Wetsuits are a Scuba diving basics. We think it’s a must-have Scuba essential as we mentioned in the 10 Rules of Buying Scuba Diving Gear post. Picking the right wetsuit to suit your needs right from fit, thickness and style can be a little tricky if you don’t know much about them. Here’s a complete guide to buying your first wetsuit.

Wetsuit Styles
There a several choices of styles, when you go wetsuit shopping. There’s the Full wetsuit also known as the full body wetsuit with sleeves right up to the wrists and legs to the ankles. Needless to say it offers full protection and better warmth as it covers most of your body. Secondly there’s the Shorty. Shorties as the name suggests have short sleeves and end just above the knee. A good choice for warm water diving, many divers prefer shorties because it allows greater flexibility in movement underwater. They’re also a easier to put on and take of than a full length wetsuit.

Another option in style of wetsuits is the Farmer John/Jane which are two piece suits, with a sleeveless full length piece worn with a covering jacket. This style is also available in the shorty form. The question of whether one should wear a shorty wetsuit has been asked and debated constantly by divers and you can read up more of our thoughts on the subject in - To Shorties or not to Shorties?

Wetsuit Thickness
Thickness is probably the most important consideration you’ll have to make when buying a wetsuit. It’s a critical factor in keeping you warm and and toasty during a dive. The thicker the wetsuit the warmer it will keep you. Some wetsuits actually have 2 thicknesses on different parts of the wetsuit. For example a 5/3 mm wetsuit means the thickness would be 5 mm on the torso and 3 mm on the arms and legs.

While there’s no particular guide to which thickness is best in a wetsuit as it differs according to the temperature of the water and the relevant conditions, here’s a rough guide to what water temperatures and suitable wetsuit thicknesses are often recommended. But your preferences can differ depending on your cold threshold.

2 mm: Water temperatures above 85 F
3 mm: Water temperatures between 70-85 F
5 mm: Water temperatures between 60-70 F
6.5 mm: Water temperatures between 50-70 (at these temperatures the use of a drysuit can also be recommended)

Wetsuit Fit
It’s very important that your wetsuit fit perfectly for it to be effective. So trying on wetsuits before you buy any is crucial. It can be frustrating and time consuming as trying them on is not always easy but don’t skip this step or you’ll regret it for sure.

If you haven’t worn a wet suit before, you should know that if you can put it on easily it’s too big for you. Especially since you’ll be wearing your wetsuit when it’s dry on land, a sign of the right fit is, a little struggle, huffing and puffing when you put it on. Scuba diving wetsuits feel snug on you and it will probably feel that your movement are restricted, which is normal.

The wetsuit shouldn’t be too tight so that it cuts of circulation at your wrists and ankle or your can even bend your knees in them. It shouldn’t be loose either cause that will allow water to flow freely through it defeating the purpose completely. There should not be any large gaps in the underarm or crotch area. However, it may probably have a gap at the small of the back, which is ok.

No matter how time consuming it is to try on different wetsuits, it’ll be well worth all your time and effort to have a perfectly fitting wetsuit that keeps you warm during your dives. There’s nothing that can ruin a dive faster than being cold and shivering while you are underwater, so get it right when you buy one the first time.

Mares Trilastic Deluxe 5-4-3mm One Piece Wetsuit, Henderson 3-MM Titanium Hyperstretch Mens Shorty, Henderson 7mm Gold Core Neoprene Men’s Wetsuit all available at LeisurePro.com