DIVEIN’s guide to the
21 Best Scuba Wetsuits in 2022 [For Cold and Warm water]
Our divers at work
We gave our two scuba wetsuits geeks one job:
Test 33 different Scuba Wetsuits and write reviews of the best.
The result is 22 of the best Scuba Wetsuits on the marked today.
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Have you ever had a wetsuit that fits you like a glove? That was easy to put on, fast drying, and all the seams stayed together year after year?
That’s the gold standard of wetsuits and we think everyone deserves a scuba diving wetsuit like that.
For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of the top wetsuits.
All are from well-known brands renowned for their high-quality scuba diving equipment.
So, let’s take a look at the wetsuits themselves, and at the bottom of the article, you’ll find a few considerations that will help you with your purchase.
Top 5 Warm Water Shortie Wetsuits
We’ve gathered a selection of the best warm water shortie wetsuits. All stable a reliable, but at a low cost.
Top 6 Warm Water Full Wetsuits
You’re diving alot and you want a full wetsuits for warm water. Here’s the best warm water full wetsuits.
Top 5 Temperate Water Wetsuits
Temperate water wetsuits needs to be durable and thick. Here’s the best choices in the tech temperate water wetsuits:
Top 5 Cold Water Wetsuits
Take out the uncomfortble and dangerous cold water by a reliable wetsuits for it. Here’s the best choices for cold water wetsuits:
Top 5 Warm Water Shortie Wetsuits of 2022
Heading to the Red Sea in June or buddying up during a Bonaire summertime? If so, you probably don’t need a thick wetsuit. These short suits (shorties) are just the ticket. They keep the trunk on your body warm but leave most of your legs and arms uncovered so you’ve got plenty of freedom to move.
These suits are also perfect for snorkeling, body boarding, and generally splashing around.
This super stretchy wetsuit is made from 100 percent Quantum Stretch, nylon-2 neoprene. This makes the Aqua Lung shortie 200 percent stretchier than standard neoprene. The velcro collar is adjustable which helps to keep out the cold. Smooth chest and back panels dry out quickly and provide better warmth when on the surface. Final notes from our reviewer: This suit does have more stretch than others which makes it comfortable and minimizes water exchange. It has held up well. I like that it’s comfortable, it’s soft and flexible so it doesn’t restrict movement. All the openings have a softer rubbery coating that ensures a good seal. It’s also easy to get into and out of. This popular wetsuit is anatomically cut specifically for women. Sturdy and high-quality flatlock stitching helps to prevent chafing on the skin. Lycra-trimmed leg and wrist seals ensure trapped water won’t weigh you down. An internal, zippered pocket is a great idea for keeping essentials secure while you dive. Like the women’s NeoSport shortie, the men’s version is anatomically designed to feel like a second skin. Not only will this wetsuit provide warmth, but it will also protect wearers from UV rays, jellyfish stings, and other irritants. This is the first wetsuit we’ve looked at with a zipper located on the front. Although not for everyone, front zippers can make life easier when getting the wetsuit on and off. For those who will be diving in colder climes, the Cressi Lido shortie is suitable for wearing beneath thicker suits for added warmth. This thin wetsuit means the wearer retains a lot of flexibility. The material is light and easy to get on and take off. A hook-and-loop fastening collar sits high for added comfort and protection from the elements.x The Cressi Tortuga is ideal for diving in tropical waters. Even in warm water, divers often want more coverage than a shortie can provide. Having protection for your body is great, but what about your arms and legs? These full wetsuits are great choices for providing full body warmth and protection. Both the Revel and Elate are super flexy which makes moving around in and on the water really easy. The anatomically correct design, low-profile collar, and range of sizes offer a great fit. Although the seals are simple, the cuffs fit snug against the skin, keeping the water out and the body warm. And the stylish design looks good too. We think these are a great choice for warm water diving, ocean swimming, surfing, and other watersports. And at the price point, loads of customers are bound to agree! Made from Ultraspan neoprene, the Cressi Morea is amazingly flexible. With a rubberized neoprene chest panel, you have a non-slip contact area for BCD straps that is resistant to abrasion. Padded knee and shin patches prevent your knees from getting scratched if you need to kneel. The stitching is done with an anti-fraying thread making the Cressi Morea a wetsuit that lasts. This suit is exactly the same quality and spec as the men’s version. The cut is designed for women and the suit is flexible enough to fit most female forms. The Cressi Morea is comfortable, provides excellent protection, and really exceeds expectations. Like the shortie version of Aqua Lung’s Quantum suit, this full suit is ultra