2 min read · Updated 26 June 2026
A wetsuit and a drysuit solve the same problem — staying warm on and in the water — in opposite ways. A wetsuit lets a little water in and traps it warm against your skin; a drysuit keeps every drop out and you insulate underneath. Which one you want depends on the water temperature, the boat, and how wet you expect to get.
How a wetsuit works
A wetsuit is made of neoprene, a foam rubber full of tiny insulating bubbles. It admits a thin layer of water against your skin, which your body warms; the neoprene then traps that warm layer and slows heat loss. Two things follow from this:
- It must fit snugly — a loose suit lets cold water flush through and carry your heat away.
- Thickness matters — measured in millimetres, with thin neoprene (a "shorty") for warm water and thicker "steamer" suits (long arms and legs) for colder conditions.
Wetsuits are the staple of dinghy and small-boat sailing in temperate and warm water, where capsize and spray mean you will get wet anyway.
How a drysuit works
A drysuit is fully waterproof, with seals at the neck, wrists and ankles (usually latex or neoprene) and a waterproof zip, so no water gets in at all. Because it does not insulate on its own, you wear warm layers underneath — a base layer and mid layer — and adjust them to the day. Keep you completely dry and you stay far warmer, for far longer, in genuinely cold water.
Drysuits are the choice for cold-water dinghy sailing, winter racing and capsize-prone boats, where immersion is likely and the water is cold enough to be dangerous. They cost more than wetsuits and need their seals looked after, but nothing beats them for cold, wet sessions.
Which should you wear?
- Warmer water, active sailing, expect to get wet → wetsuit.
- Cold water, long exposure, staying dry matters → drysuit.
- Keelboat or yacht, mostly staying aboard and dry → usually neither: ordinary layers under foul weather gear is the norm, since you are not immersed.
Flotation still goes over the top
One safety point: neither a wetsuit nor a drysuit replaces a lifejacket or buoyancy aid. They keep you warm, not afloat, and neither will turn you face-up in the water. You wear flotation over the suit — a buoyancy aid for dinghy sailing, a lifejacket for keelboats and offshore. For the wider kit picture, see what to wear sailing and the sailing terms glossary.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a wetsuit and a drysuit?
- A wetsuit is made of neoprene and works by trapping a thin layer of water against your skin that your body heats up — so you get wet, but stay warm. A drysuit is fully waterproof, sealed at the neck, wrists and ankles, and keeps you completely dry; you wear insulating layers underneath it for warmth. Wetsuits suit warmer water and active sailing where you expect to get wet; drysuits suit cold water and long exposure.
- Do sailors wear wetsuits or drysuits?
- Both, depending on the boat, the water temperature and the sailing. Dinghy and small-boat sailors — where capsize and immersion are likely — often wear wetsuits in warmer conditions and drysuits in cold water. Keelboat and yacht sailors, who mostly stay aboard and dry, usually wear ordinary layers under foul weather gear rather than a wetsuit or drysuit. It comes down to how wet you expect to get and how cold the water is.
- How does a wetsuit keep you warm?
- A wetsuit is made of neoprene, a foam rubber full of tiny insulating bubbles. It lets a thin layer of water in against your skin, which your body quickly warms; the neoprene then keeps that warm layer trapped and slows heat loss. This is why a wetsuit must fit snugly — a loose one lets water flush through and carry your heat away. Thickness is measured in millimetres, with thicker neoprene for colder water.
- When should you wear a drysuit sailing?
- Wear a drysuit when the water is cold, when you may be immersed for a while, or on long, wet, cold sessions where staying dry is essential — cold-water dinghy sailing, winter racing and capsize-prone boats are typical cases. Because a drysuit keeps you completely dry and you control the warmth with the layers underneath, it protects against cold-water shock and hypothermia far better than a wetsuit in genuinely cold conditions.
- Are wetsuits and drysuits a substitute for a lifejacket?
- No. A wetsuit or drysuit provides some buoyancy, but neither is designed to keep you afloat or turn you face-up in the water, so neither replaces a lifejacket or buoyancy aid. You wear flotation over the top — a buoyancy aid for dinghy sailing, a lifejacket for keelboats and offshore. The suit keeps you warm; the flotation keeps you safe in the water.