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Exposure suits for snorkeling are really divided into two separate categories , one being for abrasion protection and the other for warmth.
Abrasion suits are usually a lycra stretch suit that covers the body and protects from stings and abrasions. Rash guards usually seen in the surf market are becoming more and more popular with the snorkeler. Lycra suits and rash guards while not providing and warmth protection are an excellent choice for protecting from sunburns.
Wetsuits help to preserve body heat by trapping the water that has been warmed by body heat so it cannot escape and take the heat with it. Water has a very high thermal conductivity so heat is lost very quickly to the surrounding water. Without a wetsuit, the movement of water over skin would constantly whisk warmth away from the body. A wetsuit must have a snug fit to work efficiently; too loose a fit will allow water to escape from between the suit and the body, taking the body's heat with it. Wetsuits are made out of neoprene, a synthetic rubber that contains small bubbles of nitrogen gas when made for use as wetsuit material. Nitrogen gas has very low thermal conductivity, so it does not allow heat from the body (or the water trapped between the body and the wetsuit) to be lost to the water outside of the wetsuit. Because most snorkeling occurs in warmer climates , the shorty or spring suit is the most popular suit for snorkeling. Full one piece suits of 2 mm or 3 mm are also excellent choices if one tends to be of the colder nature.
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