Wetsuit

A wetsuit protects surfers ( "Surfer " ) and other water sports from cooling and solar radiation. Since water deprives the body in conjunction with wind through evaporation heat, it is also useful at temperatures above 20 ° C, to protect themselves by surf clothing from hypothermia.

Material

Surfing suits are often made ​​of thin chloroprene rubber such as neoprene. They are available in styles (Shirt, Shorts, Shorty ) and tailored to different water temperatures thicknesses. Common thicknesses between 3 mm and 6 mm. The use of chloroprene rubber is due to the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAHs) controversial. For this reason, experiments with new formaldehyde - free materials such as thermoprene for several years.

Types of surf suits

Wetsuits keep the body, not dry, but they hinder the direct exchange of water. The water that is in a suit between neoprene and body is warmed by the body and serves as an additional thermal insulation. On the basis of this principle, therefore, one also speaks of a semi- dry suit, semi-dry suit or semi-dry suit. Dry Suits, however, prevent the ingress of water and therefore can be worn over normal clothing. Based on the length of the arms and legs also can be identified through conceptual differences. Thus, a suit with short arms and legs is also called Anglo-Saxon and also in the German vernacular Shorty. A suit with long legs, but no arms is also referred to as Long John, the corresponding waist-length neoprene jacket as a bolero. In the latter two parts together also referred to as a so-called two-parter.

Delineation of surf suits for diving suits

Neoprene and dry suits are not only worn by surfers, but also of divers, water skiers, and sometimes also by swimmers. Also, rafting and sailing in troubled waters cold such suits are used. The suits, however, are built differently than wetsuits that are not designed for the increased ambient pressure. Another difference is in the surface of the suit. Thus, the appearance of diving suits consists mainly of double laminated neoprene, having a more porous surface of a fabric and thus is similar. Through this larger surface thermal insulation under water is better than a surf suit, which consists mainly outside made ​​of smooth neoprene. The low surface of smooth skin neoprene, and better roll-off characteristics of smooth skin neoprene worry about water and especially wind for a lower evaporative cooling.