How to pick the right drysuit

Three distinct layers bonded together: a nylon outer shell for UV and abrasion resistance, a PU/TPU microporous waterproof membrane rated to 20,000–50,000mm, and an antibacterial inner lining that slides over your undersuit without bunching. Same principle as a good rain jacket, scaled up for diving. Lighter and more packable than neoprene, dries in hours instead of days.

What this means for you: Most technical divers use trilaminate because it's light, flexible, and quick-drying. You wear separate thermal layers underneath, so you swap undersuits for different water temperatures instead of owning multiple drysuits.

Fothergill is a UK manufacturer of technical laminates. 360g means grams per square metre — the standard weight that sits at the sweet spot between durability and packability. It's the shell fabric for the Hydroman, Kryptonite, and Ninja.

What this means for you: 360g is tough enough for weekly diving and light enough to roll into a bag for travel. Paired with good reinforcement panels, it handles years of regular use while keeping weight and pack size minimal.

Same Fothergill construction as the 360g, just thicker. The extra weight goes on the upper limbs where contact with rock, steel, and concrete is constant. More material means more abrasion resistance before the membrane is exposed.

What this means for you: Arms and shoulders take the worst beating in overhead environments. Using 500g there and lighter fabric on the torso keeps the total suit weight reasonable while protecting the zones that actually get scraped.

Sits between the 360g standard and the heavy 500g. Used on the torso section of the Medusa, where you need flexibility for breathing and twisting but don't need the heavy abrasion resistance of the arms.

What this means for you: Your torso doesn't scrape against things the way your arms do. Lighter fabric here means easier breathing and less fatigue on three-hour dives, while your arms still get the heavier protection they need.

Cordura is a family of tough nylon fabrics. 1000 denier means thick, heavy-duty fibres. These panels get sewn over the trilaminate on knees, seat, chest, arms, and crotch — the spots that wear through first. Think reinforced patches on work jeans, but for diving.

What this means for you: Without patches, bare trilaminate at the knees and seat would wear through within a season of regular diving. Cordura 1000 adds years to the suit's life on the zones that take the most contact.

Kevlar is the brand name for aramid fibre, a synthetic that's exceptionally strong for its weight. You'll find it in body armour, cut-resistant gloves, and racing sails. In drysuit construction, aramid replaces the standard nylon outer layer, making the fabric resistant to cuts, tears, and sustained abrasion.

What this means for you: Sharp wreck steel, rough cave rock, corroded infrastructure — Kevlar handles all of it without splitting open. The trade-off is more weight and stiffness compared to standard nylon trilaminate, which is why most suits use it selectively rather than head-to-toe. A cold-water favourite — the Ninja's hybrid construction brings Kevlar-level protection to a wider range of environments.

Kryptonite is Ugly Fish's own reinforcement material. It resists cuts and abrasion approaching Kevlar levels but weighs less. Applied as reinforcement panels on high-wear zones rather than covering the entire suit, so you get targeted protection where contact actually happens.

What this means for you: Close to Kevlar's cut protection without the weight or stiffness penalty. If your diving mixes sharp environments with open water, Kryptonite panels give you protection when you need it and a lighter suit when you don't. A strong performer across conditions — for the premium all-environment option, see the Ninja.

Take standard Cordura and embed thousands of microscopic ceramic particles into the fibres. Each particle acts like a tiny armour plate, spreading contact forces and resisting micro-damage from rough surfaces. Used on the upper body of the Ninja, where chest and arms scrape against cave ceilings and wreck frames.

What this means for you: Standard Cordura handles normal wear. Ceramic/Cordura handles sustained scraping against rough rock and corroded steel — the kind of contact that grinds through regular reinforcements over a season. If your upper body takes constant abrasion, this is what you want over it.

Kevlar handles the cuts and structural strength. Silicone keeps the fabric supple so it bends with your legs. Used on the lower body of the Ninja, where your legs need to move freely for finning but still encounter sharp wreck edges, rock, and coral.

What this means for you: Pure Kevlar on the legs would restrict your fin kick. Pure Cordura wouldn't stop a sharp edge. This hybrid does both — your legs stay protected without feeling like you're finning through concrete. The silicone component also shields the Kevlar fibres from direct salt and UV exposure, and the lower-body placement means less sun contact than full-suit Kevlar — which is why the Ninja thrives across a wider range of environments.

Masterseal makes the industry-standard waterproof zippers for drysuits. Polymer (plastic) teeth create a watertight seal when closed. Sized from 70cm to 100cm based on your measurements. This is the single most critical component on any drysuit.

