From Immersion Suit to Personal Habitat: How the Arctic 10+ Transforms Survival in Polar Waters

When a ship must be abandoned in polar waters, the difference between life and death is often measured in days, not hours. Traditional immersion suits were designed to keep a person afloat and somewhat warm for a short time — typically just long enough to reach a life raft or be rescued quickly. But in the Arctic and Antarctic, rescue can take far longer. The International Maritime Organization’s Polar Code recognizes this reality and requires survival equipment to support life for the Maximum Expected Time of Rescue (METR) — never less than five days in remote areas.

White Glacier’s Arctic 10+ takes the concept of an immersion suit to an entirely new level. It is not just a suit — it becomes a personal habitat that allows a person to eat, sleep, and remain functional for days while floating in ice-cold water or resting on ice. This patented innovation marks a genuine step forward in polar survival technology.

Why Standard Immersion Suits Fall Short

Most SOLAS-approved immersion suits are tested in calm water between 0 °C and 5 °C. They are expected to provide basic thermal protection for a few hours until the wearer can reach a group survival kit or be rescued. In real polar conditions — sub-zero air temperatures, high winds, waves splashing inside the suit, and prolonged exposure — these suits quickly lose effectiveness. Insulation drops dramatically once water enters, dexterity is lost, and the wearer soon becomes too cold and exhausted to help themselves or others.

The result? Even when the Polar Code’s five-day METR requirement applies, standard suits often fail within the first day.

The Arctic 10+ Difference: A Suit That Becomes a Shelter

The Arctic 10+ was engineered from the ground up for the harshest polar environments. Its most distinctive feature is the integrated splash tent — a simple yet brilliant system that transforms the suit into a personal habitat in seconds.

Here is how it works:

• Splash Tent Deployment — Once in the water, the wearer pulls a quick-release cord. A transparent, wind- and spray-proof canopy deploys over the upper body, creating a sheltered microclimate. This dramatically reduces wind chill and evaporative cooling, the two fastest ways to lose body heat.

• Removable Arms and Internal Access — The wearer can withdraw their arms inside the suit to stay warm or extend them for tasks. This allows eating, drinking, signalling, or even resting without breaking the suit’s seal.

• Multi-Layer Passive Insulation — With an industry-leading CLO value of 4.87, the suit maintains core body temperature even after water ingress. Independent testing in Trondheim, Norway (Ergopro 2022) showed less than 0.5 °C core temperature drop over six hours in –20 °C air, 0 °C water, and 10 m/s wind — conditions far more severe than standard lab tests.

The result is remarkable: a person wearing the Arctic 10+ can actually sleep, eat full rations, and stay alert for multiple days while floating or resting on ice.

Real-World Performance in Extended Survival Situations

Operators who have used the Arctic 10+ in genuine polar emergencies report the same consistent outcome: the suit becomes a personal shelter that keeps the wearer functional long after standard suits would have failed. Whether during multi-day ice entrapments or delayed helicopter rescues, the splash tent and internal arm system have allowed crew members to conserve energy, maintain hydration and nutrition, and remain ready to assist when help finally arrives.

This capability directly addresses the Polar Code’s goal-based requirement: survival equipment must work in the actual conditions and for the actual time rescue may take — not just in ideal laboratory scenarios.

Why This Matters for Every Polar Operator

The Polar Code is not a checklist — it is a commitment to keep people alive in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. Standard immersion suits meet the legal minimum for general shipping, but they were never designed for true polar abandonment. The Arctic 10+ was.

By turning an immersion suit into a personal habitat, White Glacier has closed a critical gap that has existed since the Polar Code was introduced. Crews no longer have to simply “survive” — they can remain capable, rested, and ready until rescue arrives, no matter how long that takes.

Ready to upgrade your fleet from basic protection to true polar readiness? Contact Diego Jacobson, CEO White Glacier djacobson@whiteglacier.com | +1 939-430-1264 www.whiteglacier.com

This post is for educational purposes and references independent testing (Ergopro 2022) and the IMO Polar Code. White Glacier products are certified to USCG, MED, Transport Canada, and UK MCA standards; no regulatory endorsement is implied.