Wetsuits

[HRL]

After a set of 4 wetsuits, 3 adults and a 10 year old, but looking for some advice on what to buy from someone who regularly uses them.

Would like them warmer than not as they’ll typically be used in the sea off the Devon coast but I have no idea what brand or type to buy.

Any suitable pointers would be ever so gratefully received please.

[witko999]

What type will depend on what you want to do in the sea.

Different wetsuits for surfing/kiteboarding/swimming etc.

[HRL]

Ah, swimming and potentially surfing.

[Mopey]

There is no real upper limit on what they would cost.
However if the adults are done growing then worth getting a decent suit. I use a full length suit instead of a shorty and never have gotten too warm in British seas.
Shorty wetsuits are okay.

Perhaps get them when you are down in Devon it’s the kind of thing you need to try on and get fitted for it to work as effectively as they should.

[ReverendCounter]

HRL said:

Any suitable pointers would be ever so gratefully received please.

A cheap suit might let in water and prevent you from enjoying being in the sea.

Chest-entry suits:

- no rear zip so no water flushing through
- more difficult to get in and out of
- if new and in a winter thickness, can be fatiguing due to the difficulty of getting into and out of them

A 2mm suit will be sleeveless, for warm water

3/2 means 3mm neoprene in body, 2mm arms and legs - a UK summer suit, won't be adequate for UK winter

4/3 is a colder water suit

5/4 is a winter/all year round suit for UK waters (provided it either has a hood or you wear a hooded rash vest under it in winter - duck diving three waves in a row in the depths of winter is painful)

Winter suits can have extra thermal properties from thermal material bonded inside the suit making them warmer.

I bought a 5/4 Xcel Drylock years ago and was warm and happy in 4degC winter sea (always wore surf boots and gloves and a separate hooded rash vest in winter).

A warm wetsuit means longer spent in the sea over the day, more enjoyment, more opportunities to be in the sea throughout the year. Yes I was maybe a bit too warm during summer months but the suit has been a great investment.

Personally I would avoid a 3/2 if you want to maximise the amount of time you want to spend in the water. However if it's just 30 mins here and there during some holidays then it will be perfectly fine. You could go for this for the warmest months, then if the interest remains, buy some boots and gloves, perhaps a thermal rash vest to enhance the suit's capabilities.

I bought my suit here: https://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk/wetsuits-cx-1.html

Edited by ReverendCounter on Saturday 23 April 01:39

[blueg33]

The best wetsuit I ever had was custom made by Second Skin in Braunton, Devon. Not cheap but excellent. I think they still have a shop there. I was windsurfing and surfing a lot at the time. They cut the arms and shoulders to suit both sports.

For the 19 year old, buy a cheap off the peg suit as they will grow out of it very quickly.

For a winter suit you want as few seams as possible and glued/taped seams as overlocked seams let water in.

But for a spring/summer suit for occasional use by adults an off the peg one from a place with a range of suits should do. Try to make sure it’s fits to the skin, a Hollywood back for instance will massively reduce its effectiveness.

[Lozw86]

For year round UK use definitely go with 5mm thickness

Try them on for fit and comfort before buying, sizes can vary brand to brand

[Randy Winkman]

Lozw86 said:

For year round UK use definitely go with 5mm thickness

Try them on for fit and comfort before buying, sizes can vary brand to brand

I agree. The same as the "What walking shoe?" threads that pop up on PH every so often. Go to a shop and try some on and buy what fits best.

[markymarkthree]

Decathlon have a good range i have a 4/3 like this. I use it all year round for SUP, surfing and bodyboarding in Cornwall & Somerset. When its hot i use a Lidl £20 shorty. O'neill are great but strong money.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-wetsuit-4-3-mm...

[Bill]

Randy Winkman said:

I agree. The same as the "What walking shoe?" threads that pop up on PH every so often. Go to a shop and try some on and buy what fits best.

A few years since I visited, but this shop is/was great: https://www.wetsuitcentre.co.uk/

[Chris Stott]

If you’re using one for relatively serious swimming I’d avoid the surfing ones as don’t have the flexibility in the shoulders. Look for a triathlete suit.

I use a 3/2, but I live in southern Spain, so water temperatures are a good deal warmer. You’ll need a 4/3 or a 5/4.

I got mine (Huub) from sportspursuit.com. The web site is irritating as you have to register before you can browse, but they do have a good range of suits, had some decent offers when I bought and good customer service.

[blueg33]

Chris Stott said:

If you’re using one for relatively serious swimming I’d avoid the surfing ones as don’t have the flexibility in the shoulders. Look for a triathlete suit.

I use a 3/2, but I live in southern Spain, so water temperatures are a good deal warmer. You’ll need a 4/3 or a 5/4.

I got mine (Huub) from sportspursuit.com. The web site is irritating as you have to register before you can browse, but they do have a good range of suits, had some decent offers when I bought and good customer service.

Eh? Surfing one specifically have flex in the shoulders for paddling which is basically front crawl.

[Chris Stott]

Along with some other differences, Triathlete suits are cut differently around the shoulders… much easier to swim in than surfing suits.

[Tycho]

markymarkthree said:

Decathlon have a good range i have a 4/3 like this. I use it all year round for SUP, surfing and bodyboarding in Cornwall & Somerset. When its hot i use a Lidl £20 shorty. O'neill are great but strong money.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-wetsuit-4-3-mm...

We've used Decathlon ones and they have been fine for a Cornish summer. We also got my son one from SaltCity surf shop in Exeter when we were travelling down to Cornwall and they were great. They will trade in old ones that have been grown out of and have a good range of second hand suits.

[g7jtk]

Get thick wetsuits or drysuits

[blueg33]

A drysuit can be very dangerous if you are using it for surfing. A semi dry works ok, but anything loose like many drysuits means that the air goes to your feet and you can be left hanging upside down in the water

[HRL]

Thanks all. Think 4/3 is probably what we’re after then.

I shall have a look. Don’t mind spending a bit on the adult suits as they’ll last.

Doubt any of us will want to go in the sea in the middle of winter so one that’ll be warm enough the rest of the year round will do.

[Jack.77]

A 4/5 is a good all year round .best to try on in a shop if possible as a good fit is very important otherwise doesn’t work effectively. I had bought several online which turned out to be not quite right so then went to a shop and found a better fitting one .

[Phud]

For adults I would suggest O'three suits, not cheap, worth going to their shop in Portland, and Tragos for children if they are for a year or so

[gti_dreamer]

Try here for friendly advice a good service (I'm a regular customer)

https://www.troggs.com

Agree with going for winter suits to extend time in the water and for all year use.