Why majority of wetsuits are black ?

[Dxtreme]

Why Majority of wetsuits are in black color ??

1) If sharks have bad eye sight and their favorite food is seal/sea dog. Wouldnt it be a better idea to wear a bright color suit ??
Isnt this the basis argument for shark attack against surfers ?? That a shark cant really see well and all they see is black figure dancing and moving on shallow water.

2) Wouldnt black absorb more UV damaging rays ??

3) I guest that bright color might attract different marine life too. What is the best color to wear for diving in

a) Tropical Ocean
b) Temperate Waters
c) Really deep technical diving

 

[aquagal]

I'm joking ... however I might be on to something here.

Most surfers are attacked from below by sharks that see in black & white. The shark is responding to the movement, not the color. Even a bright yellow suit would look 'dark'.

I asked this same question when I first began diving. The answer I got (from an experienced diver) is that colors disappear the deeper you go so color wouldn't matter too much. While true, I also think it comes down to economics. Kinda like the Henry Ford motto but a bit different "You can have any wetsuit color you want as long as its black".

Economically it would be hard for manufacturers to gauge what the hot colors are and they might end up with a surplus of wetsuits in an unfashionable color.

Another example of this... I got a great deal on a Scubapro BC because it was pink with purple trim. Before you start gagging, remember - it was cheap, who'd want to steal it and my buddy won't confuse me with anyone else.

My BC is also a conversation piece around the dive site. I think my lime green soft weight belt really completes the outfit.


Anyone else out there have answers as to why wetsuits are black?

Aquagal

 

[Dxtreme]

Why Majority of wetsuits are in black color ??

1) If sharks have bad eye sight and their favorite food is seal/sea dog. Wouldnt it be a better idea to wear a bright color suit ??
Isnt this the basis argument for shark attack against surfers ?? That a shark cant really see well and all they see is black figure dancing and moving on shallow water.

2) Wouldnt black absorb more UV damaging rays ??

3) I guest that bright color might attract different marine life too. What is the best color to wear for diving in

a) Tropical Ocean
b) Temperate Waters
c) Really deep technical diving

 

[Dectek]

during surf line shore attacks color would not really matter. Most shark attacks on surfers happen as the sun gets lower on the horizon. The sharks come up from the bottom and see the darker underside contrasted by the lighter sky. Hot pink would still look dark from the bottom if it was contrasted to a light blue sky. White surfboards still look like black seals under those conditions.

As far as diving....the hot pink suit would loose the appearance of color at depth anyway...so why not look like a really cool tech diver on the surface.
Sorry....had to get a little dig in there. :hehe

 

[art.chick]

I agree that black is overdone. My guess is that the reasons are not really diving-related but rather: Black shows less dirt, black is more slimming, and if everything is black, everything matches.

Here is why color makes more sense: When a group dives together, colors help us distinguish our gear (how many times have you come home with wetsuit/gloves/hood/boots/fins that looked just like yours...but were the wrong size? Well, if not, I guess you have never been on a really crowded boat!)

There are colors that are more visible on the surface & aid in distinguishing divers in an emergency (orange, red hoods & gloves), could make hand signals more visible underwater or at night (yellow, lime green), or even at depth (white fins).

I am really tired of the way my very popular model of wetsuit comes in 1 color pattern & now everyone has the same one. This is not merely fashion but consumer convenience. I hope the Johnny Cash look soon subsides underwater.

 

[TJO]

Isn't it because black with stripes of other bright color on is the easiest to see underwater?

 

[Mo2vation]

My $.02

Physisc: Black looks better longer. Sun, Salt Water, etc. Black holds its color better. Look at all the faded colors - the wow flouresent colors fade fastest (fucias, oranges, greens, etc..) red fades fastest next. Blue is slow to fade - that's why so many are black and blue. All colors fade to OD (Olive Drab)...but nobody wants an OD suit.

Construction: The Neoprene that most Wetsuits are blown from is black. Not that any of that is exposed in a quality suit, but the black will show through on the lighter colors used in the nylon tope cotes. This requires thicker nylon, or colors that don't pop. If you get a skuff, Black will hide it better - expecially if the Nylon top coat is black.

Economics: People prefer black suits. If they purchased suits in other colors, they'd be produced in other colors. All accessories can be matched to black suits (the whole "better to look good...")

Vanity: I look better in a black suit than a white one. Most of my dive buddies would look like big icebergs in white suits. Take a bunch of non-athletes and ask them to strip down to trunks and wear something skin tight, like a wetsuit, and most will choose black. When's the last time, in a Dive Mag, you saw a photo of someone who looked like most of us (a little soft in the middle now) in a WOW colored suit on the cover or in a feature story? Most are young 20 or 30-something hardbodies without all of the noticable folds and paunches buldging against their BC straps and weight belt. Its far more flattering than any other color in that regard.

Thermal: Black is warmer.

If I had to pick from these three, I'd pick number 3. The market will always drive manufacturing - not vice versa. If we stopped buying black suits, they'd stop making them. However, black is not objectionable to most of us (especially when trimmed with our fav colors) so onward they march.


PS: How much black do you own in your wardrobe? Personally, I own a lot. We all wear black.

 

[WreckWriter]

Its simple, refer to rule #6

Tom

 

[dgangi]

I think the answer is very simple -- wetsuits are mainly black because black is the in color. And black also makes you look more "tech" (or serious, like you know what you are doing).

And it's not just wetsuits that are black. Take a look at other sports -- ski gear, for example, is also heavily done in black. Bike shorts are also typically black.

Personally, I really like black. It makes mixing-and-matching much easier, as black is pretty easy to match with other black items from other vendors. And I like how I look in black with a little dark grey from the sharkskin on the chest of my wetsuit. That, in combination with a few chrome d-rings on my black BC, comes across pretty "cool"...

Now if only I could follow up my appearance with performance to match...

Thx...Doug

 

[diverkim]

I believe that both mo2vation and aquagal were on the right track. Since the neoprene iproduced is many black and since supply and demand and the economies of scale come into play then black wetsuits would be predicted to be cheaper.
In Japan there are many multicolored wetsuits available but they are more expensive. However many Japanese seem to prefer buying the colored wetsuits.:rainbow: