| Diving suits are what divers normally wear when | | | | underwater. |
| diving and are generally categorized into two kinds: | | | | Wetsuits are inexpensive soft suits used for water |
| soft and hard diving suits. They are used to protect | | | | temperatures between 10 to 25°C and are |
| the divers from different elements to which s/he is | | | | constructed rather simply. Dry suits, on the other |
| exposed when diving. These elements may include | | | | hand, are thicker than wetsuits and may be used in |
| pressure, water, wind, even animals. Diving suits are | | | | water temperatures as low as -2 to -15°C with |
| designed to fit specific dive sites and the conditions in | | | | seals at the wrists and neck to prevent water from |
| these sites. | | | | entering the suits. Typical dry suits have air-vent |
| Ambient Pressure Suits | | | | vales that allow the diver to control the pressure |
| Ambient pressure suits are also referred to soft | | | | while ascending from a dive. They may be made |
| diving suits and are further divided into four main | | | | from neoprene or thinner materials, such as |
| types: wetsuits, dry suits, semi-dry suits, and dive | | | | vulcanized rubber or laminated nylon layers. Semi-dry |
| skins. Ambient pressure suits are not limited to use | | | | suits are used in water temperatures ranging from 10 |
| by divers but are also used for thermal protection by | | | | to 20°C and are thicker wet suits with better |
| water sports enthusiasts. Soft diving suits protect | | | | seals at the neck, wrists, and ankles. They are made |
| divers from the cold, abrasive, and sharp objects as | | | | from neoprene and are cheaper than dry suits. Dive |
| well as dangerous underwater life but do not offer | | | | skins are the thinnest dive suits available on the |
| protections against water pressure. They are made | | | | market and may be used in water temperatures |
| of heavy-duty plastic coated fiber called neoprene | | | | above 25°C. Dive skins are made from spandex, |
| and are subject to added buoyancy when used | | | | offer little thermal protection. |