Frequently asked
questions

SHARKSKIN’s goal is to manufacture the world’s best water sports apparel range and accessories by providing technically superior materials that enable more comfort and warmth, and better performance both above and below the water.

Sharkskin has achieved this by developing technically superior materials designed to perform and provide specific benefits for all water sports activities -

CHILLPROOF: a 3-layer composite material that is the equivalent warmth of a 3mm neoprene wetsuit underwater and protects you from windchill while remaining highly breathable out of the water.

TITANIUM T2 CHILLPROOF: a 3-layer composite material with titanium nano-technology permanently embedded to provide extra warmth equivalent to a 5mm neoprene wetsuit underwater while protecting you from windchill and remaining highly breathable out of the water.

The titanium nano-technology generates far infrared (FIR) energy to not only boost warmth but also provide health, performance, and recovery benefits.

RAPID DRY: a single layer water repellent material that is more insulative than lycra and spandex, 100% chlorine resistant and UPF50+ for sun protection.

PERFORMANCE WEAR: a high-performance apparel range that uses all of the Sharkskin material technologies available in their designs to allow for the best comfort and best breathability with a firm focus on performance. 

R-SERIES COMPRESSION: a hi-tech compression material with enhanced performance through the addition of liquid titanium technology for an extra boost in warmth and an extra boost in recovery.

Sharkskin is proudly designed and manufactured in Newcastle, Australia at their purpose-built factory.

Chillproof by Sharkskin is a revolutionary high-tech trilaminate (3-layer) material with the equivalent warmth of a 3mm wetsuit that will keep you cool when it’s hot and warm when your cold. Chillproof is designed for in, on and under the water.
 
Sharkskin Chillproof materials:

1. The outer layer is a robust and durable, high quality, 4-way stretch material with a water repellent finish.

2. The second middle layer is a 10,000+ technical membrane that both stops windchill and breathes to prevent overheating.

3.The next to skin inner layer is a unique hollow-fibre fleece that retains water when submerged and wicks moisture away when on the surface to dry quickly and keep you comfortable.

Titanium Chillproof garments are unique. They feel the same as standard SHARKSKIN Chillproof fabric in that they have the same thickness, are neutrally buoyant, non-compressible and totally block wind on the surface.

They are also extremely comfortable to don and doff compared to neoprene, dry very fast and can be washed in a washing machine like normal clothing. Compared to standard Chillproof however, Titanium Chillproof benefits from Titanium Far Infrared (TiFIR) that is incorporated into the fabric.

Far Infrared (FIR) is most commonly associated as the heat energy generated by the sun and when absorbed by our bodies, infrared radiation causes a rise in body temperature. Far Infrared (FIR) however is also generated from our own bodies, in fact all mammals generate Far Infrared Heat Energy and approximately 50% of the energy generated by your own body is in the form of Far Infrared rays.

Titanium Chillproof has FIR reflective technology that reflects and retains the Far Infrared Heat Energy from our bodies back into our bodies subsequently causing a rise in temperature, increased blood flow and improved metabolic function – i.e. we will be warmer. Without this layer, the Far Infrared Heat Energy generated by our body is lost into the environment.

Our test have shown that Titanium Chillproof has equivalent thermal protection to a 4.5mm to 5mm neoprene wetsuit so you can wear it in place of a wetsuit in temperate waters between 20-26 degree c.

Technical Specifications
Titanium Far Infrared nanotechnology
Breathable 10K+ membrane 100%
Windproof
High quality abrasion resistant outer
4-way stretch for flexibility
Neutrally buoyant
Hollow fibre fleece
Dries quickly when being worn
Water repellent
DWR treatment
Anti-microbial for odour resistance

Sharkskin Rapid Dry is a single-layer lightweight and fast drying material that has re-invented and revolutionised the traditional rashie or rash shirt by adding better technology and superior features.

What makes Rapid Dry the best single-layer technical material for water sports of its kind?

