Wetsuits
Expert advice
Talk to divers who use the kit we sell.
Servicing and repairs
Regulators, cylinders, drysuits, BCDs and computer batteries.
Rutland dive centre
A real shop in Oakham, with training and pool sessions.
UK delivery
Posted across the UK. Ask about lead times on special orders.
Frequently asked questions
UK inland and coastal water spends most of the year in the cool and cold bands, so divers here are usually in 5mm or more, often with a hood and gloves.
The thickness guide above is a starting point, not a rule. How long you are in the water, how hard you are working and your own cold tolerance all move the answer. If you are diving through the winter, it is worth comparing a thick wetsuit against a drysuit before deciding.
The thickness guide above is a starting point, not a rule. How long you are in the water, how hard you are working and your own cold tolerance all move the answer. If you are diving through the winter, it is worth comparing a thick wetsuit against a drysuit before deciding.
Snug everywhere, with no loose folds at the lower back, armpits or behind the knees, and no gaps at the neck, wrists or ankles. It should feel tighter on land than you expect.
A wetsuit works by holding a thin layer of water against your skin. If it is loose, that water flushes through as you move and the suit stops doing its job, however thick it is. Sizing varies between manufacturers, so check the chart for the specific suit rather than assuming your size carries across.
A wetsuit works by holding a thin layer of water against your skin. If it is loose, that water flushes through as you move and the suit stops doing its job, however thick it is. Sizing varies between manufacturers, so check the chart for the specific suit rather than assuming your size carries across.
If most of your diving is UK inland and coastal, and especially if you want to dive through the winter, a drysuit is usually the more comfortable long-term answer.
A wetsuit still makes sense if you dive mainly in warmer water, dive seasonally, or want something simpler and quicker to travel with. Plenty of divers own both. If you are weighing it up, come and talk it through rather than guessing from a chart.
A wetsuit still makes sense if you dive mainly in warmer water, dive seasonally, or want something simpler and quicker to travel with. Plenty of divers own both. If you are weighing it up, come and talk it through rather than guessing from a chart.
Rinse it in fresh water after every dive, turn it the right way out and hang it to dry on a wide hanger out of direct sunlight. Narrow hangers stretch the shoulders, and sunlight is what ages neoprene fastest.
Avoid leaving it screwed up in a wet bag. Most wetsuits that die early die of storage rather than diving.
Avoid leaving it screwed up in a wet bag. Most wetsuits that die early die of storage rather than diving.