Bare 2 MM Elate Shorty Womens Scuba Diving Wetsuit

A wetsuit should feel snug everywhere, with no loose pockets at the lower back, armpits, or behind the knees where water can collect and flush. It will feel tighter than normal clothing on land, which is expected, because the suit works by holding a thin layer of water that your body warms. If you cannot take a full breath or the neck chokes you it is too small, and if you can pinch loose folds of neoprene it is too big.

Most divers wear a swimsuit, a rash guard, or a thin dive-specific base layer under a wetsuit. A slick base layer makes a tight suit much easier to pull on and cuts down chafing at the neck, shoulders, and underarms. Avoid thick cotton clothing, which soaks up water, bunches, and makes you colder rather than warmer.

Work upward in small sections, pulling a little neoprene at a time rather than yanking on one spot, and get the suit fully seated at the ankles and knees before working on the hips and shoulders. A plastic bag over each foot and hand, or wetting the suit first, helps it slide into place. Grip with flat palms rather than fingertips, since fingernails are the most common cause of torn neoprene.

As a general rule, thicker neoprene insulates more, so a higher millimeter rating is warmer in the same conditions. Warmth also depends heavily on fit, suit style, seam construction, whether you add a hood, boots, and gloves, how long the dive is, and your own cold tolerance, so two divers in identical suits can feel very differently. Use thickness as a starting point and refine it against your local conditions and personal experience.

Rinse it inside and out in fresh water after every dive day, and use a wetsuit-specific wash occasionally to control odor. Dry it inside-out first and then flip it, always out of direct sunlight, because UV and heat break down neoprene faster than anything else. Store it hanging on a wide-shouldered hanger or laid flat rather than folded, so you do not set permanent creases.

Lifespan depends far more on use and care than on age, so a suit dived hard in sun and chlorine may soften within a couple of seasons while a well-rinsed occasional-use suit can last many years. Signs a suit is finished include compressed neoprene that no longer feels buoyant or warm, splitting seams, and looseness in areas that used to be snug. Repairing small cuts and seam separations early adds meaningfully to a suit's life.

A full suit covers arms and legs, a shorty stops at the upper arms and thighs, and separates such as tops, bottoms, and hooded vests layer to add warmth where you want it. Layering a vest or top under a full suit adds core warmth and can extend the range of a suit you already own. Choose based on how much coverage you want, both for warmth and for protection against stings and abrasion.

BARE publishes the 2mm Elate Shorty in women's sizes 02, 04, 06, 08, 10, 12 and 14, in grey. The style number is 001490. Because the suit uses an anatomically correct three-dimensional pattern and a High-Stretch Neoprene Blend, it should feel snug without loose pockets. If you are between sizes, contact us with your measurements before ordering.

It uses an extra-long heavy-duty back zipper for easy donning and doffing. At the neck there is a low-profile collar tab with Velcro for less bulk, plus an integrated suit saver that keeps the hook-and-loop tab from snagging on the neoprene when the suit is open or stored.

A 2mm shorty is intended for warm water, where its main job is light warmth, abrasion cover and freedom of movement rather than heavy insulation. The Elate Shorty leaves the lower legs and forearms exposed, so warmth also depends on fit, dive time and your own cold tolerance. In cooler water, divers typically move to thicker or full-length neoprene.

The suit ships with a re-usable hanger and a PLA compostable/recyclable bag from BARE. The re-usable hanger is useful for storage, since hanging the suit instead of folding it helps the neoprene keep its shape. Rinse in fresh water after each dive day and dry out of direct sunlight.