Water Shedding - Rapid Dry is a lightweight, fast drying material which is ‘infused’ and then ‘heat set’ with a water repellent treatment (WRT). This method achieves a WRT finish that is much more effective at shedding water and also lasts much longer than traditional WRT material treatments.

Construction - The Rapid Dry material uses a specialised 3-D ‘rib-knit’ construction which creates far superior ‘insulation’ properties than cotton and nylon / lycra synthetic materials. This type of construction provides more warmth when the material is dry and a lot more warmth than standard weave garments when wet.

Durability - Additionally, by using a premium and very durable thread type the Rapid Dry material has 100% resistance to swimming pool chemicals (chlorine, bromine, etc) and very good resistance to the abrasive effects of salt micro-crystals formed as seawater dries out in the material.

Performance - Rapid Dry is breathable with very good ‘air permeability’ and also ‘wicks‘ moisture from your skin to the outer layer of the material to help disperse sweat. It is perfect for active water sports where it is important to regulate body temperature – like paddle sports, sailing, and any water sports where your heart rate indicates a performance requirement.

Safety - Rapid Dry has a UPF 50+ rating for protection from the Sun. This is very important as the majority of water sports are outside and in many cases the water can reflect and magnify the effect of the Sun’s harmful rays.

Visibility - Rapid Dry material comes in a wide range of colours including hi-visibility colours for safety. The premium dyes used are more colourfast than dyes used in cheaper garments and last much longer, so you are safer and more likely to be seen out on the ocean.
 
Fashion - The added thickness created by the 3-D ‘rib-knit’ construction also gives Rapid Dry material its ‘thickness’ which stops the garment from ‘draping’ when wet. Combined with the WRT treatment this means that Rapid Dry garments do not ‘cling’ to your body and impede movement like other water sports garments do, and instead look great when worn dry or wet.

Rapid Dry is perfect by itself as a rashie with extra insulation or layered over the top of a Chillproof or Titanium Chillproof top to provide more insulation and water shedding capabilities. It really is your do-it-all water sports garment that you can wear in and under the water and looks fashionable enough to wear to the café or bar afterwards.

The Performance Wear range has been created with the help of competition athletes and uses various combinations of the Sharkskin materials in their different designs.

The focus is on performance with Chillproof material where you need warmth, compression material where you need maximum flexibility and for best muscle performance during intense sports, and 4-Way stretch neoprene where you require extra comfort and abrasion resistance.

What makes Sharkskin Performance Wear the best ‘technical water sports protection’ range for those seeking a bit more performance from their favourite watersport?

Chillproof – Chillproof trilaminate material for protection and warmth from the elements.

Compression – strategically placed sports compression panels to aid in endurance and muscle recovery.

 Mesh ventilation panels - breathable to regulate body temperature while working hard.

Flexible strategically placed panels - to allow for maximum manoeuvrability during intense water sports.

 4-Way Stretch Neoprene - in the seat and shin areas for extra stretch and comfort.

 Heavy duty saltwater resistant zippers – to control heat retention. Design team - the Performance range has been created with the help of competition athletes. You can see some of these amazing Sharkskin brand ambassadors, all leaders in their respective fields, at - https://sharkskin.co.nz/pages/testimonials-page Performance Wear is ideally suited for all water sports where keeping warm and protected while maintaining a firm focus on performance and flexibility is important.

Compression R-Series material is a single-layer lightweight and breathable ‘Compression’ material that includes Titanium Far-Infrared (TiFIR) technology.

 The R-Series has been developed with water sports in mind and so is very robust and very durable to be able to resist repeated immersion in fresh and/or saltwater and prolonged exposure to UVA rays in the outdoor environment.

 Compression: The R-Series Compression material uses a ‘form fitting’ construction design to ‘compress’ the areas of the body that the garment is worn on. This ‘compression’ effect improves blood circulation to assist in muscle performance and recovery, and also holds muscles in the correct anatomical position to minimize damage from both physical exercise and day to day activity.

