Silfra Drysuit vs Wetsuit 2026: Warmth, Fit & Which to Pick

Booking choice: The wetsuit or drysuit snorkel, from $139 per person. Check dates Compare the options below

Drysuits are the default at Silfra because they keep the water out, and in water this cold that matters. They are also the part of the experience guests complain about most: the neck and wrist seals are tight, and some people find them claustrophobic.

A wetsuit is the alternative. The park's rules allow snorkelers to wear "a suitable fitting and thick wetsuit" with hood, gloves and neoprene shoes or socks, and one tour on Viator lets you choose.

The quick answer

Choose the drysuit if you feel the cold or want to stay dry: your body stays dry over thermal layers and it floats you effortlessly. Choose a wetsuit if tight neck seals make you anxious or you want to duck under the surface, and accept that you will feel the cold more. The Adventure Vikings wetsuit or drysuit tour (14+) offers both at the same price.

A snorkeler in a thick wetsuit and hood walking down the metal entry steps into the fissure — A thick wetsuit and hood is allowed for snorkelers under the park's rules.

Can you snorkel Silfra in a wetsuit?

Yes. Thingvellir's rules require divers to use a drysuit, but snorkelers may use a suitable, well-fitting thick wetsuit instead.

Either way, full exposure protection is required: hood, gloves and neoprene shoes or socks as well as the suit. Most operators only offer drysuits for snorkeling, so if you want a wetsuit, book a tour that includes one.

Prefer a wetsuit? Adventure Vikings lets you pick wetsuit or drysuit, with underwater photos included.

Check dates for the wetsuit or drysuit snorkel

How do a drysuit and a wetsuit compare?

The drysuit is warmer, drier and more buoyant; the wetsuit is less restrictive at the neck and lets you move more freely.

	Drysuit	Wetsuit
How it keeps you warm	Seals water out; you stay dry over thermal layers	Traps a thin layer of water against your skin
What you wear under it	Thermal base layers and the operator's undersuit	Swimsuit
Warmth in 2 to 4 °C water	Warmer: cold mainly on face and hands	Colder: you feel the water
Buoyancy	Very buoyant, you float at the surface	Less buoyant; guests report it is easier to dive down
Fit	Tight seals at neck and wrists	Snug all over, no neck seal
Who offers it	Every operator	Adventure Vikings wetsuit option (14+)
From	$139	$139

Which is warmer at Silfra?

The drysuit, clearly: your body stays dry over wool layers and a thick undersuit, while a wetsuit lets the 2 to 4 °C water touch your skin.

Drysuit guests mostly report cold only on the face and hands. Wetsuit guests are fewer, and their reviews are positive but brief: a 63-year-old guest who was nervous about the cold chose the wetsuit and reports no problems at all. If you feel the cold easily, pick the drysuit.

A snorkeler in a drysuit and yellow fins, half above and half below the water line — In a drysuit you float high on the surface with almost no effort.

Is the drysuit claustrophobic?

It can be: every operator warns that drysuits feel tight, especially at the neck and wrists, and Adventure Vikings says a wetsuit can be the better option if you are claustrophobic.

The neck seal has to be tight to keep the water out. Some guests find it fine ("it was tight, but I didn't find it that uncomfortable"), others find it the hardest part of the day. If you dislike tight collars or have panicked in a mask before, the wetsuit removes the neck seal from the equation.

Tight seals not for you? This Adventure Vikings snorkel lets you choose a wetsuit instead, for guests 14 and over.

★ 4.9 387 reviews · 3 hours · from $139

Explore the wetsuit or drysuit snorkel

Which tours offer a wetsuit at Silfra?

The Adventure Vikings wetsuit or drysuit snorkel ($139, 14+), and its Silfra and Sky Lagoon combo, which lists a wetsuit or drysuit.

The wetsuit tour rates 4.9 from 387 reviews, lasts about 3 hours, meets at the same car park as the other self-drive tours and includes underwater photos and hot chocolate. The size limits are the same as the drysuit tour: 150 to 200 cm and 50 to 120 kg.

A split view of the shallow Silfra Lagoon, clear water below and mountains above — Wetsuit or drysuit, the route ends in the shallow Silfra Lagoon.

Can you dive down in a wetsuit?

More easily than in a drysuit: guests report that the drysuit keeps you pinned to the surface, while the wetsuit lets you duck under.

That is the one real bonus of a wetsuit for confident swimmers. In a drysuit you float and look down, which suits most people fine, because the visibility is often quoted at over 100 m. The park's diving rules still apply: no caves or overhead sections.

A lone snorkeler at the surface seen from deep below between dark lava walls — Most snorkelers stay at the surface and look down into the depth.

What do you wear under each suit?

Under a drysuit, thermal base layers and thick wool socks; under a wetsuit, a swimsuit.

For the wetsuit option, Adventure Vikings asks you to bring a swimsuit and a towel. For a drysuit, it recommends long thermal underwear and thick wool socks. The full kit list is in what to wear for Silfra snorkeling.

So which should you choose?

The drysuit for most people; the wetsuit if the neck seal is a real worry or you are a confident cold-water swimmer.

You feel the cold: drysuit.
Claustrophobic or anxious about tight seals: wetsuit.
Confident swimmer who wants to dive down: wetsuit.
Younger teen (12 or 13): drysuit, as the wetsuit option starts at 14.
First time snorkeling: drysuit, for the effortless buoyancy.

Want to keep your options open? Book the tour that offers both suits at the same price.

Check dates for the wetsuit or drysuit snorkel

Frequently asked questions

Is the wetsuit option cheaper?

No. The Adventure Vikings wetsuit or drysuit tour costs $139, the same as its drysuit-only snorkel.

Can I wear my own wetsuit?

The park allows a suitable, well-fitting thick wetsuit for snorkelers, but you still need a guided tour or a buddy; ask the operator before bringing your own gear.

Is a wetsuit safe in 2 to 4 °C water?

It is allowed under the park's rules when it is thick and well fitting, with a hood, gloves and neoprene shoes or socks. You will feel the cold more than in a drysuit.

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