Why you should dive in your own wetsuit

Recently I was asked by a newly certified Open Water student whether I thought it was worth them buying their own wet suit.  Below are some of the reasons I gave them for it being a great idea.  In fact, after obtaining your own mask, snorkel, fins and boots, the wet suit should be your next scuba toy.

a)      Warmth:  Having your suit fitted to suit your body shape by a professional will guarantee that the suit seals off at water entry points and will keep you nice and toasty because water draws heat away from the body 25 time faster than air.  Therefore, by minimising water entry and escape, heat loss is also minimised

b)      Comfort:  There is nothing like having the freedom of movement you need not only whilst underwater but also whilst out of water… Why? Because you may have to walk several hundreds of metres with your gear on to get to an entry point

c)       Hygiene:  Not all dive training facilities have rigorous cleaning and maintenance programs, although we do, we can’t guarantee for sure that the person who used a school suit last didn’t use it as a toilet.  NASTY!