White Glacier Arctic 10+ Immersion Suit Exceeds Survival Standards
The Arctic 10+ immersion suit provides excellent cold water protection
The White Glacier Arctic 10+ has been certified by the U.S. Coast Guard, Transport Canada, and the EU MED to meet and exceed strict regulatory standards. The Arctic 10+ suit is designed to act as a personal life raft and personal habitat, protecting the users from hypothermia and allowing for survival in any marine environment.
All regulation immersion suits are certified to protect from the onset of hypothermia for 6 hours in still water at 2 degrees Celsius, with no wind nor waves. However, weather is unpredictable; one cannot be assured that the environmental conditions will be the same as the test’s requirements when an incident occurs. Previously published research has shown that wind and waves can significantly increase the heat loss from people wearing immersion suits compared to calm water. The Arctic 10+ addresses this issue by significantly increasing the thermal protection and buoyancy offered, as well as giving the ability to seal off from the impact of wind, rain, and waves.
“The Arctic 10+ was designed to exceed all regulatory requirements and does so while keeping the user comfortable,” says Diego Jacobson, CEO White Glacier.
That element of comfort is critical to consider because it isn’t just a matter of preference. If the user is uncomfortable and panic sets in, survival times will be affected. It’s the main reason the SPLASH TENT was built into the Arctic 10+, as it allows the user to eat, drink, perform first aid or bodily functions while being protected from the wind, rain, or splash from waves. They can even sleep and recover their strength, improving their survival odds.
The Arctic 10+ is a three-layer protective system with an outside layer for abrasion resistance and flame protection. The middle layer offers more flame protection, water tightness, and buoyancy. The third layer delivers even more flame protection and thermal protection. The immersion suit also provides a high level of buoyancy and allows the user to float above the water, not in it, as water will accelerate heat loss.
The ability to survive on open seas for rescue times of 10 to over 12 hours gives vessel-operating companies who care about survivability, as opposed to mere compliance with regulations, an extraordinary cost-effective immersion suit for passengers and crews. Whether used as an immersion suit or as a Polar Survival suit for the Polar Code, the Arctic 10+ is the suit you want if you have to operate in cold water.
This article is sponsored by White Glacier
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.