stretchy giving you full flexibility. The neck closure comes with a molded Aqua Lung Sports grip-tab to keep out the cold. Skin-in neoprene seals at the ankles and wrists help divers slide in and out of the suit easily. They also retain heat and keep the water out. Embossed knee pads give additional grip and make the wetsuit more durable. Aquaflex neoprene is a super-stretch material three times as stretchy as standard neoprene. No matter your body shape, this wetsuit will form around you ensuring a great fit. Internal back and chest panels come with a thermal loop laminate which helps keeps your body warm. This ScubaPro wetsuit is made from X-Foam neoprene which is more hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly than other neoprene. Also friendly to the environment is the water-based, solvent-free glue which is used to assemble the suit. On the inside are chest and back panels with thermal loop laminate to provide additional warmth. The legs and arms are pre-bent for better movement and comfort. One great feature is the silicone traction pad on the left sleeve. This will keep your dive computer from moving and rotating when the neoprene compresses at depth. If you are thinking of heading to Cozumel to dive the cenotes or to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, you may need to consider a slightly thicker wetsuit. These temperate water suits are sure to keep you warm on your adventure. Like the previous Everflex wetsuit, the ScubaPro Everflex Steamer is made from X-Foam neoprene. It comes double layered which provides improved stretch and protection from cold water. There is a diagonal back zipper for easy donning. Great for flexibility, warmth and saving our oceans! Same specs as the women’s version but designed for men. Zippers on the wrists and ankles make getting into and out of the wetsuit easier. There is also a zipper at the neck which is great for when you are between dives. Extra padding on the knees, shoulders, and elbows offers protection from the elements. The design has fewer seams than usual which increases flexibility. Bare has used three different types of stretch material in their Velocity Ultra suit. Basically, this provides an excellent fit, performance, and feel. The underarms are seamless and the collar is contoured for extra comfort. Embossed rear knee panels provide additional maneuverability when kicking. Heavy duty zips and double-glued seams make this wetsuit highly durable. The Cressi Castoro Jumpsuit is double-lined with durable but soft neoprene. It provides great heat retention when diving at depth. Pre-shaped legs help with flexibility when kicking and an under-zip lining prevents water infiltration. This suit is made from AquaFlex neoprene with seams that are sealed with liquid rubber. The result is a wetsuit that will move with you while keeping you warm. The base thickness of this suit is 5 mm before the addition of the nylon inner and outer layers. There is a silicone print pad on the left wrist for keeping your computer secured. Wrist, ankle, collar, and knee pads have more give for comfort and ease when it comes to donning the suit. Padding in the kidney area provides additional insulation. It may not be for everyone, but there is some great diving to be done in the cold waters around the world. Whether it’s kelp forests off the California coastline or WWI wrecks in Scotland, keeping warm is vitally important. These water temperatures are not just uncomfortable, they can also be dangerous. As well as wearing a hood, booties, gloves, and a vest, choosing a thick wetsuit or semi-dry suit specially made for cold water is critical. Check out the following selection of wetsuits to keep you safe and warm while cold water diving. The Bare Reactive 7mm is a Nylon -2 Neoprene wetsuit with rear entry zipper is a premium option designed for cold water recreational diving. Lined using the ultra-warm Graphene Omnired infrared technology fabric, this wetsuit is intended to keep you warm on deeper dives. In addition to the warmth in colder water, and because of the 7mm of thickness, the Reactive 7 also gives its bearer more buoyancy. What’s also unique about this wetsuit is the amount of zippers: 1 on each ankle, on each wrist and on the front and back at the collar. This wetsuit is a rear entry model. We took it for a dive to see how well it stands up to an everyday recreational experience. The Henderson Thermoprene for women is tailored for the female form and has the same specs as the men’s version. High-quality seams which are GBS-glued and blind-stitched prevent water seeping in and extends the life of this wetsuit. Knee pads are sturdy yet flexible. Thermoprene is another neoprene that has more stretch than the standard. Its contoured design coupled with a higher grade of neoprene ensures water exchange is kept to a minimum while retaining maximum heat. The exterior lining stands up well to the friction caused by weight belts and BCD straps. Lycra-trimmed cuffs, an adjustable collar, and a spine pad all come as standard. A wide selection of sizes means there is a Henderson Thermoprene 7mm Jumpsuit to fit all male divers. A wide selection of