Summer Wetsuit Guide 2018

We are lucky that most of us get to shed the 6mm suit for a good chunk of the year. The freedom and flexibility make you want cut loose. Surfing is a whole new beast. Much as we love cold water it is nice to surf without having to worry about hypothermia. Check out some of the latest suits on offer in our comprehensive guide below.

Rip Curl
Patagonia
Ion
Tiki
Picture Wetsuits
Quiksilver
Gul
Billabong
Alder
O'Neill
Vissla
Tiki
Snugg
C-Skins
Typhoon
XCEL
XCEL

Summer loving

Summer means less rubber, more flexibility and the closest we get to surfing in the buff. Or, err, boardies. Like winter suits their summer cousins are all about fit. A good summer suit will last you well into autumn.

1. SUITS YOU SIR!
It sounds obvious but getting a wetsuit that fits is your main priority. Too loose and you’ll get flushed with Atlantic brine and do some top notch swearing. Too tight and you’ll go purple. There are plenty of tall/short options these days so whatever your shape there’s a suit for you. Getting it on and off shouldn’t be a long process. So figure out what entry works for you be it back zip, chest or zipperless. Be aware that one brand’s ‘Medium’ isn’t the same size as another, so support your local shop and try on the suits that fit your budget and needs to get the perfect match and don’t then buy it somewhere else online. That’s just rude.

2. GET THE RIGHT SUIT
Do you surf for three hours or one? Do you tend to sit and chat a lot or are you windmilling around the line up maxing your wave count? An economy suit without all the bells and whistles might see you right. That said all suits are pretty tech now.

3. ACCESSORISE
A good summer suit should never leave you chill but if you’re one of those folks that gets cold extremities then thin boots will keep you that bit warmer. For some parts of the UK the boots never really come off.

4. REPLACE? RENEW? REPAIR?
If you need a new suit fair enough, but check out your old one. Could it be repaired and used as a second suit? Quality wetsuit repairs are amazingly cheap and well worth the effort and a second suit is always a good idea so one is always veering towards dry.

5. CARE TIPS
Always give your suit a rinse in fresh water, otherwise known as walking straight into the shower, if you live near the sea of course. Otherwise give it a rinse and it’ll prolong the zips and suit’s life. Try not to slash in your suit, it’s not good for it, and hang it on a fat hanger in the middle so you don’t stretch the shoulders/neck hole. Try not dry them in direct sun either, crispy wetsuits ain’t good.