Behind The Seams Of Wetsuit Design: Countershading

Written by Felicity Purvis.

Countershading can help you feel safer knowing you’re in a suit which blends design with marine science to give you the ultimate shark-safe wettie for all ocean-goers.

What Is Countershading?

Countershading refers to an animal’s colouring, allowing it to camouflage in the wild. You may notice that a lot of animal species tend to have lighter colouring on their undersides and darker colours on the upper sides. Think of sharks, whales, snakes, frogs, and penguins – these animals all have countershading!

You may be wondering how this helps the animal to camouflage. Well, think about a time you were out in the water, perhaps snorkelling, diving, or surfing. When you looked down, the water would have appeared to be very dark. Vice versa when you were under the surface and looked towards the sky, it would have looked quite bright. Essentially, when you look down into the dark water, a darker upper side will be much less prominent, similarly when looking up at a bright underside against the bright sky.

Why Do We Use Countershading In Our Wetsuits?

Our goal at Made For It is for all of our wetsuit wearers to be safe and at home in the water. The colours of wetsuits like our Glass Off Long Jane hide you from predators when you're on the surface/midwater, while also not disturbing other fishies and animals! 

Most aquatic animals see contrast, not fine details or actual colour – which means when you’re surfing with sharks, they are less likely to notice our light-coloured wetsuits against the sky. Or when you’re diving with fish, they probably won’t be as disturbed by you in our suits when you’re above them as a diver in all black.

We’ve also adapted our wetsuits to make our wettie-wearers more visible in a search-and-recovery situation (even though we hope this never happens!). We choose light colours for the backs of our suits, like the Glass Off Jacket, so if a chopper or a boat is ever looking for you, you stand out against the dark water from above.

Key Takeaways

Countershading is the ultimate camouflage technique for all our stealthy ocean-goers. Whether you’re surfing, diving, or just having a splash, choosing a suit with the right colouring will keep you safe and feeling fabulous.