This thread highlights some interesting contrasts between the state of underwater swimming gear in the mid twentieth century and the current status quo. From the early 1960s, around the time when I started snorkelling, I still have in my possession a couple of British diving equipment catalogues featuring the Siebe-Heinke Dip Suit, a simple drysuit without valves, comprising a hood, a jacket, footed trousers and a cummerbund to help seal the garment around the waist. One catalogue provides the following description: "Designed primarily for use by the diver, the suit is readily adaptable for use by dinghy sailors, fishermen, canoeists and all-the-year-round water skiers". The other catalogue describes the suit as "designed not only for diving but also for swimming, water-skiing, yachting and fishing, where only the trousers are worn." Underwater enthusiasts back then, who had less money to spend and fewer equipment options to consider, valued gear that could be used in a variety of aquatic settings and activities. It was the age of generalisation.
Almost fifty years later, we live in the age of specialisation. There is a different drysuit for each aquatic activity. The upside is that a single-interest water enthusiast may now have a drysuit designed to meet every expectation of that individual aquatic pursuit. The downside is that thanks to the mutual incompatibility of these drysuit types, those who enjoy multiple water sports may end up buying a whole wardrobe of drysuits, none of which come cheap. Some people may call that progress, while others, including myself, may use the term "trade-off" instead.