Titanium Far-Infrared technology: Titanium nanoparticles are permanently ‘infused’ into the R-Series Compression material. Far Infrared (FIR) emitted from your body is absorbed by the titanium nanoparticles in the R-Series Compression material, which then re-emit the same FIR back to the skin. Although this may seem to be an energy neutral process and to cancel itself out, it is not the case because the FIR emitting material prevents the escape of FIR that would otherwise have been lost to the outside environment.

The result is a ‘double-up’ of benefits – COMPRESSION effect plus FIR radiation effect to give you an extra boost in warmth and an extra boost in performance and muscle recovery far beyond what normal compression garments can offer.

 Sharkskin R-Series Compression wear is one of the most comfortable, quick drying, robust and performance enhancing compression ranges available. It is suitable for a wide range of uses – including daily gym sessions and fitness activities, underneath Sharkskin Rapid Dry or underneath a wetsuit for the added benefits of compression and added warmth for all active watersports, or for the rigours of multisports, obstacle course racing (OCR), and other extreme activities.

SHARKSKIN R-SERIES COMPRESSION FABRIC PROPERTIES –

This depends on your use – if worn under a wetsuit to keep you warm then a rinse in fresh water in a dive tub or on a hanger with the garden hose is perfect.

If you wear Sharkskin™ in high heart rate, intense watersports where you will be sweating a lot then you can also schedule a rinse using a mild anti-bacterial agent like commercially available ‘wetsuit wash’ every so often.

Wetsuit wash is available in most dive, surf and watersports and is not as aggressive as most detergents and is formulated especially to rejuvenate fabrics. If you are using sharkskin™ where it will get especially dirty – fish residues while kayak fishing or dirt and mud during multisports or obstacle course racing (OCR) for example, then you may need to use a gentle-cycle cold-water machine wash with a gentle detergent. Make sure you dry your Sharkskin™ garments in the shade and out of the direct sun if possible. This will prolong the life of your Sharkskin™ garments.

Our primary thermal fabric is called CHILLPROOF which provides a comfortable 'hollow yarn' fleece layer is next to the skin and 'wicks' moisture and sweat away from the body to help keep you dry. The second middle 'technical' layer is 100% windproof yet breathes to regulate body temperature while stopping windchill. The third outer layer is a nylon/lycra blend for abrasion resistance and 4 way stretch. It is also UV resistant for sun protection and has a durable water repellent finish (DWR) to provide a protective shell that 'sheds' water.

This really depends on what your favourite watersport is -

Sharkskin Chillproof and T2 Chillproof material absorbs water and when fully immersed and so if the garment is too large for you then it can become uncomfortable with the extra weight of the absorbed water and also allow water to ‘flush’ through the garment which will affect the garments ability to keep you warm.

Under a wetsuit - if you are wearing Sharkskin™ underneath a wetsuit then you will need to make sure your Sharkskin™ garment is ‘fitted’ so that it is firm on your body and does not bunch underneath your wetsuit.

In and out of the water - if you are wearing Sharkskin™ as a standalone garment (not under a wetsuit) and in and out of the water (EG – underwater watersports like SCUBA diving and snorkelling, and also general watersports like SUP boarding, surfing, foiling, surfski, kiteboarding, windsurfing, sailing, etc) then it is also best to make sure your Sharkskin™ garment is more ‘fitted’ than loose.

Out of the water - if you are wearing Sharkskin™ as a standalone garment out of the water 100% of the time (EG – recreational kayaking, skiing, as thermal wear for mountain biking and other outdoor activities, etc) then you may be more comfortable with a slightly looser fit to allow for better flexibility.

Sharkskin Rapid Dry rash shirts - the exception to wearing Sharkskin™ ‘fitted’ is the Rapid Dry range. Rapid Dry is designed to be worn slightly loose like your favourite T shirt.

Of course the best idea is to find your nearest Sharkskin™ stockist and try on the design best suited to your favourite watersport(s). Most watersport enthusiasts have a wardrobe full of Sharkskin™ to match different seasons, conditions and watersport activities.

