Wetsuits Vs. Dry Suits – What’s the Difference?

Wetsuits and drysuits are both extremely handy items of clothing to have if you’re a water sports junkie or simply like to participate in water sports during colder weather.

But what actually is the difference and which should you be investing in?

Continue reading to discover the benefits and a guide on choosing the best option for you!

Wet Suits

You were probably already aware that the main purpose of a wetsuit is to keep you warm, but how it does this is, by letting a small amount of water in which uses your body as a source of heat to keep the body consistently warm when in the water.

They’re designed to be skin tight which allows the body to be much more athletic and unrestricted when in the water. If your wetsuit isn’t skin tight and feels too loose, you’re going to get cold!

Wetsuits are made from a type of rubber cold neoprene which keeps the body warm, even when wet.

Because of this, they’re ideal for surfing, bodyboarding, sea swimming, or any water activities that involve you actually being in the water for long periods of time.

They’re great for all year round sports, especially in the Summer, and you may have already seen that you can get short, ¾ length wetsuits for the warmer weather too.

It’s important to note that cheap wetsuits or those with exposed stitching will cause a wetsuit rash, whether you’re in or out of the water and this is very uncomfortable! Make sure you buy a well-made wetsuit to avoid this.

Dry Suits

The main difference to a wetsuit is that these are completely waterproof and are designed to prevent any water getting in at all. They are fully sealed with neck and wrist seals to achieve this.

However, dry suits aren’t too be worn on their own and require thermal base layers to keep the body warm. Without clothing or these extra layers, they simply won’t do the job.

How do they work? Dry suits keep a layer of insulated air between the body and the suit and this can be controlled via an inflator valve, a bit like a buoyancy aid.

Like wetsuits, they can also be made from neoprene rubber, or sometimes vulcanised rubber, or heavy-duty nylon.

They are recommended for really cold weather, particularly the Autumn or Winter when it’s raining, when participating in activities that don’t involve you getting in the water too much.

These could be sports like kayaking, canoeing, sailing, or kite surfing.

Unlike wetsuits, these are meant to be fairly loose fitting around the body to allow extra room for clothing or thermal layers underneath.

Due to the way they work, they tend to be more expensive than wetsuits.

If you’ve decided on the right suit for your next outing, have you thought about how you’re going to carry all your stuff?

Our dry bags are fully waterproof and make it easy for you to take your stuff with you on your next trip, keeping everything dry.

Shop the range here!