What are wetsuits for?
364831
From the Wikipedia:\n\nA wetsuit is a protective garment used for watersports such as scuba diving, surfing, windsurfing, and triathlon. A modern wetsuit is mostly made from thin neoprene, which provides limited thermal protection for activities in cold water. It is usually lined with a nylon fabric to strengthen it and make it easy to put on and take off. Some newer wetsuits, usually marketed as "superflex," contain spandex in addition to neoprene to allow the suit to stretch (the panels of a wetsuit of this type typically contain 15-20% spandex). This counteracts neoprene's tendency to shrink with age; it also allows for some changes in the wearer's size without making the suit uncomfortable.\n\nContrary to common belief, a wetsuit doesn't keep one warm by heating the water inside the wetsuit. Water has a very high thermal conductivity so heat is lost very quickly to the surrounding water. How a wetsuit works is all in its material, neoprene. Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that when processed to make wetsuits is mixed with small bubbles of nitrogen gas. These bubbles of nitrogen gas are what keep a person warm, due to the low thermal conductivity of nitrogen gas. The wetsuit must be a close fit to make the suit work efficiently; too loose a fit will allow the water to move around conduct heat away from the body. Flexible seals at the suit cuffs aid in the water retention. The suit loses buoyancy and thermal protection as the bubbles in the neoprene are compressed at depth.
661189
I am a certified SCUBA diver.  A dry suit is a suit that will keep you completely dry.  Just a dry suit by it's self will not keep you warm but there undergarments that you buy to wear underneath that will keep you warm.  Wet suits you will get wet in. They will keep you fairly warm depending on the thickness and water temp. You have 3mm-7mm in thickness.  Overall is you are not going to be in water colder than 70-75 degrees I would suggest a wet suit.  If you have any other Q’s pleas feel free to email me.
499509
As in underwater?\nLike an underwater city?\nAn air tank\na wet suit\nfreeze dried food\ndrinkable water\na sub. of some sort for travel.
891284
A proper fitting suit, shouldn't be a struggle to put on.\n Give up the donuts or get a larger size.\n Sorry, but the idea of a wet suit is to allow water between it and you and that water adds a layer of insulation. If it's so tight that you can't get it on easily, not only do you lose that layer, but the lack of blood flow going to your extremities, will also be an issue, making you colder than if you HADN'T been wearing a suit.\n As for using lubricants to get the suit on, guess where all that stuff goes. Right into a fragile environment, when it washes out of the suit during use. All I saw mentioned were oils and  petroleum products that will also damage the suit or permeate the suit so badly, you'll smell like a combination Greek Deli/ Hungarian meat dish with a little garlic marinade that just rolled around on the floor of a Speedy Muffler King. Suits stink at the best of times, why accelerate the process?\n I did see some one mention talcum, if the suit is dry, that WILL work. Anyone here who dives a drysuit with latex seals will attest to that.
531943
Because it's almost swim suit season!
187479
http://lowpricedpoolsupply.com/kids-wetsuits.html\nwet suits
341762
yeah just where a life jacket and it will still be well worth it.  plus you can see tons of stuff with out getting in deep water.  I am a good swimmer but I couldn't go under water with my snorkel with out swallowing water anyways.  But maybe I'm just dumb!  Anyways I put on a life jacket and loved it all the same.  As long as you aren't scared of being in the water you'll enjoy it.
379757
Obviously water temp and weather is major factor, as most people here have pointed out. Fairly obvious I think. \n\nBUT, there's more to it than that...\n\n1. Yes, boardshorts will give you the most freedom and flexibility. \n\n2. However, unless you're in the tropics with really hot conditions, some kind of rubber is usually nice. Even in Hawaii or Indo the wind can get chilly out in the water and a vest or long sleeve top can offer some extra warmth and protection. \n\nSpeaking of protection...\n\n3. Surfing is a rough sport. Not only do you have the bottom to contend with, you've also got a hard fiberglass surfboard that loves to smack into your arms, knees, and chest when you're learning to surf. \n\nQuick story:\n\nI grew up surfing in Santa Cruz, wearing a full wetsuit and booties all year round. I fantasized about moving to Socal or Hawaii and surfing in trunks. When I finally did move to San Diego, it was August and the water was really warm. I threw on my boardshorts and paddled out. \n\nWhat a shock!\n\nMy ribs got bruised and sore from lying on the board without those 3mm of rubber in between. My shins and knees got all banged up on the board. And  my thighs got all rashed up from rubbing on the rails. \n\nBottom line: rubber is great! The latest lines of wetsuits are so soft and smooshy and flexible, that flexibility has become almost a non-issue. \n\nI highly recommend wearing some kind of rubber, even if it's just a wetsuit top or springsuit. Long-sleeve springsuits are great because they're thin, flexible, keep you warm, keep you protected from nicks and bruises, and, unlike a short-sleeve springsuit, you won't get a farmer's tan on your arms ;)\n\nAnd, to bring it full circle back to the performance issue, that tiny extra bit of flexibility you get from wearing boardshorts is nothing compared to the confidence-boost you'll get from wearing some rubber. Just by being warm and comfortable and knowing that you're somewhat protected if you hit the bottom, that alone will get you to your feet quicker and surfing more aggressively. \n\nHave fun!
