If you’re cruising offshore on a yacht, working on a fishing boat or flying over an ocean, you may not think about the consequences of suddenly being deposited in potentially cold water. With no means of flotation or insulation, your chances of survival are minimal. Survival suits enable you to float, provide some amount of insulation, and can help prevent water intrusion until rescuers arrive.
History
Survival suits, or immersion suits, were invented by Norwegian Gunnar Guddal, who relocated to the United States in 1956. A 2006 Boston Globe article states that for 20 years, Guddal unsuccessfully tried to convince commercial fishermen to wear the bulky neoprene suits. In 1991, the United States Coast Guard first required commercial shippers to include immersion suits in their lifesaving equipment. This development led to widespread use of the suits.
Types of Immersion Suits
Three types of immersion suits provide increasing levels of protection. Mustang Survival notes that flotation coats are constantly worn, thermally insulated coats that help maintain your core temperature and keep you afloat. Flotation coats do not prevent water intrusion. Moving up the protection ladder, you’ll find work suits appropriate for fishermen and sailors who need to move unencumbered by a heavy suit. Although full-body work suits do admit water, closed-cell foam provides flotation and insulation while you’re immersed.
If you must abandon a work platform quickly, you’ll want an easily-donned abandonment suit. These suits feature waterproof shells, along with integrated boots and seals at water intrusion points. Although some water can get into the suit, the suits contain maximum insulation and flotation. Abandonment suits allow you to spend considerable time in the water without losing your physical and mental capabilities.
Cold and Ice Water Suits
If you’re near extremely cold water, or work as a professional rescuer in that dangerous environment, you’ll want a survival suit designed for extreme conditions. Rock-N-Rescue notes that cold and ice water survival suits usually feature completely dry suit protection, including air purge valves that expel air upon water entry. Wrist and neck seals prevent water intrusion, and suits have reinforced knees and elbows. Add fleece undergarments for extra insulation.
Survival Suit Sizes
Survival suit manufacturers size their suits differently. De Wolf Products, a survival equipment supplier, carries immersion suits that accommodate children through large adults. You can also order a survival suit sized for your body’s dimensions.
Companies that provide worker survival suits often order suits in universal sizes. Although a one-size suit might fit an average-sized adult, a tall or large worker may find that the suit does not accommodate his needs.
Considerations
To choose the best survival suit for your needs, Gulf Coast Fisherman recommends that you consider each suit’s Clo value, or clothing insulation value. This number measures the suit’s thermal insulation value once you’re in the water. Products with higher Clo values tend to offer better insulation, and higher projected survival times in the water.
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