Yes, dry suits can be breathable.
Dry suits are advanced pieces of technical gear designed for water activities, especially in cold conditions. While their primary function is to keep the wearer completely dry and insulated, modern dry suits often incorporate materials that allow them to manage internal moisture as well.
Understanding Dry Suit Properties
According to the provided information: "Along with being breathable, dry suits are waterproof and watertight to prevent exposure of the skin to water; insulating against heat transfer to the surrounding environment."
This highlights a key combination of features essential for safety and comfort in cold water:
- Waterproof/Watertight: This is the defining characteristic. Seals at the neck, wrists, and ankles, combined with waterproof fabric, prevent external water from entering the suit.
- Insulating: Dry suits themselves don't provide much insulation; their design allows you to wear insulating layers (like fleece or synthetics) underneath, keeping you warm by preventing heat loss to the water.
- Breathable: This feature allows water vapor (sweat) from your body to escape the suit, which is crucial for comfort during physical activity.
Why is Breathability Important?
Even in cold water, activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, or rescue operations can cause you to sweat. If this moisture builds up inside a non-breathable dry suit, it can make your underlayers damp. Damp insulation is less effective, and can make you feel cold and uncomfortable.
Breathable fabrics, like those used in some dry suits, have microscopic pores. These pores are too small for liquid water droplets to pass through from the outside, but large enough for water vapor molecules (sweat that has evaporated from your skin) to escape from the inside.
Materials and Construction
Dry suit breathability is achieved through the use of specialized technical fabrics. These are typically multi-layer laminates that offer both waterproof protection and vapor permeability. While the breathability of dry suits is generally lower than that of dedicated breathable rainwear, it is sufficient to significantly improve comfort compared to completely non-breathable options.
Key Fabric Features:
- Waterproof Membrane: The core layer that stops water entry.
- Durable Outer Layer: Protects the membrane from abrasion.
- Breathable Properties: Allows moisture vapor to pass through.
Comparing Suit Types
| Feature | Dry Suit (Breathable) | Dry Suit (Non-Breathable) | Wet Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Entry | None (keeps you dry) | None (keeps you dry) | Some (allows water in to warm) |
| Insulation | Achieved by layers worn underneath | Achieved by layers worn underneath | Provided by suit material |
| Breathability | Yes (allows sweat vapor out) | No (traps internal moisture) | Not applicable (designed to get wet inside) |
| Primary Use | Cold water/air, conditions requiring full dryness | Less active use, or where budget is a factor | Warmer water, active sports |
In conclusion, while not all dry suits are breathable, many modern designs feature breathable materials that significantly enhance comfort by allowing internal moisture to escape, alongside their critical waterproof and insulating capabilities.
