You might have asked why wetsuits are not waterproofed if they are meant to protect you from the cold.

Wetsuits are worn when you do surfing or snorkeling or scuba diving on a cold day. Even for people who work near and in cold waters, a wetsuit is a necessary gear. It may seem something that you think can be so uncomfortable to put on but it is important to wear them for protection.

Wearing of wetsuits is necessary when you are playing near or in the waters. It works by maintaining or preserving your body heat to protect you from hypothermia. But why is it not waterproofed if it is meant to maintain your body heat? Below are some facts that might help you understand how wetsuits work.

Wetsuits are made from a very flexible rubber called Neoprene. This material that makes up your scuba diving wetsuit or your surfing wetsuit is waterproofed. However, the entire wetsuit itself is not a waterproofed garment.

The openings on the neck, the wrist and the legs of a wetsuit are meant to allow a little amount of water to get into the wetsuit once you are in the water. Since the wetsuit is made up of a waterproofed material, water is prevented from seeping through other portions of the garment aside from the openings of the suit.

This water works as the body’s insulator as this will prevent the loss of body heat while you are submerged in water. Once this water comes into the suit through its openings, other parts of the wetsuit should not seep in more water as this will forfeit the wetsuit’s purpose of warming the body.

It is because of this mechanism that wetsuits are not made waterproofed. This is how wetsuits work to preserve body heat. So the next time you put on your surfing wetsuit or your scuba diving wetsuit, don’t expect that it will keep you dry, although there may be instances that when you get out of your wetsuit, some parts of your body may remain dry.

Tags: Surfing

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