Scuba wetsuit is made for the purpose of thermal protection in diving. Thermal protection when scuba diving is significant to a diver. This prevents the probable event of discomfort during a dive. A chill may experience contributing to an unsatisfied and uncomfortable underwater adventure.

Wet suits are used to provide insulation during a dive. Wet suits, made of neoprene material, are worn by scuba divers to prevent from too much chill. The trapping of liquid against the skin acts as a medium of heat transfer. This preserves the heat in the body protecting the diver from coolness of the water.

Wetsuit that has thinner layer of neoprene is more suitable to fit. Wetsuits should hug the body and should not sag when worn. This is to have a good thermal protection. A perfectly fit wetsuit provides more comfort when used in scuba diving. This helps keep the warmth intact in the thin layer of the wetsuit that absorbs and keeps the water. The trapped water provides warmth throughout scuba diving.

The written account of first wetsuit design was initialized by Hugh Bradner, a US Navy serviceman. Unfortunately, his design did not get a patent nor did he make it commercialized even during the documentation of his invention on June 21, 1951 which he wrote on a letter.

The brothers Robert and Jack O’Neill are the supposed creator of the black wetsuit. However, Robert O’Neill initially designed the first wetsuit from neoprene and the two brothers then formed a wetsuit maker business which is called O’Neill. The business proved to be successful leading to the diversification of its product lines. O’Neill has become a premier brand in scuba diving products.

Other wetsuit designs followed in the US and in Europe using other materials beside neoprene. German and French creators designed wetsuits made of a sponge rubber whole the British made wetsuits from a natural rubber with stockinet.

There are many changes in the design and creation of wetsuit before it has become a perfect suit for scuba diving. The need for backing materials in the fabrication of the suit is experimental to make wet suits free from leak. Backing material was in the form of nylon. The material has the character to seal the seamed parts of the wetsuit to prevent the water from coming out. Other things were also experimented such as the using of tape and glue to assemble a wetsuit. During the course of wetsuit revolution, the blind stitch development has proved to be successful.

The rigidity of nylon as a backing material is an antagonist to the flexibility of neoprene. The use of spandex and lycra as backing materials complement the flexibility of neoprene and improve the quality of the wetsuits. These materials slowly substitute the use of nylon.

There are a few types of wetsuits available. The long john wet suit is a popular variation of the wetsuit which is a two-piece suit that integrates a jacket and covers the legs and the body only. The full suit is a much-preferred type that covers the body stretching to the whole length of legs and arms. A peculiar variety is a mermaid suit that coupled the legs covering the torso and arms and, of course, the whole legs. Of all variation, the full suit is popularly worn because of its over-all thermal covering especially in cold waters.

The thickness of wetsuit is a concern. The thin-layered wetsuit is preferred because of its comfort when used. However, it is only suitable for warm waters and for a few deep not more than 60 feet. The thin-layered neoprene material cannot withstand the compression in deeper waters. A dive skin as an inner layer and the wetsuit the outer are a preferred fashion when scuba diving at cold waters. Very cold waters and deep waters are only suitable to divers wearing dry suits.

The beneficial property of wetsuit has been regarded for use in other sport fields beyond scuba diving. Triathlon wet suits in short-type are worn by triathlon athletes. Swimmers and some surfers also wear wet suits. The creation of wet suit is practically for the purpose of thermal insulation of scuba divers.