Hey Guys, now that we’re going into the colder half of the year we’re beginning to see increased Wetsuits sales and with this increase in sales comes an increase in questions. What’s the best Wetsuit? What size am I? Do I want a Back Zip? Do I want a Chest Zip? What thickness should my suit be? Do I really need to spend $400.00+ to get a good Wetsuit? In a recent blast email I highlighted some of my thoughts on buying a new suit and below I hope to further help you with your Wetsuit woes, pointing you in the right direction, in more detail when buying a new suit.

1. Generally speaking as a suit gains thickness it looses flexibility. I say generally because I’ve worn 4/3′s that feel like 3/2′s and this is simply because of the quality of materials used. The point is, that this simply needs to be understood, because if you’re nice and toasty, but can’t move, what good is the suit you purchased? With that context in mind, what you first need to decide is how cold does it actually get where you’re going to be surfing? Does the water temp fluctuate greatly like here in F.L. or is it mostly just the air temp that changes drastically? Also, do you get cold easy? Or are you a freak of nature that can skin it in 65 degree water temp? Once you’ve thought about these few things it’s as simple as using the manufactures temperature guide to get you in the Wetsuit sweet spot.

2. Proper fit is extremely important as good suit can be extremely tight and still allow for great flexibility, which is key for both staying warm and keeping range of motion to help you catch loads of cold water waves. Don’t just “assume” that you’re a “Medium Tall”, because you feel that you’re a “Medium”, “Tall” person as people come. That’s a recipe for disaster when buying a Wetsuit. Take your time, more importantly, take your measurements when buying a Wetsuit, a little effort now will save you money, hassle, keep you warm and keep you catching waves. Don’t forget in cold water your Wetsuit is YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT! You don’t buy a new board without loads of research, looking at every last measurement of your potential new stick, think of a wetsuit the same way. Will your chest fit? Will your legs, will your shoulders and arms? Will your torso? This is important stuff, look at the manufacturers recommendations, then MEASURE YOURSELF. You may find that a different manufacturers sizes fit your body better, don’t be stuck on brand if the brand literally won’t stick on you.

3. Chest Zip VS Back Zip, I would say the age old question, but Chest Zip Wetsuits have really only been around for about 10 years, so this isn’t really the “age old” question, but it’s important non-the less. So what’s the difference? Well, Back Zip is time tested and extremely easy to get in and out of, while Chest Zip is more new school and much more difficult to get in and out of. Chest Zip Wetsuits do provide a level of flexibility that’s not there with Back Zip due to the zipper being on the front, allowing extra flexibility across your back and shoulders as you paddle. However, we’ve found that Chest Zip Wetsuits can tend to be extremely uncomfortable for guys with larger chests, again because of the lack of flexibility in the chest that a Back Zip allows for. Both will keep you equally as warm, so no worries there. Really what it comes down to is personal preference, which feels better to you. I personally prefer a Chest Zip, but I know guys that swear by Back Zip.

4. What is the best Wetsuit? The best Wetsuit doesn’t have to cost $400.00, but it does have to fit and it does need to be practical for your water temp., but will spending more get you more? Of course, that’s just how the world works. With Wetsuits, spending more gets you better material, better stitching, a longer life span and sometimes a few extras. Me personally? I would take a Wetsuit at half the price that fits correctly over a $400.00 suit that doesn’t come in my size. If you have the money, premium material is nice, if you don’t, your standard Wetsuit, when fitted correctly will do just fine.

We here at The Surfboard Warehouse carry a load of Wetsuits and do our best to make all of the manufactures information available so that you can make the most informed decision possible. Remember we surf too, we’ve tried on a lot of the suits we sell and surfed in almost as many. If you need help picking out a suit, please ask.