sizes means there is a Henderson Thermoprene 7mm Jumpsuit to fit all male divers. A semi-dry suit offers you the best of both worlds—the flexibility of a wetsuit with the warmth of a drysuit. ScubaPro’s Pure Design Concept uses fewer panels and seams for greater maneuverability. Stress discs are installed at stitch intersections to help protect seams for durability. Both sleeves have non-slip pads for securing wrist gadgets. There’s also a handy zippered pocket to keep accessories. The Nova Scotia semi-dry is a snug fitting and comfortable suit. This wetsuit offers maximum stretch for amazing comfort and a perfect fit. Super soft neoprene makes it easy to get into and the interior lining feels great against the skin. ScubaPro calls the design the Triathlon Cut because it allows for lots of movement in the arms and shoulders. Although they may look good, the purple panels at the ankles and wrists are also practical. The undersides seal against your skin to keep water out. If you are buying your first wetsuit, the ScubaPro Sport 7mm is a great option. The O’Neill Dive Sector 7mm is possibly one of the best super-stretch wetsuits on the market. Made from UltraFlex DS neoprene, it allows you total freedom of motion. An External Single Fluid Seam Weld uses a silicone-based urethane that is applied to the outside of the glued and blind-stitched seams. What this means is that water is completely blocked out and the seams are made to last. The O’Neill Dive Sector 7mm may well have everything you need and will make you the envy of your fellow divers! The Northern Diver 7mm Rear Entry Dry Wetsuit is a semi-dry wetsuit made with Northern Diver’s unique super-stretch DFN-Ultragrade neoprene making it comfortable and easy to move in. The inner Ti-Ax Thermacote Titanium lining adds extra warmth and even includes an anti-bacterial coating. With an included hood and integrated side pocket, this suit is designed to serve scuba divers at a particular time of year, and aims to be a durable addition to avid divers or windsurfers (not to mention paddlers too). With a double layer and semi-drysuit profile, it’s very warm, ideal for colder water temperatures and has enough stretch for good maneuverability. That wraps up our list of the best wetsuits. All of the above options make getting suited and booted before a dive easy and fun. It’s easy to get tempted by the first sleek black wetsuit you set eyes on. But rushing into a purchase may mean you end up with an inappropriate suit for the kind of diving you do, or worse, a suit that doesn’t fit you at all. Here’s what you need to think about: Fit is one of the most important considerations. A poorly fitted, loose wetsuit allows water to move in and out of the suit. A well-fitting wetsuit, on the other hand, traps a layer of water between the suit and your body. This layer of water is then heated up and keeps you warm. Wetsuits should fit snugly on your body. Too loose and you’ll get cold fast, too tight and you’ll feel like a piece of shrink-wrapped sausage and suffer from restricted movement. A note on that last point: A lot of people think their wetsuit is way too tight but fail to remember that it will loosen up when it’s in the water. Check the individual manufacturer’s size guidelines carefully if you’re buying online. For the most part, wetsuit sizes are based on height and weight. Most wetsuits are made in male and female specific versions—stick to these because women’s wetsuits have been cut for the female body and the same holds true for men’s suits. Before you buy, take a quick look at the online reviews, are people complaining about how uncomfortable a wetsuit is or are they singing its praises? Comfort matters because you’ll probably spend a fair amount of time in your wetsuit when you’re on a dive holiday. Plus, if you’re anything like us, you’re occasionally too lazy to take your suit off during surface intervals! As a general rule, if you buy the right size, a wetsuit should be comfortable. But if comfort is top on your list of priorities, look for a wetsuit with super flexible panels of neoprene around the hips, knees, elbows, and crutch. Many manufacturers combine thicker neoprene on the torso with thinner neoprene in key areas to make the suit more comfortable. The thickness of a wetsuit is always measured in millimeters (mm). Warm water suits range from 1.5 mm – 4 mm thick. Temperate water wetsuits from 4 mm – 6 mm. And cold water suits are generally 7 mm thick. Some suits come in two parts, this means the diver has a double layer of neoprene over the chest and torso area. The thickness of a suit is directly related to how warm it will be. Choose a suit that’s suitable for the waters you’ll be diving in. It would be silly to sit on the boat sweating in a 7 mm suit when a skin suit would have sufficed. Likewise, a 3 mm suit will not keep you warm enough in cold waters. For each of the wetsuits we’ve listed here, we have indicated which temperature range it’s suitable for. Consider any water temperature changes that can occur at the location you’re diving in. For example, if a diver goes for a dive off the coast of Croatia, that diver should expect a