Immersion suit

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An immersion suit, also known as a survival suit, is a type of waterproof dry suit intended to protect the wearer from hypothermia if immersed in cold water or otherwise exposed after abandoning a vessel, especially in the open ocean. Immersion suits usually have integral footwear, and a hood, and either built-in gloves or watertight wrist seals. Suits manufactured by several manufacturers also include an inflatable pillow which is permanently attached high on the back, or an inflatable tube that is attached with zippers at two points on the chest, each side of the main zipper, and circles the back.

Immersion suits are of two types: Work suits are worn for long periods in high risk environments, and survival suits are worn during emergencies. When inflated, both of these devices provide enhanced stability to the wearer, which, if conscious, allows them to keep the head above water, and to keep wind and seas from striking the face. The inflation tube is routed from the inflatable pillow over the left shoulder of the user, and secured in a loop on the chest. Immersion suits with buoyancy aids are provided with buddy lines to allow multiple survivors to connect to one another in the water, to keep survivors together. Some suits are manufactured with built-in hoisting lanyards, to allow easier retrieval from vessels with a higher freeboard that have hoisting capabilities.