Read the numbers
It is measured in millimeters of neoprene, the rubbery material wetsuits are made of. So a 4/3 has 4mm around the core and 3mm on the limbs. The rule of thumb: thicker equals warmer equals less flexible. Warmth and flexibility are a trade-off, and the numbers let you dial it in for your water.
- First number: the thickness around your torso, the core you most want to keep warm.
- Second number: the thickness on your arms and legs, thinner so you can still paddle.
- Third number, if present: the extremities.
Match water temperature
These are starting points. If you run cold, or you sit around a lot between waves (beginners do), size up in warmth. Being slightly too warm is a minor annoyance. Being too cold ends your session and can be dangerous.
- 22°C and up: boardshorts or a rash guard, a thin top for sun and rash with no warmth.
- 18 to 22°C: a springsuit with short arms and legs, or a 2mm shorty.
- 14 to 18°C: a 3/2 full suit.
- 10 to 14°C: a 4/3 full suit plus booties, neoprene socks.
- Under 10°C: a 5/4/3 plus hood, gloves, booties, and some questions about your life choices.
Fit matters more than thickness
The whole system depends on trapping a thin layer of water and holding it still against your skin. If the suit is loose, cold water flushes in and out constantly, and you freeze no matter how thick the neoprene is.
A wetsuit should feel snug everywhere, almost annoyingly so, especially at the neck, wrists, and ankles, which are the entry points for flushing. When you first zip it up on dry land it should feel slightly too tight and slightly hard to move in. That is correct. It loosens a touch in the water and the trapped layer warms up. A wetsuit that feels comfortable and roomy in the shop will feel cold in the ocean. Try before you buy, and prioritize fit over a fancy brand or an extra millimeter.
Care: make it last
Treat it well and a good wetsuit lasts years. Treat it badly and it turns stiff, smelly, and cold in a single summer.
- Rinse in fresh water after every session. Salt and sand break neoprene down.
- Hang it inside out in the shade to dry. Direct sun dries and cracks neoprene.
- Never leave it balled up wet in a hot car for days. It will stink and degrade.
- Fold it over a thick hanger, not a thin wire one, which creases and weakens it.
Common beginner mistakes
No shame here. Everyone does these.
- Buying too loose for comfort
- Loose flushes cold water and freezes you. Go snug.
- Watching air temperature instead of water temperature
- The water is what you are in. Check water temp.
- Under dressing for warmth as a beginner
- You sit still a lot while learning, so you get colder than an active surfer.
- Leaving it wet in a hot car or drying it in direct sun
- Kills neoprene fast. Rinse, then hang inside out in the shade.
- Prioritizing thickness over fit
- A well fitting thinner suit beats a loose thicker one. Fit first.
Words from this lesson
- neoprene
- the rubbery foam material wetsuits are made of
- springsuit
- a wetsuit with short arms and legs, for warmer water
- booties
- neoprene socks for cold water or rocky bottoms
- rash guard
- a thin top for sun protection and to prevent rash, with no real warmth
- wetsuit
- keeps you warm by trapping a thin layer of water against your skin
Takeaway
Fit first, thickness second. Rinse it, hang it, love it.
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