Exposure Protection

If the drysuit keeps the water out, the undersuit keeps the heat in. But warmth is useless if you are wet from the inside. Sweat is the enemy of the cold-water diver. As soon as you stop moving (during a deco stop, for example), damp fabric cools rapidly, leading to a chill. This is why cotton is the enemy—it absorbs moisture and holds it against the skin.

We advocate a technical layering system. It starts with a base layer, ideally made from Merino wool or high-tech synthetic fibres. These materials are hydrophobic; they actively wick sweat away from your body, keeping your skin dry.

Let’s be honest: for year-round UK diving, you need a drysuit. However, for the warmer months (July to September) or for pool training, a high-quality wetsuit or semi-dry is a perfectly valid tool. But don’t bring a tropical 3mm shorty to the North Sea; you will regret it.

For UK waters, the minimum standard is a full-length 5mm or 7mm suit. Our Semi-Dry range represents the pinnacle of wet thermal protection. These suits use thick 7mm neoprene combined with a dry zipper (T-Zip) and advanced internal seals at the neck, wrists, and ankles.

Numb fingers are not just uncomfortable; they are a liability. If you cannot feel your inflator button or unclip your weight belt due to the cold, you are in a dangerous situation. In UK waters, protecting your extremities is critical for both comfort and dexterity.

Our hood selection ranges from standard 5mm to thick 10mm neoprene. Crucially, we stock vented hoods. Without a vent, air from your regulator exhaust can get trapped in the top of your hood, creating an uncomfortable bubble or even altering your buoyancy. We also recommend bibbed hoods that tuck under your drysuit neck seal for maximum thermal overlap.

In the UK, the dive isn’t over when you hit the surface; it’s over when you are dry, warm, and holding a cup of tea. The most dangerous part of a British dive often isn’t the water itself, but the infamous “Car Park Change.” Standing on the cold concrete of a harbour side in driving rain with a biting wind chill is a recipe for hypothermia.

At UK Dive Store, we know that thermal recovery is just as important as the dive itself. If you let your core temperature plummet after a dive (a phenomenon known as the after-drop), you stress your body and increase fatigue. Our range of changing robes is the ultimate solution. These aren’t just towels; they are technical garments with weather-resistant outer shells and moisture-wicking fleece linings. They block the wind immediately, dry you instantly, and provide the modesty required to change out of your undersuit in a busy public car park without flashing the locals.