Freediving In A Dry Suit – What You Need To Know
We examine everything you need to know about drysuits and what to expect if you use them for freediving.
At some point in your life, you have probably heard of a wetsuit. These are the full body, rubbery material suits that you often see people wearing while engaging in various ocean techniques. You will see divers wearing them and even surfers. However, it may come as a surprise to learn that there is also something that exists that is referred to as a drysuit. In this article, we will examine what exactly a drysuit is, how it differs from a wetsuit, and whether or not it is a good piece of equipment to use while freediving.
What Is A Drysuit?
A drysuit is a garment that is worn by a person for the sole purpose of keeping water out. The zippers on the suit along with the seals around the wrists and ankles (sometimes they have socks attached to the legs) are designed to form a full body, watertight barrier. These suits are often baggy and allow the person using them to select any sort of garment to be worn underneath the suit. If your goal is to keep your body and clothing dry while out on the water, a drysuit is something to consider.
How Is A Drysuit Different From A Wetsuit?
The main difference between these two pieces of equipment are their respective purposes. A drysuit is solely designed to keep you dry. How you regulate your body temperature while on the water is determined by the garments you layer with underneath the drysuit.
On the other hand, a wetsuit is designed to keep your body warm even while you are wet. These suits do not lock out moisture as their dry counterparts are designed to do. However, they are constructed from a material called neoprene. This material is constructed from a process that results in nitrogen gas bubbles trapped within the material. These bubbles make a wonderful insulator of heat. When water seeps into the area between your skin and the neoprene suit, your body temperature heats the water and creates a warm barrier against the cold water you are swimming in.
What Are The Advantages Of A Drysuit?
If your only requirement is staying dry while on the water then a drysuit is the perfect choice for you. Additionally, if you are out on the water during the colder months and need a greater degree of insulation than what a typical wetsuit can provide, a drysuit is a better choice. Remember, drysuits a loose and allow room to add multiple layers of insulation in order to better maintain body warmth while in the water. Wetsuits, by comparison, are formfitting and compress against your body. A wetsuit can only provide so much insulation for your natural body heat.
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Drysuit?
The disadvantages of the drysuit are really shown when it comes to freediving. Drysuits are designed for people who engage in watersports in exceedingly colder climates. However, if your sport consists of full body movement to maximize speed and distance underwater, the baggy design of a drysuit can actually slow you down. This is where wetsuits have the advantage. Wetsuits compress and cling to the body and, essentially, serve as a second layer of skin. This allows you to glide through the water with minimal resistance. A baggy drysuit, by comparison, will inhibit your ability to swim effectively while diving.
Additionally, since the drysuit is completely sealed off from any inward flushing of water, the suit acts like a full body balloon that is filled with air. This creates a small degree of buoyancy when you attempt to dive beneath the water. This buoyancy can be counterbalanced with the use of a weight belt but now we are deviating from the essence of freediving which entails using a minimal amount of equipment.
What If My Drysuit Tears? Will I Sink If It Fills With Water?
Some people fear that if a drysuit fails, either by tearing or being punctured, water will rush into the suit and create what is sometimes referred to as a “death bag.” The concern is that the drysuit will turn into a heavy water balloon and weigh the person down which will cause them to sink and potentially drown. It is important to note that this is NOT something that we have experimented with. However, some people have experimented with this theory under controlled circumstances and the general consensus is that you will not sink if your drysuit fails.
If your drysuit fails at all, it will usually be around the seams along your wrists or neck or feet. This typically will happen if you are not careful when putting the suit on. Small tears on the seams of the suit can allow water to leak into the inner reservoir of the suit. However, the primary danger here is hypothermia. Although you will still be able to swim to safety if you experience a leak, water in the suit will compromise the temperature within the suit which can place you at risk of hypothermia. If you feel water leaking onto your drysuit, do not panic. However, you should not remain in the water either. Calmly swim to safety and exit the water and proceed to examine your suit.
For more information on what happens when a drysuit fails while in the water, check out the video below.
Is A Drysuit Good For Freediving?
This is one of those questions where we have to examine the difference between “can you” and “should you.” If the question is, “can you use a drysuit for freediving?” the answer is yes. You absolutely can do this. However, if the question is, “should you use a drysuit for freediving?” then we would recommend that this not be your first choice for an insulating garment. As we stated before, the drysuit comes with inherent disadvantages in the form of resistance while swimming and buoyancy while diving. You are simply going to have to work a lot harder while diving in a drysuit.
Drysuits are wonderful pieces of equipment for any number of water-bound activities. If you find yourself out on the water and you wish to do a little freediving, you can absolutely do this. Furthermore, if you engage in freediving in excessively cold water, a drysuit may provide some added comfort to you. All we are saying is that drysuits are not ideal for optimal freediving.
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