From their names alone, they drop a hint that drysuits will make you dry and wetsuits do not. But why do we use one instead of the other?

Wetsuits

Wetsuit manufacturers usually design wetsuits according to its use. Scuba diving wetsuits may be slightly different from a wetsuit made for triathlon or surfing, or it may differ in the materials and flexibility but they all have the same purpose - they maintain body warmth when you are in the water.

Wetsuits preserve the heat of your body when you are exposed to cold temperatures and cold waters. They work by allowing a small amount of water through the openings of the suit. This layer of water will serve then as the body's shield from the cold temperature outside the wetsuit.

The material that makes up a wetsuit is a very flexible rubber that is also waterproofed. However, wetsuits do not work by keeping your body dry. It actually lets a small amount of water into the suit so that it can protect you from the cold.

A wetsuit is very flexible, as it is made up of a very flexible rubber called neoprene. This protective garment is designed to snugly fit every curve of your body so that it can work properly in protecting you from the cold. Some people may wear clothes underneath a wetsuit but most often, wetsuits are not worn with clothes underneath.

Drysuits

A drysuit is also protective garment that is worn to protect the body from the cold or from suffering hypothermia, especially when you are submerged in water, as body heat tends to lose faster in water than when you are in land. Unlike wetsuits, drysuits are baggy and loose. As the name suggests, drysuits keep you dry even if you are submerged in water. This is how it works in keeping you warm.

A drysuit is designed to be baggy to allow movement through the space underneath your suit because a drysuit is not flexible as a wetsuit. It also allows you to wear more warm garments inside for longer warmth.

Both wetsuits and drysuits preserve body heat but they differ largely on their flexibility and of course, in keeping you dry. Having known their differences, it may be simpler to determine why wetsuits are preferred over drysuits.

Water sports especially those competitive ones require speed and maximum flexibility in the garments. Of course, with drysuits being baggy and not flexible, it would be unsuitable for water sports like triathlon. It may even slow you down instead of speeding up. However, when you do scuba diving and you intend to enjoy the adventure a little longer, you may however need a drysuit for protection, especially if water temperature is below 60.