diver dry. Dry suits do not allow water to touch the diver's body. This means that dry suits can be worn for scuba diving in very cold ocean water, such as the Arctic Ocean.

Interesting facts about wetsuits

  • Most wetsuits are dark and can therefore absorb the sun’s rays.
  • They protect swimmers and divers from jellyfish stings or underwater reefs and rock formations.
  • A wetsuit contains tiny bubbles of nitrogen gas that help with buoyancy.
  • The bubbles also help keep the person wearing it warm.
  • Body heat warms the thin layer of water trapped in the wetsuit and helps keep the wearer warm.
  • Different thicknesses and styles of wetsuits fit different water conditions and the wearer's needs.
  • Most wetsuits are between 3 and 5 millimeters thick.
  • The "shorty" wetsuit, covering the wearer’s torso with short sleeves and short leggings, is a common sight on warm surf beaches from Australia to Southern California.

Images for kids

  • the cuff of a semi-dry suit, showing an inner and outer seal

    Semi-dry cuffs use a smooth surface to seal against the skin to reduce flushing.

  • Detail of the zipper of a semi-dry wetsuit, showing one end of an open zipper and the neoprene flaps that cover it on the inside and outside of the suit to protect the zipper, improve comfort, and reduce leakage through the closed zip.

    Detail showing zipper attachment, internal flap and cover flap of semi-dry suit

  • Smoothskin beavertail wetsuit

    Woman wearing "smoothskin" wetsuit with "beavertail" and twistlock fasteners

  • Georges Beuchat, invention de la combinaison isothermique

    French diving gear manufacturer Georges Beuchat wearing the "isothermic" sponge-rubber wetsuit he invented in 1953

  • Sleeveless tunic in thin but abrasion resistant neoprene, with integral hood, two cargo pochets on the sides of the thighs, cross-chest zip closure, front pocket on the torso and opening for access to a dry-suit inflation valve. The tunic is suitable for wearing over most one-piece wetsuits for extra insulation, but mainly to support the cargo pockets and hood.

    Hooded tunic with cargo pockets

  • A pair of wetsuit boots showing hard soles and reinforcement in high-wear areas at the toe and heel, and side zipper closure with a thin neoprene gusset behind the zipper to reduce leakage.

    Hard soled wetsuit boots with zip fasteners

  • A pair of neoprene wetsuit gloves

    Neoprene wetsuit gloves

  • WetsuitBootPair

    A pair of zippered wetsuit boots. Note the reinforced sole for protection.

  • Two scuba divers in one-piece wetsuits and full scuba gear sitting in a boat, preparing to dive. Both divers are wearing tech rigs with back inflation BC and sling cylinders for decompression gas

    Scuba divers in steamer wetsuits, one wearing a hood

  • RNLI crewman seated in small inflatable, wearing helmet and bright red wetsuit.

    High visibility suit for sea rescue

  • Two surfers wearing one-piece wetsuits, riding a wave.

    Surfers in steamer wetsuits

See also

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