WET SUIT - History questions - Have the answers?

[drbill]

Well, at least I know I didn't invent it!

Of course one has to distinguish between rubber suits and the neoprene wetsuit since they have different origins. I can remember a professor of mine back in the 60's talking about diving Antarctica in an old rubber suit... it was thick enough to make Dr. John Dearborn look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.

 

[David Wilson]

>Of course one has to distinguish between rubber suits and the neoprene wetsuit since they have different origins<

I'm wondering what do you mean by "rubber suits" here. In the early days, some wetsuits were made out of materials other than neoprene. The French-made Pêche-Sport was made out of sponge rubber, while the British-made Heinke Dolphin was made of natural rubber (NR) with a stockinette lining. Or are you referring to drysuits, which in the 1950s were normally constructed from NR or a NR/neoprene blend?

 

[Sam Miller III]

Rubber suit?

Dr. Bill Explain please --totally confused with the statement...

Dr. Sam