All versions of the Chillproof Long Sleeve Top are 100% made from the Chillproof fleece material (nylon abrasion resistant outer layer / windchill proof, breathable technical middle layer / hollow yarn fleece inner layer). The standard Long Sleeve version has a 3mm neoprene neck gasket designed for wearing under a wetsuit or for whitewater paddling where you don't want water entering the neck area. The Long Sleeve Chest Zip top has a 1/2 zipper (instead of a neoprene gasket) designed mainly for above water watersports, (kayaking, multisport, SUP paddling, kiteboarding, windsurfing, jetski, etc), where you may need to vent via the zipper should you get too hot. The zipper design would be uncomfortable under a wetsuit. The Long Sleeve Full Zip top has a full length zipper (instead of a neoprene gasket) designed ease of donning and doffing and is compatible with all watersports both under water or on top of the water where you may need to vent via the zipper should you get too hot. 

Wetsuits are made from a rubber compound called neoprene which is impregnated with tiny bubbles of gas and typically sandwiched between two linings of nylon. Whether for snorkelling, diving or general watersports wetsuits are worn skin tight to minimise water flow and provide insulation. The thicker the wetsuit the warmer you are.

As an insulating material neoprene has some drawbacks – it is bulky and restrictive particularly on thicker suits, it offers minimal wind resistance so provides little protection from wind chill, it does not breathe so you can overheat when out of the water, it is positively buoyant so divers need to carry lead-weight (the thicker the suit the more weight is needed), the gas bubbles in neoprene break down over time so it loses its insulation properties.

Sharkskin™ Chillproof is a 3-layer technical material (see FAQ “Sharkskin™ Chillproof – how does it work?”) made up of a comfortable ‘hollow yarn’ fleece layer that is next to the skin and ‘wicks’ moisture and sweat away from the body to help keep you dry, a second middle ‘technical’ layer that is 100% windproof yet breathes to regulate body temperature while stopping windchill, and a third outer layer that is a nylon/lycra blend for abrasion resistance and 4 way stretch. It is also UV resistant for sun protection and has a durable water repellent finish (DWR) to provide a protective shell that ‘sheds’ water.

As an insulating material Sharkskin™ Chillproof has many benefits over neoprene – it is a truly technical fabric that provides exceptional wind resistance to avoid wind chill, it breathes to prevent overheating and is far more comfortable to wear so users will often keep their Sharkskin™ garment on all day, it is far less bulky, it is not buoyant so you do not need to add weight for diving, it does not compress at depth so there is no change in buoyancy at depth, it is extremely durable and retains its insulation by not having any gas bubbles in it (like neoprene) to break down over time, it is anti-microbial so does not ‘smell’ with repeated use.

For snorkelling, diving and general watersports in temperate and cold water you can layer Sharkskin™ Chillproof garments underneath a wetsuit. This gives you the best of both worlds by providing a comfortable wind chill proof layer next to your skin with an outer ‘shell’ of neoprene for additional insulation and to streamline your body in the water. By layering in this way you it is possible to use a thinner more flexible wetsuit than you would normally use.

If you are very sensitive to the cold, or during Winter when the water temperature drops, you can ‘add’ a Sharkskin™ Chillproof garment underneath your normal thickness wetsuit to make sure you stay extra warm in the water and on land when wind chill can lower your bodies temperature quickly.

In summary – Sharkskin™ Chillproof provides the equivalent insulation of 3mm neoprene in water but is more comfortable, is not bulky or restrictive, and protects you far better from wind chill than a wetsuit does.

Layering Sharkskin™ gives you the flexibility of adding or removing garments to handle changing weather conditions. Each category of Sharkskin™ apparel has its own unique benefits – so by combining 2 or more garments you can achieve a ‘layering’ system that will allow you to face the weathers extremes – both cold and hot. Chillproof is designed to be worn fitted and the Rapid Dry top is designed to be worn loose like a T-shirt, so you can pull a shortsleeve or longsleeve Rapid Dry top on over a Chillproof ‘next to skin’ layer anytime.

