The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Wetsuits for Surfing
An effective, comfortable wetsuit that fits your body correctly can make or break a surf session. However, choosing the best wetsuits for surfing can be an overwhelming process! What’s the difference between a springsuit and a fullsuit? What do the numbers mean? What wetsuit will keep me warm in my local water temperature?
We’re here to answer all your questions! Here’s the lowdown on everything you need to know about choosing the best wetsuits for surfing.
How do wetsuits work?
If surfing is new to you, you may be wondering just how exactly wetsuits keep you warm. 🤔
They are made from a material called neoprene which is extremely elastic, durable and insulating. The neoprene comes in various thicknesses (more on that later) and is covered in a special glue or tape at the seams to prevent water from escaping in these spots. To sum it up, the neoprene of the wetsuit creates a seal around your body and this traps a small amount of water between your skin and the neoprene. Your body heat warms this water to a higher water temp than the water outside of neoprene (in the ocean). This conserves body heat and insulates your body so that you feel as if you are surfing in warm water.
What do the numbers mean?
When you’re shopping for a neoprene wetsuit, it’s important to keep thickness in mind. This usually comes in the form of a number measuring the thickness of the neoprene in millimeters. The higher the number, the thicker and warmer the wetsuit.
Many springsuits and shorties (more on different types of wetsuits below) often have a whole number for their thickness, such as 2mm. This means that the entire suit is made of neoprene that is 2 millimeters thick.
Fullsuit thicknesses are typically measured with a fraction, such as 4/3mm. The number on the top of the fraction is the thickness of the material on the torso of the wetsuit – the stomach, chest and back. The bottom number is the thickness for the arms and legs of the wetsuit. So for example, if your wetsuit is a 4/3, that means that your torso will have neoprene that’s 4 mm thick and the neoprene on your arms and legs will be 3 mm.
Which wetsuit thickness is best?
That depends on two things. The first being the water temp and the second being how easily you get cold.
The most common wetsuit thickness ratios for springsuits are 2mm, 2/1mm or 2/1.5mm. These are very thin and are definitely meant for relatively warm water. They are great for the days where you just need a little more warmth than your swim trunks.
Fullsuits are typically 3/2mm, 4/3mm or 5/4mm. A 3/2mm wetsuit is great for late fall or early spring when the water isn’t too cold. You could get through the entire winter with a 3/2 comfortably in Southern California if you’re pretty cold-tolerant. However, 4/3 mm is the standard winter wetsuit thickness in SoCal. You should stay nice and toasty even on the colder days of the season with a 4/3!
A 5/4 is meant for colder water, such as San Francisco or Big Sur in Northern California, so they aren’t as popular here in San Diego. However, if extremely lengthy surf sessions are your thing or you want a little extra warmth, a thicker wetsuit like a 5/4 is definitely the way to go!
Types of Wetsuits
Fullsuit
Fullsuits completely cover your arms and legs and are made of thicker neoprene. These are typically meant to be winter wetsuits.
There are two main entry options here – chest zips and back zips. This refers to how you get into the wetsuit and both these options are available for men and women. A chest zip wetsuit has a flap that pulls over your head and zips up across your chest. A back zip has a zipper that goes up the back with a small flap of velcro around the neck to hold the zipper in place.
Both options are great so it usually comes down to a personal preference on what you think is most comfortable or easiest to get in and out of. Sometimes chest zip wetsuits are especially nice for girls (or guys) with long hair as the hair can catch in the velcro on back zips. Many people find the chest zips slightly more comfortable and feel that this style creates a slightly better seal around their neck. However, often the chest zip styles are more expensive because they are a newer wetsuit technology. The back zips still do the job quite well if you want the cheaper option.
Springsuit & Shorty
These are meant for the in-between months – spring and fall – and not the dead of winter. In Southern California you will have a very chilly surf session if you wear a spring suit in December! 🥶 Many people who get cold easily usually wear spring suits in the summer as well.
The terms springsuits and shorties are often used interchangeably. Most springsuits are shorter than fullsuits, hence the name. However, fullsuits with a 3/2 mm thickness can also be considered a springsuit sometimes.
Generally, the springsuits or shorty wetsuits cover less of your body and are made of thinner material. There are tons of options here as wetsuit companies have become really creative with styles! For girls, spring suits typically have bikini bottoms or short legs on the lower half with long sleeves on the top. For guys, they often have shorts on the bottom half and long sleeves or short sleeves on the top. However, there are other options besides the short legs styles, such as the Long Jane style for women and the Long John style for men. Both these have pants on the bottom and a tank top on the top.
