When operating in cold or unpredictable environments, having the right protective gear is essential for survival. While immersion suits and anti-exposure suits share similar features, their purpose and use requirements are very different. Understanding these differences ensures that crews and operators are properly equipped for their missions, and that safety standards are met in every scenario.
Immersion Suits: Designed for Emergency Survival
An immersion suit, or survival suit, is built exclusively for emergency situations where a person may unexpectedly enter cold water after abandoning a vessel or aircraft. These suits are made from highly insulating, waterproof, non-breathable materials that provide full-body coverage and are engineered to slow heat loss and increase survival time until rescue occurs.
While immersion suits are optimized for maximum thermal protection in short-term survival scenarios, anti-exposure suits are designed for continuous operational wear, offering protection while still allowing for mobility, comfort, and task performance. It’s important to note that Switlik does not manufacture immersion suits. Instead, they offer a variety of anti-exposure suits that are tailored to specific missions, and compliant with various performance standards, such as the European Technical Standard Order (ETSO).
Anti-Exposure Suits: Designed for Continuous Wear
An anti-exposure suit is designed for operational use and constant wear, not just emergencies. These suits are typically worn during missions or operations where the risk of entering cold water exists, but where constant comfort and maneuverability are also necessary. They allow the wearer to move freely and perform duties without overheating or restricting motion, and include mission-specific features such as cuffs and pockets.
Switlik’s ETSO Anti-Exposure Pilot Suit is a great example of a high-performance anti-exposure garment built for professionals in aviation and search and rescue operations. This suit is fabricated from GORE® waterproof, flame-retardant, and breathable fabric and has a fleece thermal underlayer for up to 4 hours of survival time frigid water. This ensures operators stay comfortable and mission-ready, even in the harshest conditions.
In the event of falling in the water, an immersion suit will prevent hypothermia; however, it is impractical for carrying out day-to-day missions, unlike an anti-exposure suit. The latter may not protect against hypothermia by itself, but it could if worn with appropriate undergarments. We also offer the option for a thermal liner at the time of purchase. The layers that make up an anti-exposure suit help regulate body temperature and protect against the elements, but the suit will not completely insulate body heat in the case of emergency water immersion, unless aided by additional garments.
What Is the Use of an Anti-Exposure Suit?
An anti-exposure suit is used to protect the wearer from cold water exposure during operations over or near water. It provides thermal insulation, increasing the chance of survival in case of accidental immersion, while allowing for maximum comfort and maneuverability. These suits are essential for pilots, search and rescue personnel, and marine operators who regularly work in cold, wet, or unpredictable conditions, where the risk of unexpected immersion is constant.
Beyond survival, anti-exposure suits also serve a preventive function—keeping professionals safe and comfortable during missions so they can focus on performance, not the elements.
In summary, immersion suits and anti-exposure suits each serve a distinct, yet equally vital, role in ensuring safety on the water and in the air. Immersion suits are specifically designed for emergency survival, solely used to provide full-body insulation and buoyancy to protect against hypothermia if a person must enter cold water unexpectedly. Anti-exposure suits, however, are built for operational use in cold or wet environments, offering a balance of thermal protection, flexibility, maximum comfort, and maneuverability for ongoing missions.
Whether the mission calls for continuous protection or emergency readiness, Switlik’s line of survival and anti-exposure suits is engineered to meet the demands of professionals who operate where performance and safety are nonnegotiable.