sudden drop in temperature once they pass the thermocline. It’s not all places where the water gets colder with depth, but in some places, it needs to be taken into account. Remember too that neoprene compresses with depth. This is because of all the tiny air bubbles inside the material. As you get deeper, your suit compresses and you lose both buoyancy and warmth. Extra warmth can be added by using neoprene vests or thermal rash vests. The latter option is great because it provides warmth but without adding extra buoyancy like additional neoprene will. We can’t get enough of these O’Neill Thermo X vests. This is more of a concern with cold water wetsuits where it’s important that the suit allows for as little water movement as possible. Look for wetsuits that have double seals at the ankles and the wrists. You may have heard about sealed suits and unsealed suits. A sealed suit is one in which all the seams have been glued together with a special kind of tape to prevent any water seeping in at these points. The better a wetsuit has been sealed, the more expensive it is. Technically, no. You don’t need a purpose-built wetsuit for scuba diving. But many divers prefer them anyway because they’ve been made specifically for this sport. Manufacturers have taken into consideration how divers move in the water and the best ways to keep those divers warm. There are no other watersports where people stay underwater for such lengthy periods of time—for that reason, purpose-built wetsuits for scuba diving are usually the best option. If you’ve ever assisted a 10-year-old child getting into or out of a wetsuit, you’ll know that it’s not always the easiest task. But children tend to get cold a lot faster than adults so wetsuits are absolutely essential for small scuba divers. If you’re shopping for a wetsuit for children, look for a suit that’s designed to be easy to get on and off. You want a wetsuit constructed with stretch neoprene and with a minimal number of panels. We like the Aqua Lung Quantum Stretch. It comes in a wide range of children’s sizes, stretches really well, and the smooth seals mean you’ll avoid a 30-minute struggle hauling your littlest divers into their wetsuits! Now that we’ve looked at the things you’ll need to take into consideration, let’s dive into the suits themselves, beginning with a few shorties. Do you have a favorite wetsuit brand? If so, why? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear your opinion.
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Top 6 Warm Water Full Wetsuits of 2022
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Top 5 Temperate Water Wetsuits of 2022
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Top 5 Cold Water Wetsuits of 2022
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What to Look for in a Scuba Diving Wetsuit
Fit
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Seals
Do I Need a Wetsuit Designed For Scuba Diving?
Best Scuba Diving Wetsuit For Kids
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My son had the Rebel Scubapro large that was excellent but he has outgrown it. He had it from the age of 10 to 13. He tried on the Extra Large one but although it fits length ways built for a far more heavily built person. Really struggling to find a teens wetsuit for a skinny boy here in the UK.
That’s a very common issue. I had this issue as well when I was younger. It’s really hard to recommend one that will fit. Try looking into a custom fit model, and if you can find a model that will fit your budget.
i am a size 20 uk aprox, i have trouble finding a wetsuit to fit = do large ladies not dive?
Hi Karen,
Oh, but they do, but this is a known issue in the industry. I hear many women yelling out about this, but we still haven’t seen many changes to sizes or shapes.
Hi
Check out neosport and henderson. They have a wide size selection.
Only issue is getting g your hands on before buying.
I live in Colorado and my job requires me to be in the water during winter the water reaches freezing temps. Which suit would be best? Would I need to buy more than one for summer winter etc?
I live in the Northwest USA where the water is quite cold (50’s in the summer and 40’s in the winter). Is there any wet suit at any price that will keep me warm down into the 40’s? Otherwise I have to go with a dry suit.
Thanks!
Don
Hi Don,
It’ll never be a really comfortable dive, I’d suggest you go for a dry suit: https://oldversion.divein.com/drysuits/
I hear about neoprene with titanium weave for added thermal protection with less thickness. No trsted in your trial or just didn’t make it into the top group?
Mick
Hi Mick,
We didn’t see any good results in the titanium weaved products but did see a higher price and a larger impact on the environment.
Hi I would like to get some info
My son is 11 year old he like to swim but he has son problem w the skin to be infected from the water
He has to be dry all the time
What do you recommend use for him
Hi Pedro,
A wetsuit will always let in some water. So, you’ll have to look for something more in the line of a dry suie. I’m not aware of any made for kids though. Sorry, we couldn’t be of more help.