Over the past four decades, shark bites have been on the rise. In 2024, 71 bites were reported worldwide, seven of them fatal. While encounters with sharks are still rare, the increasing numbers have inspired a new idea — a wetsuit that could protect against shark bites.
A team of Australian marine biologists at Flinders University decided to find out if this was possible. They developed and tested new bite-resistant wetsuit materials to see if they could withstand a shark’s teeth while allowing movement in the water. Their findings suggest that the right fabric blend could significantly reduce the severity of shark-bite injuries.
Traditional “bite-proof” wetsuits rely on chain mail or steel mesh. The materials can stop skin punctures fairly well, but they are heavy and massively restrict movement in the water. The researchers tested four bite-resistant wetsuit materials: Aqua Armour, Shark Stop, ActionTX-S, and Brewster material to see how well they reduced damage from bites.
They then tested the four different suit designs against white and tiger sharks, the species responsible for most unprovoked bites in Australian waters. Using bait balls, they lured sharks close before swapping the bait for test samples attached to buoys. The sharks bit down with full force on all materials.
Photo: Flinders University
Dramatic difference
The difference between regular neoprene and the reinforced materials was dramatic. Standard wetsuit fabric was easily shredded, showing deep punctures and tears. The experimental materials showed only shallow indentations that didn’t penetrate all the way through. While none of the suits could eliminate crushing injuries, they could prevent the kind of deep lacerations that cause rapid blood loss, which is often what makes shark bites fatal.
“While there were small differences between the four tested materials, they all reduced the amount of substantial and critical damage, which would typically be associated with severe hemorrhaging and tissue or limb loss,” said lead author Tom Clarke.
The suits won’t stop sharks from attacking, but they would give victims a better chance of surviving if they do.