These are great options to try and stretch out the warmer water just a little bit longer without having to wear a heavy-duty fullsuit.
Popular Wetsuit Brands/Styles:
Body Glove Wetsuits – Body Glove is the original wetsuit company and is known for their quality
O’Neill – O’Neill has been making wetsuits for decades and has a great repudiation. The O’Neil Reactor-2 is quite popular for men.
RipCurl Wetsuits – RipCurl Wetsuits are known for their style, patterns and new technology. The RipCurl Flashbomb (Women’s & Men’s) and the RipCurl Dawn Patrol (Women’s & Men’s) are especially popular. They also have a lot of springsuits and shorty wetsuits.
Xcel Wetsuits – Xcel Wetsuits are known particularly for their high quality and incredible warmth. The Xcel Drylock X is a nice option for men.
Billabong Wetsuits – Billabong wetsuits come in many styles, colors and patterns and are an all-around great option.
Extra Accessories:
Hoods – These are great to wear in really cold water. Surfers usually wear them with a 5/4 wetsuit.
Tops – Wetsuit tops are for the days when you don’t want a springsuit or shorty, but want just a little extra warmth.
Booties – These are great for the winter or if you surf at a rocky beach!
Gloves – Pair with a winter wetsuit if you are surfing in crazy cold weather!
Other Wetsuit Features to Consider
When choosing a wetsuit, look carefully at the seams and neoprene for good quality. Seams have a tendency to rip so it is best to start with strong and durable-looking seams. The more elastic the neoprene and seams are, the better! The wetsuit will lose some of its stiffness as you wear it and it gets wet as well.
Each wetsuit brand such as RipCurl, Billabong or Xcel, have unique thermal wetsuit technologies. We recommend researching each brand’s technology online and/or asking the staff at your local surf shop which they think is best for the water temperatures in your area.
Many wetsuits have knee pads and key pockets as well. If those are features you desire, make sure to inspect them and see that they meet your standards.
Finding the Perfect Fit
It is extremely important that you choose a wetsuit that fits you well. If it’s too loose, the wetsuit won’t seal around your body and you’ll deal with a repetitive “flush”, or cold water constantly moving through the wetsuit. Your body won’t have the chance to warm the water up. In this case, the wetsuit will not help you at all!
However, on the flip side, it’s important to make sure that the wetsuit isn’t so tight to your skin that you can’t move your arms and legs to paddle well and pop up. An overly-tight wetsuit is neither comfortable nor flattering.
It should feel snug, but stretchy, like a second skin. It shouldn’t limit your mobility at all.
You want to check for strong seals around your neck, wrists and ankles. The neoprene should fit tightly in each of those areas, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation. Move your arms, legs and neck around to see if the seals gap at all. They shouldn’t – the goal is to keep excess water from coming in your wetsuit in these spots and to prevent the warm water from leaking out.
There should be no excess, wrinkly or baggy areas of neoprene on the wetsuit. This is especially important in women’s wetsuits as the shape should mold to the body’s curves. Baggy neoprene in the chest will lead to poor bust support.
Where should I buy my wetsuit?
Buying a wetsuit online can be a challenge for new surfers. Most online stores do have detailed sizing charts, but they aren’t always accurate.
The best thing to do if you’re buying a neoprene wetsuit for the first time is to go to your local surf shop and try on tons of styles, thicknesses, and sizes. This will help you identify what you prefer. Take note of which types you find easier to get on and off and move around in. Be sure to try on multiple sizes and brands as not all brands size their wetsuits exactly the same. Once you’ve narrowed it down to which style, size, thickness, and brand is your top choice, either buy it right there in person or look for that specific wetsuit online. Sometimes there are better deals online! However, no matter where you buy it, you want to be sure to take care of it (and the rest of your surf gear) well. See a how-to guide on wetsuit care from the experts here!
Tips for Buying Online:
- Check Customer Reviews
- Search for YouTube Reviews for each brand/model
- Double-check sizing and measurement guides
- Clearly understand the return policies & warranty information
Additional Resource
This is a very comprehensive guide to finding the best surfing wetsuit for you! The video is made specifically for women’s wetsuits, but the tips & info applies to males too. We hope this clarifies any remaining questions you may have.
While they are a necessity in the winter, if you aren’t ready to buy a wetsuit, no stress.
As a surf school, Wavehuggers provides wetsuits to all of our students at surf camp or at surf lessons! The swells are best in the winter in San Diego, making it a great time to improve your surfing skills! Whether you’ve never surfed before or know the basics and want to strengthen your technique, we are stoked to take you out and surf with you! Book a lesson or sign up for surf camp today!