He daydreams of travelling around the world, but for now, the world will have to come to him by way of lifestyle products, gear, gadgetry, and entertainment. Let's call it a happy compromise while he saves up for the next big trip. What's the best wetsuit for surfing? Which wetsuit brand is the best? How do I choose a wetsuit for surfing? How much should you spend on a wetsuit? Read more about Jacob About Man of Many. Men's Hairstyles. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.
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It does not store any personal data. A poorly fitted wetsuit will not only cost you twice as much, but it will fail to perform to its most important function of keeping you warm and in the water for longer.
And you know what the best way is to try get the correct size is? Try them on. So there you go. Our top 8 tips to help you buying a wetsuit. Be sure to check out our online wetsuit size guide to help you get right fit if your shopping online or just drop in and see us in person.
Support your local surf shop and help us compete with the big online boys! Also, remember that we price match so please support your local surf shop, we hugely appreciate your custom.
Send us an email with the link to the product and we will match it on a like for like basis. Designed by Out of the Sandbox. Powered by Shopify. Wetsuit Buyers Guide. Buy this If you can afford a high-end wetsuit, buy one. Flatlock This is where the stitching involves laying the neoprene panels over each other, then stitching the neoprene together.
Blind-stitched This is now the most common method of wetsuit stitching. Glued Seams The most common form of seam construction on the wetsuit market. Spot Taped Seams Small 2p size pieces of tape are glued in critical areas of the wetsuit to improve strength and durability. Frees you shoulders for paddling. Jacket or wetsuit top: Can be long arm or short arm and only covers yours torso. Can have no zip, half back zip or full front zip. Perfect for a warm summer. Thickness The thickness of a wetsuit will not only greatly affect how warm a wetsuit will be but also how flexible it will be.
Sealed vs. Unsealed These days only the entry level or low cost wetsuits will not be sealed but what does this mean?
Glued Seams: The panels are glued together prior to stitching, increasing the strength of the seam and creating a waterproof seal Spot Taped Seams: Tape is glued to the inside of the seam in critical areas to add additional strength where needed Fully Taped Seams: Tape is glued to the inside of every seam. Neoprene tape can be used to ensure there is no loss in flexibility Liquid Taped: The ultimate seam seal.
Chest Zip v Back Zip Traditionally surfing wetsuits have had a zipper on the back of the wetsuit for easy entry. What Size Am I? Because our bodies are mostly out of the water when paddling, we tend to work up a sweat beneath a neoprene wetsuit.
Stohlquist makes a good one for men and women. Since you're getting such a thorough upper body workout, I'd suggest avoiding sleeves, which apart from causing you to overheat also tend to constrict movement and cause chafing. If it's a little cooler, you might want one with full-length legs the women's model, the Bahia , comes in a 1.
O'Neill doesn't make the sleeveless suit in a 3mm, but Aqua Lung does, for men and women. Anything above 3mm tends to get a little too hot for paddlesports, at least if you're not getting in the water. They're made of the same non-neoprene Yulex rubber as Patagonia's other suits, but flatlock-stitched so that they breathe a little better. Apart from temperature, what you'll be doing in or on the water is a major deciding factor for which wetsuit is best.
If you're swimming or surfing, a floaty, hydrodynamic closed-cell or single-piece suit is likely your best bet. These are either chest- or back-zipped and come with different sleeve and leg cuts.
But if you're diving, a closed-cell wetsuit allows too much water flow between it and your skin. You'll find yourself feeling stiff and cold, and stiff and cold are never what you want while diving for long periods of time. An open-cell wetsuit provides suction between the skin and suit that's nearly watertight.
While these types of suits are a pain to get in and out of, they keep you much warmer and allow for much greater flexibility underwater. Editor's note: If you use a little eco-friendly dish soap, getting into an open-cell wetsuit is much easier. Open-cell suits usually don't have zippers apart from the wrist and leg cuffs but closed cells come in a variety of different zipper configurations.
Some manufacturers are starting to develop zipperless models, too, which could eliminate zippers altogether — at least on more expensive suits. Back-zip suit: Back-zip wetsuits are the original design, and almost always cheaper than chest-zip or zipper-less suits. They're fine for swimming in temperate waters on relatively warm days, but I've found that having cool water seep down your back on a chillier day — or in the middle of winter, for that matter — can be miserable.
Chest-zip suit: Usually more expensive, chest-zip wetsuits tend to keep you warmer thanks to a smaller, well-protected zipper that sits on the front of the suit.
This also makes them the most difficult to get in and out of, but, overall, we think they're worth it. They tend to last longer, and some even allow for the neckpiece to be replaced, which is often the first thing to wear and tear on a wetsuit. Zipperless: I haven't yet tried out a zipperless wetsuit, though I've been hearing positive buzz about O'Neill's Hyperfreak Comp zipless model.
It would be more of a performance suit than most require, and it's hard to say whether the lack of a zipper will, in turn, stretch the suit more or keep us warmer, but we will see how they fare over time and update this guide with our findings.
Wetsuit thickness is measured in millimeters, and the core is most often thicker than the extremities to keep your body temperature up while allowing for more mobility in the arms and legs. This is why you'll see two — or sometimes three — numbers, listing the core's thickness first e. Temperature rating corresponds with thickness, for the most part, but varies some from company to company and material to material, but here's a basic rule of thumb:.
Size charts vary from company to company, so make sure to have a look at the chart to be sure which one fits you best. Unless you get a custom suit, none are likely to fit you perfectly but you should be able to get close enough.
Not all wetsuits are created equal, and while most are made of neoprene — and come from the same factory in Taiwan, despite different brand names — it's the stitching and seams that make all the difference. All outdoors equipment requires a little love to survive its life expectancy and, hopefully, beyond. Protect your wetsuit and it protects you — at least from the cold. Wash your suit every time you use it, or at least as frequently as you can stand to.
Wetsuits take on everything you put into them, from your sweat, sunscreen, seawater, and yes, urine. While it may not damage your suit , it will surely smell bad. And even though Helen Hunt does it , it's not exactly a good idea to pee in your wetsuit, for obvious reasons. Regardless of whether or not you decide to relieve yourself in your suit, get a wetsuit shampoo , and follow its instructions well.
Do NOT use any old soap for this, or you'll be sorry. Store your wetsuit in a dry, shaded area with plenty of ventilation. We all know what happens to wet things in confined spaces, but hanging your wetsuit to dry in the sun is surely the quickest way to end its life. Hang your wetsuit loosely on a thick-framed clothes hanger, a proper wetsuit hanger , or fold it loosely. If you hang a wetsuit on a sharp wire hanger, it will stretch out.
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