A great combination for winter watersports is a Chillproof garment (chest vest, short or long-sleeve top) to keep your core nice and warm with a Rapid Dry long-sleeve worn on top to handle sea spray and for sun protection on your shoulders and arms should you be wearing the chest vest. For active watersports wear the chillproof chest vest with rapid dry as a top layer. For less active watersports choose either the chillproof short-sleeve or long-sleeve top (with or without zipper) with rapid dry as the top layer. The Rapid Dry tops also work well over Performance tops. The compression material in the performance garments draws blood to the muscles in your shoulders and arms to help with endurance and recovery, but because of the extra sensitivity with increased blood flow you can get cold more quickly.

Wearing a Rapid Dry top over the performance top adds an insulation layer to ward off windchill and is thin enough to keep you from overheating. You can also layer Sharkskin™ with your wetsuit. By adding a garment from the Chillproof range underneath your wetsuit you can add the equivalent warmth of a 3mm wetsuit without the additional buoyancy. The Chillproof garment not only ensures that you stay warm during a dive or other watersports activity but also stops windchill when you are above the water in-between sessions.

Wearing Sharkskin™ under a wetsuit not only keeps you warm during the dive but protects against windchill in between dives. The chest vest keeps your core warm in and out of the water. The chest vest with hood gives you that extra warmth that you need for cold water. You lose a lot of heat through your head so you can even double up by adding a neoprene hood over the sharkskin™ hood in really cold water for extra warmth. The Short-sleeve Chillproof top adds more warmth than the chest vest by enclosing your armpit area. The Long-sleeve Chillproof top is for even colder water diving provided your wetsuit has enough room in the arms for the long-sleeve top underneath it. Most go for the short-sleeve top – but if you get very cold and your suit has enough room in the arms then go for the long-sleeve top.

The Sharkskin ‘technical watersports protection’ apparel range is designed and manufactured by a passionate and dedicated team in our factory in Newcastle, Australia. Sharkskin brand bags, gloves, PFDs, Shoes, Mask, Snorkel, Water bottle, Fins and caps are designed inhouse and manufactured in offshore factories with strict quality control procedures.

Sharkskin products are available to buy from our network of Authorised Sharkskin stockists all over the world. Check out our Store Locator on this website to find your nearest store.  

Answer from a Physician based in USA with severe type 4 hypersensitivity contact dermatitis. “I am a physician who was diagnosed a number of years ago with a severe type 4 hypersensitivity to latex and non-latex glove materials.

This necessitated a major adjustment to my career and the strict avoidance of contact with these type of substances. Varied dive websites referred to individuals with more mild forms of sensitivity and what precautions they took to avoid problems.

The only serious advice seemed to point to the use of the Sharkskin™ product line as either the sole garment worn or as an undergarment to a wetsuit. Avoiding neoprene contact directly to my skin was an absolute necessity so I purchased a full set of the Sharkskin™ Chillproof undergarments – the Chillproof front zip suit, (without the neoprene collar that the back zip full suit has), and a Chillproof hood, socks and gloves. I was hoping to avoid a wetsuit altogether but the water temperature where I was diving in Australia was too cold to allow for this.

Therefore, throughout my three days of training and open water diving I wore the Sharkskin™ undergarment and accessories underneath a wetsuit for a total of 18 hours.

After all of my dives I checked for any irritation of my skin with regard to my contact dermatitis condition. After the diving and certification was complete I watched a full further week, (type 4 hypersensitivity contact dermatitis can show a delayed effect after exposure), to see if any irritation occurred. It has now been a full 17 days since I finished diving and at no time whatsoever has my skin shown any signs of irritation or problems. Although a relatively short experience, the nature of my skin sensitivity suggests that the Sharkskin™ was very effective in completely reducing my exposure directly to the wetsuit material.

I highly endorse the Sharkskin™ product for the subset of users with conditions similar to mine. When you purchase yours, make sure that the glove length extends beneath the sleeves of the front zip suit to eliminate any exposure points.” Note from Sharkskin™ – If you need a custom fit to ensure 100% skin cover with Sharkskin™ Chillproof, please enquire through your local Sharkskin™ stockist.