What this means for you: Everything else — the fabric, the seals, the valves — is secondary to the waterproof zipper. Masterseal has been the standard in professional drysuit manufacturing for decades because they work and they last.

Two separate zippers stacked: the inner Masterseal keeps water out, the outer shields it from bumps, scrapes, debris, UV, and accidental snagging. The outer zip takes all the daily abuse so the waterproof one underneath stays undamaged.

What this means for you: Replacing a waterproof zipper is the most expensive repair on a drysuit. The outer protective zip absorbs the wear — salt crystals, gear contact, rough handling — and keeps the inner seal in factory condition far longer.

Standard waterproof zippers use polymer teeth. The bronze upgrade swaps them for metal — better salt corrosion resistance, smoother action, and a longer service life under heavy use. Bronze has been the go-to in commercial diving for decades.

What this means for you: Saltwater divers notice the difference. Bronze runs smoother (important with cold, wet hands), resists salt buildup better, and outlasts polymer by years. It's the most popular single upgrade across the whole range.

A back-entry zip sits across the upper shoulders, letting you step in from behind. All Ugly Fish suits use this layout because it keeps the zip under a BCD backplate or harness, protecting it from impact, snagging, and UV exposure. Front-entry zips run across the chest or waist and are easier to self-don, but they sit exposed and can interfere with harness routing. Back-entry is the standard for technical diving.

What this means for you: If you wear a backplate and wing (most tech divers do), the harness sits right over the zip, shielding it all dive long. The trade-off: you need a buddy or a reach trick to close it. For solo shore diving, front-entry is more convenient — but for harness-based diving, back-entry wins on protection and longevity.

Thin rubber cuffs at your wrists and neck that seal against your skin. You trim them to size from a cone shape. They're the industry default — affordable, effective, and replaceable with contact adhesive and 24 hours of curing time.

What this means for you: Latex is affordable, widely available, and easy to replace. Some divers with sensitive skin prefer silicone or neoprene for comfort. Like all rubber products, latex benefits from UV protection when stored. The low replacement cost makes latex a practical everyday choice — most divers start here and stick with it.

Same material as wetsuits. Thicker than latex, provides some insulation, and doesn't trigger the skin reactions some divers get from rubber. The seal is slightly less precise than latex but more durable, and most divers find the neck far more comfortable.

What this means for you: Cold-water divers and anyone who gets irritation from latex should look at neoprene. The seals last longer, feel better on the neck, and add a small amount of warmth. The slightly looser seal is rarely an issue once you're underwater.

The premium option. Softer than latex, no skin reactions, and they maintain their stretch and shape over years of heavy use. Where latex goes brittle and cracks, silicone just keeps working. They outlast latex seals by 3-5 times.

What this means for you: Frequent divers save money on replacements alone. Silicone is also the most comfortable seal material for long dives — softer against the skin and less restrictive on the neck. Higher upfront cost, lower lifetime cost.

A ring mechanism permanently bonded to the suit. Seals clip in and out without adhesive, tools, or curing time. Carry a spare in your dive bag and swap a torn seal between dives — or even between tanks on the surface.

What this means for you: Without rings, a torn seal means your dive day is over and a 24-hour glue repair. With QCS, you swap the seal and keep diving. It also lets you switch between latex, neoprene, and silicone depending on conditions or preference.

Mounted on the chest, connected to your tank via a low-pressure hose. Press the button to push air into the suit. You need this for two things: counteracting squeeze as water pressure compresses your suit on descent, and fine-tuning buoyancy throughout the dive.

What this means for you: Without it, your suit would crush against your body as you descend, and you'd have no buoyancy control. Simple push-button operation — one of the first skills you learn in drysuit training.

Sits on your left upper arm. As you ascend, air inside the suit expands (Boyle's law) and needs to go somewhere. The exhaust valve vents it in a controlled way. Set it to auto-dump (vents when you raise your arm above the valve) or manual (only vents when you press it).

What this means for you: Uncontrolled ascents cause decompression sickness. The exhaust valve is how you manage the expanding air in your suit during ascent — keeping your buoyancy under control and your ascent rate safe.

A small valve in the suit's lower body, connected to an external catheter system. Lets you urinate without flooding your suit. Available from Heser or Sitech, and installed during manufacturing for a proper watertight fit.

