What to Look for in a Summer Wetsuit

Summer is coming around once again, and that means good news and bad news for surfers in the UK. The good news is that you can lose the heavy winter wetsuit you have been using for the last six months, but the bad news is that unless you are spending your summer in Hawaii, you are still going to need to wear a wetsuit, albeit a lighter and more flexible model than your winter one.

Most winter wetsuits have a thickness of 5mm and 4mm, or 5/4. Come the summer months you will start to find this uncomfortable and clammy, as this thickness is unsuited to the hot weather. From May and June, most surfers will abandon their winter wetsuit and switch to a summer wetsuit which is normally 3mm and 2mm in thickness, or 3/2.

As with all wetsuits, the most important thing to get right with a summer wetsuit is the fit. Surfers in the UK will know that the sea can be cold even in the hottest part of the year, and the last thing you want is cold water swilling about inside your suit and causing you discomfort.

Consequently, it’s important that you check that the seals for the neck, wrists and ankles are fully watertight. The next step is to make sure there is no baggyness in the crotch area or the lower back at the base of the spine, because if water gets into your suit this is where it will all collect.

This requirement for close-fitting snugness needs to be balanced against your ability to move freely – the suit should not be so tight that it bites into the skin or constricts your blood supply. You should try to test the flexibility of a suit as much as possible when you try it on in a shop – run up and down the length of the store, bend your knees and do a few star jumps in each suit you try on, and then make a decision based on which one feels the most comfortable.

It is also useful to remember that different brands will be better suited to fit certain body types than others, so it is worthwhile trying on a number of wetsuits from various brands in order to get the best idea of what is right for you.

Of course the issue of different wetsuits for different body shapes is particularly relevant when considering the contrasts between male and female wetsuits. Ladies’ wetsuits require a different panel layout to men’s wetsuits, one that corresponds to the female body shape, especially in the chest and hip areas.

If you can’t afford an absolute top of the range summer wetsuit this year, your best course of action is to find a good medium-priced all-rounder which has good flexibility and is close-fitting and comfortable. Also look for one which is durable enough to survive heavy usage during the summer months, particularly in the knee areas, which are likely to come under more stress than anywhere else.