Scuba Suit
A scuba suit is designed to keep a diver warm while underwater.
They are made from neoprene and designed to be worn snugly in order
to allow little water to move against the diver's skin. They work by
insulating the diver from the cold water. Wetsuits come in many sizes
from one millimeter to seven millimeters or more, with the most common
sizes being 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm.
The most typical styles are the Shorty, the full length and the farmer
john.
The Shorty style has short arms and legs and is typically worn in tropical
water. The full length is a full one-piece suit that can, depending
on thickness, be worn in cold, temperate, and warm water. The farmer-john
is a two piece wetsuit that overlaps to provide more warmth on the torso.
It was previously quite popular but is now primarily used only in cold
water.
Diving in cold water often requires the diver to wear a hood and booties.
A hood is a neoprene cap that you wear over your head to keep it warm
and can be thought of as an extension of the wetsuit. Booties are a
similar version for feet. Neoprene gloves, and additional vests and
insulation are also quite common in cold water dives, as are dry suits,
which don’t allow water to enter, keeping a divers core completely
dry.