How much should I pay for a good wetsuit?
This will give you several thickness options. The prices of decent fullsuits start at $100 for warm water surfing and over $300 for cold water surfing. But if you have extra money, spend it on suits that range from $200 to $350. Wetsuits A 6mm surfing wetsuit is designed for use during the coldest winter months. This thickness is one of the thickest offered by the well-known brands and these suits commonly include a hood for additional warmth.Back-zip. Back-zip wetsuits feature a long zip along the back of the wetsuit. They are the easiest and fastest wetsuits to get in and out of. However, the longer zipper tends to make the wetsuit less flexible and let more water into your suit.High-end 3/2 wetsuits feature premium neoprene, advanced seam sealing, and thermal liners designed for lightweight warmth and max flexibility. They’re also more durable and comfortable over long sessions. Are high-end wetsuits worth the price? If you surf often or demand high performance, yes.Front zip wetsuits offer the best warmth and flexibility, while back zip wetsuits are ideal for riders looking for something easy to put on. Zipless wetsuits offer a great balance of flexibility and warmth with fewer wear points, but they’re best suited for milder conditions.A 3mm or 2mm shorty for summer, a 3mm fullsuit with watertight seams for dawn patrols and general later spring and early Autumn surfing. A 4mm suit for early spring and late Autumn before the winter really kicks in. A 5mm wetsuit for winter in most locations is fine, especially when couple with boots gloves and a hood.
How to pick the best wetsuit?
There are four key attributes to consider when selecting the right wetsuit: Warmth, Flexibility, Durability, and Fit. Customers find the wetsuit fits well and provides good value for money, keeping them warm in cold water and working well in the water. The quality receives mixed feedback, with some praising its construction while others report poor stitching.When the water temperature measures between 50 and 65 degrees, wetsuits are strongly encouraged, and some races may require their use. Between 65 and 78 degrees, it’s typically the athlete’s choice of whether to wear a wetsuit.There are four key attributes to consider when selecting the right wetsuit: Warmth, Flexibility, Durability, and Fit. Balancing these four attributes makes the perfect wetsuit.At Decathlon, we stock a huge selection of open water swimming wetsuits for kids, men, and women in a range of designs.The Flashbomb Fusion Wetsuit The warmest wetsuit that doesn’t leak. The wetsuit that blows all the others out of the icy water.
What to wear under a wetsuit?
Swimwear Men can wear swim shorts, briefs or jammers under a wetsuit. We wouldn’t recommend boardshorts as your wetsuit is meant to be really tight and boardshorts are usually not. They tend to bunch up and could cause chafing and generally lead to discomfort. Step 4: Is the wetsuit too big? If the wetsuit is too loose, it will allow water to displace in the suit which can chill the body and stiffen up. It will make excess materials in areas like the armpits (what we call wing) which will result in chaffing and/or a bulky uncomfortable feeling.Swimwear is a practical choice to wear under a wetsuit – a bikini or swimming costume for women and swim trunks or swim shorts for men. Swimwear is designed to fit seamlessly against your body, and can also prevent chafing on those more ‘delicate’ areas, shall we say. It’s quick-drying, hygienic and comfortable.If you land between two sizes, or you’re at the top of the size range and are unsure which would be best suited to you then we would always advise sizing up, wetsuits are already designed for a tighter fit without restricting your range of movement therefore its best to accommodate for this by sizing up.So in theory not wearing anything that can interfere with that layer will make your wetsuit work more efficiently. Also wearing anything under an already tight-fitting wetsuit will reduce flexibility, so if you want the maximum range of movement in your wetsuit, it’s probably best to wear nothing under it.If your suit fits properly, that single thin layer of water becomes securely trapped, and because it’s trapped it will heat up. You’ll feel warm, lightweight, and happy when swimming. So a wetsuit should be a tight fit.
Should you buy a wetsuit a size bigger?
Wetsuits should be close fitting to your body without any bagginess, while still being able to move your arms and legs comfortably. However, it shouldn’t be too easy to get on and off, if it is easily done without much effort, it may be too big. The key advantage of a chest zip is in its ability to keep water out, therefore minimising flushing. Chest zip suits offer superior insulation and flexibility, granting you full range of movement across your back and shoulders. However, they can be a bit trickier to put on and take off compared to back zip wetsuits.Whatever you use your wetsuit for, the most important thing to get right is the fit. Your wetsuit should feel snug and tight all over. If there’s excess material in places like the neck and cuffs, it will let water in and negate all its insulating properties. Don’t be too taken aback by the tightness of a wetsuit.Back-zip wetsuits feature a long zip along the back of the wetsuit. They are the easiest and fastest wetsuits to get in and out of. However, the longer zipper tends to make the wetsuit less flexible and let more water into your suit.
Is O’Neill a good wetsuit brand?
This combination of innovative materials and design features makes O’Neill wetsuits a top choice for surfers seeking both performance and warmth. The company is part owned by the Netherlands-based brand management company Logo International. However, the O’Neill family has retained ownership of some areas of the business, including the O’Neill Wetsuits business, in order to safeguard the authenticity of the O’Neill brand.O’Neill is an originally Californian surfwear and surfboard brand, now owned by Sisco Textiles, a privately held company headquartered in Luxembourg. It was started in 1952 by Jack O’Neill in San Francisco, and was later based in Santa Cruz.
Is a 3/2 or 4:3 wetsuit better?
A bit thicker than the 3/2, the 4/3 wetsuit is a warmer option and a must have for all surfers in the North East. The 4/3 wetsuit features 4mm neoprene in the core and back with 3mm through the extremities. Surfers in NE typically wear these suits in the Spring and through the Fall and early Winter. A safe open water wetsuit should be a 3:3 thickness for women and a 3:5 thickness for men. This means 3mm of neoprene around the chest and legs for women, and 3mm of neoprene around the chest for men and 5mm of neoprene around the legs for men.A 5mm neoprene thickness is ideal for water temperatures between 10°C and 15°C, offering warmth and a fair amount of flexibility for activities like surfing or diving. In warmer waters above 15°C, it may feel too warm, and a thinner wetsuit (3mm or 2mm) is a better choice.A 7mm is generally recommended for water temps between 50 and 70 F, but individual cold tolerance varies so dramatically that some will be fine at 50 and below even in a 5mm, while others will want a drysuit at 70. For me, in the local temperatures, a 5mm is not enough but a 7mm generally is.Reading the temperature guide Generally, you’ll find yourself using wetsuits that fall in the middle of the spectrum. For instance, a 3mm shortie or steamer is perfect for water temperatures between 18° and 24°C (65° – 75°F) and serves as an ideal high summer suit for the UK and other parts of Europe.
What is the new technology in wetsuits?
Graphene-infused neoprene: Graphene is 200 times stronger than steel and conducts heat exceptionally well. In 2025, this material is increasingly being used in wetsuits from brands like Rip Curl and Xcel. The result? Thinner, lighter suits that still retain exceptional warmth — perfect for cold surf spots. SRFACE Flex 4/3mm wetsuits are made with 100% Japanese limestone neoprene, the most flexible, warm and durable limestone neoprene available on the wetsuit market today. Limestone neoprene offers an alternative to petroleum-based neoprene and can be recycled.