Overall Swim Test
As with all clothes for watersports and adventure you may want to try your overall in the water. This is important for your enjoyment when you go out on adventures.
We always go for an extended swim in a pool with any new watersports clothing. Only then can we tell if it fits well and feels good. There are several critria that can only be properly assessed in the water.
Check List
- How easy is it to swim in the overall?
- Does the hood fit well or obscure part of the face?
- Are the sleeves and legs long enough or too long?
- Does the fabric soak up much water or is it lightweight?
- Is the fabric soft or bulky?
- Is it breathable?
- Is it waterproof?
Waterproofing Test
If you need a reasonably waterproof suit, make sure it holds up to prolonged heavy showers or spray. Wear a thin cotton hoodie and pants underneath so you can see afterwards where it leaked.
The best way to test this is under the shower at home or with the hose pipe in the garden. This is great fun and you may want to try this with all your waterproof clothing.
When you face the direction of the rain or spray, even with the hood up, some water will enter the suit around your face. If you don't use your hood, even more water will soak in around the collar as the catchment area is larger. Water also collects in the hood and gushes down your back when you lean forward or put the hood up.
No suit is completely waterproof, even if the fabric and seams hold up,
some water will seep in through the head, or hand and foot openings.
Add to that condensation, and you realise that you will get a bit wet or damp in any case.
Enjoy!
Swimming Test
Thin overalls make great swimwear for sun protection and avoiding stinging jellyfish. They are easy to swim in and dry quickly afterwards. In our tests we found them to be very comfortable because they didn't sag or float about. They do cause some drag that slows you down. We wear them for spashing around on the beach or relaxing in the pool.
You can wear your overall on bare skin, over a swimshirt or other clothes, depending on the climate. For our test we wore only a swimshirt underneath, no shorts or briefs. Without a waistband this is one of the most comfortable swimsuits we've reviewed.
