I grew up in a place that had warm water year-round, and we vacationed in other warm places, so I never had to worry about things like wetsuits. When I began surfing the mid-Atlantic, I was strictly a Summer surfer until I had the freedom to make my way to the beach on a more year-round basis. That water gets pretty cold, and if you want to surf in other seasons, you must have some neoprene on your body unless you’re a fan of hypothermia. I am not, so I needed a wetsuit. I’m busy, and I buy everything online if I can help it. I thought I could do this with a wetsuit too. Terrible idea. Wetsuits, like many other things, need careful consideration and testing before purchase. I’m happy to say that I love my current wetsuit now that I know more about how to buy them. Here are some of the things I’ve learned since that first wetsuit purchase:
1. Wetsuit size and dress size almost never equate. Go to a surf or dive shop and try on a bunch of them in different sizes made by different companies. Be less concerned by the brand name and more concerned with the fit. There should be a good seal around the neck and at the arm and leg closures (whether it’s a long or short suit), but it should not be overly constricting. Make sure the whole suite fits against your body and does not gap under the arms, between the legs, in the chest or back. Extra material will not be kind to your skin once you start paddling.
2. Know what thickness you need for your local conditions. Neoprene thicknesses are rated for certain temperature ranges. I do fine in a 3/2mm suit as long as the water is above about 60 degrees. Anything colder, for me, requires a thicker suit. Your body may be more or less tolerant of temperature than mine, but the general temperature rating for the neoprene is a good gauge to use. If you’re unsure about what you need for your beach, ask other surfers on the beach or the surfers in your shop. Also ask whether or not you need booties or gloves or a hood. These are especially important in very cold water.
3. Make sure you can get into and out of the suit comfortably. How does it zip and seal? If the entry mechanism is in the back, can you get into and out of it without assistance? Do you prefer a front zip closure? Some women prefer this on certain kinds of wetsuits, such as a springsuit. Bigger busted girls might find this to be constricting, so make sure you try it on, zip it up, and wiggle around. Actually, everyone trying on a wetsuit should do that regardless of the type of closure.
4. Check the seams and the stretch on the suit. Seams should be strong and double or triple stitched inside and out. The suit should move with your body no matter how you twist, bend, and stretch. Nothing should rub, poke, or irritate you. If you notice it outside the water, you’ll hate it in the water.
Got any other tips to share? I would love to hear them and share them with our readers!