DIVE LOG AUSTRALASIA ISSUE 413 AUGUST 25

out; cold-water sloshes in over and over so the wetsuit is not doing its job. You get cold quickly. It is also why tailor-made wet suits that are made to measure work so much better; also,neoprene technology is focussed on being stretchier than the old stiff neoprene of the 1980’s. Getting a good fitting wetsuit off the rack is a matter of luck as are hire wetsuits. The Sharkskin works in the same way but with lots of extra features. The fleece lined fabric helps to trap a thinner layer of water that is quickly warmed just as in a wetsuit but does not escape. The super-stretch material helps the suit to hug your body all over. When you exit the water, water ‘wicks’ away from your body quickly. The fleece is impregnated with nanotechnology sized particles of titanium metal. (The titanium particles are millionths of a billionth of a metre) Heat reflects off the titanium back to your skin. The effect is that Heat conduction is minimised. Convection currents of cold water are thus not going to bother you due to the close fit.

In summary, the Sharkskin does the following: Helps to stop wind chill after the dive Reflects body heat back into your body; heat is not lost into the sea. Prevents sun burn with the UV 50+ rating The super stretch material hugs your body to eliminate those nasty air spaces and to allow freedom of movement. The Rapid Dry material uses a water repellant feature that help to keep you dry There are many other design features that I will look at in the next issue. Things like anti microbial, soft stitch panels for freedom of movement and hollow nanotec fibres. There has been a great deal of research put into the suits that help us to be more comfortable underwater. Sharkskin features many exceptional characteristics to keep you warm and dry both underwater and above the water.

www.sharkskin.com.au

Your body loses heat in three ways: RADIATION, CONDUCTION AND CONVECTION Sharkskin technology addresses all three sources of heat loss, as illustrated below.

RADIATION AS AN INFRA-RED WAVELENGTH

CONDUCTION OF HEAT. warm body loses heat to cold water on contact.

CONVECTION: WARM WATER RISES, COLD RUSHES IN.

Winter diving at Jervis Bay

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Dive Log Australasia #413 August‘25

www.divelog.net.au