568003
Dude, where did you come up with this schtuff? *LMAO*\n\nIt's called "Drown Proofing", and it's designed to allow the soldiers to get used to being in water for an extended time.  It training on how to use your uniform as life preservers, and to use/discard equipment when placed in that type of environment.
1123335
Sounds very cool, are you going to wear an immersion suit, or something to protect you from the cold water? Is the Zoar sport a "sit on top"? I like those best as it forces you to wear some kind of Cold water suit, and if you go over it's bum first, feet last to get back on. Take care, and don't forget to wear your PFD.
410344
doping is a difficult topic to tackle...talk about the use of suits.  many people take issue over the use of new 'fastskin' or full body suits.  discuss whether use of those suits should be allowed and to what extent...where do we draw the line?  will suits that have fins or propellers protruding some day be worn/allowed?  that may be extreme, but olympic swimmers are not allowed to wear fins or hand paddles in a race because they enhance performance; don't some of the technology-enhanced suits people wear these days do the same thing?  when does the sport stop being about human ability and start being a faceoff between different kinds of swimwear?\n\nhope this helps...
1079737
what's the purpose of the gloves
547850
125 for male jammers.  In my opinion, too much.  The aquablade by speedo is a great suit for about half the price.  Fast Skins and FSII are overrated, unless you are sponsored.
868701
A swimsuit will be lined and generally has formed bra-cups built in.  Also, where leotards are made in a variety of materials (nylon, supplex, cotton, etc) which suit the taste or needs of the wearer, swimsuits need to be of a synthetic that dries quickly.  Also, the lining of the swimsuit keeps it from becoming too revealingly transparent when wet.  The nature of the fast drying fabrics make this necessary where a leotard doesn't have this problem.
84110
whoissarthak's idea works, but that isn't a wet suit; that's a dry suit.  A wet suit works differently.  The idea is that there are basically three ways to move heat: conduction, radiation, and convection.  Conduction is when two things are in direct contact, like touching a hot stove or a cold flagpole.  Radiation has to do with the infrared light emited by warm bodies, and has nothing much to do with your project.  Convection is the real concern--it is the transfer of heat by means of a fluid intermediate, and it is the fast form of heat loss.\n\nYou're body sheds heat by means of perspiration, where sweat evaporates and takes heat away with it--that's convection.  When you fell colder in a strong breexe, that's convection taking heat away quicker.  When you blow on a spoon of hot soup to cool it, that's convection.\n\nThe way a wetsuit works is by not allowing the water in contact with the skin to be carried away.  It inhibits the movement of water through it.  Enough gets in to contact the skin and make your skin wet, which is why they call it a wetsuit, but that water doesn't leave easily.  It stays put and your body heats up the water.  Hence, the water in your wetsuit is much warmer than the water in the surrounding ocean, so the water taking heat from your skin is not quickly carried away and replaced by more cold water.\n\nIf you want to make a wetsuit, you want something htat will make it difficult (but not impossible) for water to come and go.
561972
maybe briefs or protection
1052480
All you need is the swimsuit to keep you comfortable. Get a snug fitting wetsuit -- as snug as you can -- and dust it with a little cornstarch before you put it on. That way you can slide into it easily. The easiest way to get out of a wetsuit is (and I'm not making this up) in the shower. Stand under a nice warm shower and peel it off. And that hot water feels sooo good! One of our favorite dive sites used to be Rosario Beach on the Pacific Coast, where they had hot water showers for 25 cents.