Page 264 - Anthropometry, Apparel Sizing and Design

Sizing and fit for swimsuits and diving suits 259

to enter the space between body and the suit, regulating the diver’s upthrust that way.
It is important for seams and patents to be waterproof (Diving Unlimited International
Inc, 2013). Three-layered laminate materials called Cordura are used for production of
such suits (http://www.subcraft-store.com/, 09.11.2016; https://www.ursuit.com/fab
rics, 10.10.2016). Form and shape of the suits are not defined. Most commonly used
suits for scuba diving are wet diving suits made out of specific material with thermal
isolation properties polypropylene, commercially called neoprene. For wet suits, it is
important to fit perfectly and tightly to the body, that way preventing penetration and
circulation of water between the body and the suit. Materials for wet suits are usually
laminated with a knitted layer from both sides. That provides additional material
strength, especially at the seams that are glued and then sewed, and makes it easier
for the diver to put the suit on or to take it off. Considering that scuba diving activities
usually last for maximum 50min, it is not such a great problem if the suit does not fit
perfectly to the diver’s body. That is why scuba diving suits are usually made in stan-
dard clothing sizes.

10.3.2 Spearfishing suits—Diving with underwater rifle
This type of diving considers diving on the breath. That is why it is important for the
diver to feel comfort without a body temperature decrease during diving. Diving activ-
ities usually last for 5–6h, which is a great effort for the body. In those conditions, it is
important that the suit fits well against the diver’s body to disable even smallest cir-
culation of water that can cool the body. Suits are usually made from lined/open-cell
material, which is layered with knitted material from the outside for additional
strength and smooth from the inside to create vacuum and completely lie on the skin
(http://www.cordura.com/en/fabric/classic-fabric.html, 10.10.2016). Knitting mate-
rial in this sense provides friction durability but needs more time to dry off. This
can be very important since the diver can change diving locations using a boat; if
the suit dries off faster, more heat will remain in the body. For this type of diving,
suits are made according to diver’s individual measurements. Method for pattern con-
struction differs from one manufacturer to another, and those are usually conventional
construction methods developed by particular diving suit manufacturers. The firm
Subcraft from Zagreb, Croatia, is a successful diving suit manufacturer, with the brand
present on the market all over the world. Subcraft supported the realization of diving
suits developed and presented in this chapter (http://www.subcraft-store.com/,
09.11.2016). Construction of diving suits is developed based on the 24 anthropometric
body measurements and knowledge on necessary functionality characteristics that suit
needs to provide for diver. Suits are made from neoprene material of different thick-
ness, from 1.5 to 9mm, depending on user needs. Considering great elasticity of neo-
prene, which differs according to type and thickness, it is necessary to modify and
scale particular pattern measurements according to elastic properties. Scaling ensures
tight fit of the suit on the diver’s body, without unwanted pressure. Great attention is
oriented to pattern details like special ways of pattern modeling on elbow and knee
areas with a purpose of preventing unwanted model wrinkling. Furthermore, modeling
of headcap is very important since the diver can experience a great and unpleasant pain