More from QingTian Li
More in Politics
Related Blogs
Archives
Social Share
Can You Use Surfing Wetsuit For Scuba Diving?
Posted By QingTian Li
Body
Wetsuit neoprene is a type of rubber foam used to make wetsuits. It is called closed-cell neoprene because air bubbles are trapped in the neoprene foam and sandwiched between one or more layers of fabric. Closed-cell means that each nitrogen bubble is surrounded and separated by the neoprene. Freediving suits and scuba suits are both made of closed-cell neoprene.
Freediving neoprene (sometimes called open-cell) is a low- or medium-density neoprene, which means that it has larger bubbles and thinner walls between bubbles than a scuba suit. As a result, wetsuits are more stretchy, softer, and more comfortable, but the larger bubbles compress with depth. Freediving suits have no lining, so the thinner neoprene sits tight against the body, with no layer of water between the skin and the wetsuit. The wetsuit acts as an insulator, resulting in a hotter surface, but it tears easily and is difficult to put on and take off. Freedivers often use a lubricant, such as soapy water, to put on their wetsuits.
Diving neoprene is usually a high-density neoprene with linings on both sides. The bubbles are smaller and the walls around the bubbles are thicker. This type of wetsuit is less stretchy but also compresses less with increasing depth. Therefore, the wetsuit provides better warmth in deep water. The lining makes the wetsuit easy to put on and take off. This lining forms a thin layer of water between the skin and the wetsuit. This warm water layer provides warmth to the diver. Because wetsuits are usually thicker, denser, and lined, they are usually sturdier than freediving suits.
In summary, both wetsuits can be used for freediving, where most of the time is spent on the surface, or for scuba diving, where most of the time is spent in deep water. That said, each wetsuit is designed with a specific use in mind, with low- or medium-density wetsuits being good for freedivers and high-density wetsuits being good for scuba divers.
Comments