What this means for you: On dives past 2-3 hours, you need to drink water — and what goes in comes out. Without a P-valve, you either dehydrate (bad for decompression) or deal with the alternative. Cave divers, tech divers, and commercial divers consider it essential.

Permanently attached boots with reinforced soles. Step into them when you put the suit on. They handle rocks, boat decks, and shore entries. No separate footwear to manage — suit on, walk to the water, fin up.

What this means for you: One less thing to buy, carry, and keep track of. For most recreational and technical diving, integrated boots are all you need. Slightly bulkier profile in the water compared to socks, but simpler to deal with topside.

The suit ends in thin neoprene socks instead of built-in boots. The thinner profile reduces drag and improves trim underwater. For shore entries, rock boots are available separately and worn over the socks.

What this means for you: Better hydrodynamics and cleaner trim, especially noticeable in horizontal position. If you need shore walking capability, rock boots can be purchased as an optional accessory.

Every needle pass through fabric leaves a tiny hole. Aquasure is a polyurethane sealant applied by hand to all stitched seams during manufacturing, filling those holes and creating a continuous waterproof barrier along every seam line.

What this means for you: At depth, water pressure pushes through any gap it can find. Unsealed stitch holes would weep slowly but steadily. Aquasure keeps you actually dry, not just mostly dry.

The sleeve seam runs diagonally from the collar to the underarm instead of sitting on the shoulder. Same principle as a baseball shirt. This lets the shoulder joint move freely in every direction without a seam restricting it at the top.

What this means for you: Reaching overhead, managing valves, clipping gear, pulling through tight spots — all of it is noticeably easier with raglan sleeves. If your diving involves sustained arm work above shoulder height, you'll feel the difference immediately.

Rather than one fabric across the whole suit, dual-zone construction uses heavier material on the arms and legs (constant contact with surfaces) and lighter material on the torso (needs to flex for breathing and core movement). Each zone gets the fabric that matches what it actually faces.

What this means for you: Your arms take abrasion. Your torso just needs to flex. Using one heavy fabric everywhere adds unnecessary weight and stiffness where you don't need it. Dual-zone gives you protection and comfort in the right places without compromise.

Shaped during manufacturing to sit in the natural leg position for horizontal finning. Without this, flat-cut fabric bunches behind the knee or pulls tight in front, fighting your leg position. Preformed knees follow the bend instead of resisting it.

What this means for you: Horizontal trim for hours with no discomfort. The fabric sits naturally in your finning position instead of constantly being forced into it, which also means less crease-wear on the knee panels over time.

Adjustable straps that sit over your shoulders inside the suit and clip to the waist. They hold the suit up when you're standing on shore, keeping the neck and wrist seals in the right position and preventing the whole suit from pooling around your ankles.

What this means for you: Without them, you'd be hiking up your suit every time you bend over to pick up a tank. Suspenders keep seals positioned correctly, keep the suit comfortable topside, and mean you're not fighting gravity until you get in the water.

A trilaminate shell keeps water out but adds zero insulation. The undersuit goes underneath and provides your warmth. Weights range from 380g (mild to cool water), 450g (cold water), to 600g (very cold). A heated option with electric elements is available for extreme conditions. Which weight you need depends on water temperature and how cold you run personally.

What this means for you: Get this wrong and you'll either be cold or carrying unnecessary weight. Too thin and you'll shiver at 30 minutes. Too thick and you'll need extra lead and lose mobility. 450g is the safe starting point for most cold-water diving — adjust from there.

Every standard suit includes colour customisation at no additional charge. What can be styled: overlay panels (chest panels, arm stripes), stitching and seam thread colour, and logos, names, or text sewn anywhere on the suit. What is fixed: the trilaminate base colour is determined by the fabric, and Kevlar colour is determined by the fibre. The Special model allows completely free-form colour layouts.

What this means for you: It's included in the price, so there's no reason not to make the suit yours. Match your team colours, pick something that stands out underwater, or just go with what you like. It also makes you easier to identify on a dive.

Pick a thread colour for the external seams of your suit. It's a small but noticeable detail that gives the suit a finished, personal look without adding patches or logos. Available in several colours.

What this means for you: A minor detail that makes the suit distinctly yours. It's free — just tell us what colour you want when you order.

Embroidery stitched directly into the suit fabric — name, initials, team name, or certification level. Unlike printed labels, it's permanent and looks professional after years of use.

What this means for you: When six people on your boat are wearing black drysuits, embroidery sorts out whose is whose. For teams and commercial operators, it also keeps gear management straightforward.