The right wetsuit for you in 2mins flat.

All things are not created equal. This is no different to anything revolving around surfing. Just because two objects, look the same and have the same intended use does mean that they both equal to the task. Likewise with wetsuits and wetsuit design.

Wetsuits come in various shapes, sizes and materials but it doesn’t end there. You have to understand the conditions that your going to be immersing yourself into not to mention how comfortable you body is with colder water. A wise man once told me buy yourself the best wet suit you cant afford.

Womens Short Length Wetsuit

Geography equals wetsuit type

By understanding our geographic locations and water temperatures we can narrow our wetsuit choices to a handful of designs, manufacturers and styles. From then on in it will come down to the fit. Its all about the fit. I don’t care how great a product is cracked up to be if it doesn’t fit well. Don’t believe me? Try on a pair of your younger brother/sisters shoes and go for 20 minutes jog and tell me that fits not important.

Five minutes of research into your local water temperature and you’ll be able to save hours of driving and shopping. You’ll know what you want before you even leave the house, then its just a case of finding the best. Here I cant help you with that.

Water temperature is key

There are two ways to do this. Go down to your local surf spot and look around to see what other surfers are wearing OR go into a store and ask someone the same question. Second way is to find the water temperature in your local area both summer and winter.

Cold weather surfing conditions

For water temperatures below 10C (50F) I highly recommend a 5 x 3mm wetsuit and some serious determination. The water is very cold, your hands, feet and head will most probably need some

Full Length Wetsuit

protection from the elements. This I will cover in another article on its own.

Everyone is different and has different tolerances to water temperature. On my first surf lesson I used a borrowed short arm/leg wetsuit that didnt fit properly and boy did I freeze that day. Personally, water temperature below 17C (60F) I use a full 3 x  2  full arm and leg wetsuit with a rash shirt underneath. The rash shirt is there simply for that, to avoid a rash and that extra bit of comfort but that’s a personal thing, What does that mean? It means the chest, torso and groin area has 3mm of wetsuit material thickness while the arms and legs will have 2mm.

Warm weather surfing

For water temperatures between 17C (60F) – 21C(70F)  I use a 2 x 1mm short arm and leg wetsuit with rash shirt. These are for days when the water is too warm for a full blown wetsuit but I still need that little bit extra to keep me in the water longer. Also a must have in windy conditions. When your sitting on your board waiting for the next wave and the wind is howling it seriously chills you down to the bone. The likes of having a cold shower then running in front of a cooling fan for 2 hours… most unpleasant.

Water temperatures over 21C (70F) is a dream come true. I use the bear minimum, rash shirt and board shorts… That’s it.. You don’t need any more. These are your glorious summer days where it’s a pleasure to just sit in the water and be gradually cooled from the blistering summers day heat. On a hot summers day you can actually start to feel nauseas from overheating if your wearing far too much cold weather protection.

So there you have it. Now all you have to do is 2 minutes of research on water temperature in your local area and you will be able to decide which type of wet suit best serves you purpose.  Once you have a thickness type and style (long or short) along with your budget you will find that your selection has been drastically narrowed and all it now comes down to is how big your wallet is and what fits best.

You will find many brands and makes that will cater for your needs. What you will also find is your body shape and size will fit better to certain manufactures, in my case O’Neill wetsuits fit me like a glove. Remember, if it doesn’t fit like a glove then I suggest change your gloves not modify your hands.

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