Step by step guide for buying a wetsuit

The precious wetsuit season has hit the town as soon as the temperature hit 1 Celsius colder. Let’s go straight to the point where I will describe you step by step which wetsuit is the one you should take home.

It is an easy & modern guide without any nasty marketing included-I promise. All I want for Xmas is you to wear the most comfortable rubber of them all. Joke aside…

Buy a wetsuit in 4 steps

Here is a list of 4 things you should know when buying a wetsuit for yourself:

1. Water Temperature
2. Time spent on the water (days, weeks, months)
3. Position of the zip or no zip at all
4. Style
5. Size

1.Water temperature

That’s like the number one thing you should know when shopping for a wetsuit. It is a priority in other words.

Ask yourself in what kind of waters you’ll be dipping in the future. Is it going to be hot water or cold water? Maybe something in between?

Wetsuits are made from different thickness. Thicker the wetsuit is warmer you’ll be or the other way around. Smart, right? Ha-ha.

The thickest wetsuit I have ever touched was a 6mm one. If anybody else has ever worn a thicker wetsuit than 6mm I applaud you. You must be “surfing” in the freezing water which I respect. One day maybe I’ll be like you!

You can notice that on the wetsuits there are two to three numbers written with a slash symbol between them. For example 5/4 mm or 4/3mm.

The first number is always bigger and then comes the smaller one. Please don’t make a rookie mistake and tell to the buyer the other way around, because it will sell you the shittiest wetsuit which he is probably trying to get rid of his shop for a while.

So if we take example 5/4mm wetsuit it means 5mm goes for thickness of the material in the center of the body and 4mm material is on the arms and legs or other spots where we need flexion and extension. In other words the wetsuit is less thicker where there are joints which are made to move freely without anything suffocating them.

Flexible-stretchy wetsuits are very much needed. Desperately needed.

Also, it can help you to check online the description of the wetsuit. There is written for each wetsuit for what water temperature is made for.

2. Time spend on the water

Here we go! Another basic question for yourself. Are you a 1-week hobby vacationist sportsman or more than 2-week waterman? Be true to yourself.

Because I strongly suggest to buy the best quality wetsuit  if you kitesurf, surf or windsurf a lot. There is a difference in price, but it is also a big difference in quality. That is not a cliche, that is how it is.

Usually, the cheapest wetsuits don’t feel good on the body. 

Empty your pockets for the wetsuit- it is worth it.

BTW, if you water dose- overdose with your water sessions consider changing a wetsuit once a year because the material can get overstretched and is losing warmth. Please don’t blame the material for that, but thank yourself for spending so much time on the water.

What kind of zip you should have or where you should have it?

Uhh, I don’t even want to touch this topic, because for me back zip is useless. It is so useless as the over burned chicken. Any other zip is O.K., just not the back zip. Sorry for being so truthful with you guys.

If you need an explanation of why I am so against the back zip I can give you one in only one word.

STRETCH Ability

Back zip means that wetsuit is made from two or three parts of the rubber on the back. This means it is tighter in the shoulder and lordosis area. Zipless or chest zip wetsuits have one piece which makes them flexible. 

If you choose the front zip you will avoid the questions as HEY DUDE CAN YOU PLEASE ZIP ME ON THE BACK, BECAUSE I CAN’T DO IT BY MYSELF?

4. Style

Kids, if you're paying attention you will notice that tricks are not tricks without style. MHM! We all get horny if there is a little bit of attitude involved. Stylish wetsuits can make us also very horny. Choose your style carefully and don’t be shy. You live only once or do you think you will be a fish in the next life? Think whatever you want just don’t be the fish in a small aquarium because she has no style.

Today you can find a wetsuit with different colors and designs. Also, you can choose from various types of sleeves (no sleeve, long sleeve, criss-cross sleeve, short sleeve).

If you know yourself then you know which sleeves you will take.

5. Size

When you know all of the other 4 steps written above then it is the last thing for you to do. Choose your size. Choosing size over the internet can be a very devastating thing. It even can be a dreadful experience.

There are measurement guides for each brand. Each brand has different ones, so please if you know your size of a NeilPryde wetsuit doesn’t mean you will wear the same size of an ION wetsuit.

From my experience, the measurement which is the most important is THE HEIGHT-length. Don’t buy a wetsuit which is going to be too short or too long, because it will ruin all of the other 4 steps described above. Even though you maybe have 5 kg too much as it is written in the measurement scale do not worry, because the wetsuit will stretch after putting it on. Anyway all wetsuits stretch after a couple of use.

Here you go! This was a simple step by step guide for buying a wetsuit. There is no other truth or secret about it. That’s all you need to know.

Wish you a happy & pleasant wetsuit shopping!