What to look for when buying your first wetsuit

Special guest article by Sammy the roaming surfer and blogger.

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Deciding on your first wetsuit to purchase can be quite daunting at first with all the different brands and prices to choose from. Choosing the correct wetsuit will protect you from weather and water conditions by keeping you warm and making you feel more comfortable and safer in the water. By being aware of what to look for in a wetsuit the process of purchasing one will be much more enjoyable.

Wetsuits are designed for various types of water activities and the one that you buy will massively depend on what sport you wish to use it for and how often you think that you will wear it. If you just want to buy one for snorkelling when going on holiday it is going to be very different in price, design and thickness to a wetsuit you would buy if you were deciding to take up surfing throughout winter.

Which thickness and material do I go for?

Before deciding on what size wetsuit you need to get, you first need to decide on what thickness and material you want for your suit. The majority of wetsuits are made from a variant of neoprene; however different brands like to call the materials a different name even though they are all fairly similar. The material used in wetsuits has drastically changed throughout the years and is still constantly evolving to become more durable, warmer and quick drying.

It can be hard to keep up with the latest technology; however the most important thing that you need to look for with material is the thickness. You will see this labelled as two separate numbers separated with a slash, for example 3/2 mm or 5/4 mm. The numbers are measured in millimetres with the first number representing the thickness of the wetsuit in the torso area and the second number representing the thickness of the arms, shoulders and legs of the wetsuit. The colder the water, the thicker you want your wetsuit.

Which design do I go for?

Although it is tempting to go straight for the wetsuit with the design or colours that you like the most, there are other design aspects that are useful for you to consider. These include the stitching and zip location. The different types of stitching are:

1. Overlock stitch
2. Flatstitch/flatlock
3. Blindstitched
4. Seam tape

Both overlock and flatstitch stitching I would only recommend if you were going to use the wetsuit in warm water as they tend to let water through the seams. Blindstitched is great for cold water as the glued seams with stitching on top prevent hardly any water from seeping through keeping you cosy warm. Only for really cold water below 50 degrees would you want to opt for seam tape on your wetsuits.

Another part of the construction of the design to consider is the entrance into the wetsuit, is there a zip at the back or is it a front zip at the chest? If you are going to be using your wetsuit for surfing or wakeboarding and need a lot of flexibility I would recommend going for a front zip wetsuit as the zip at the back creates a large area that has no stretch hindering your flexibility. You are also relying on no water flushing down your neck by just a Velcro strap whereas a front chest zip has a tighter lock around your neck.

How much should I pay for a wetsuit?

When it comes to the price of a wetsuit it roughly varies from £50 - £500. I think that it is definitely fair to say that you get what you pay for when it comes to the quality and durability of a wetsuit and it pays to spend that little bit more. For your first wetsuit I would suggest spending between £100-£200 to ensure that it will last you a long time, keep you warm and to make sure that you enjoy the activity of your choice to the maximum.

Do I just go for my normal clothes size?

The sizing of wetsuits can vary from brand to brand, they normally give you exact measurements in which you can then measure yourself with a tape measure, however I recommend going into your local surf shop if you have one close by and trying on a variety to get the perfect fit. If still unsure, ask the shop assistants for their advice and they will be sure to help. The wetsuits may feel really tight in the shop but remember they expand once in water and will loosen up.

What is the best brand?

There is not one brand that I can say is better than all the rest as all major wetsuit companies are constantly trying to develop their technology and be better than the rest, meaning that actually they are all great. I personally really like the Ripcurl Flashbomb series as they have a fluffy fleece lining which keeps you very warm and dries really quickly, they also come in great colours!

You should now feel a little bit more confident and comfortable purchasing that first wetsuit of yours. To have a browse of the latest styles for 2016, I recommend checking them out here!

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For more of Sammy's inspiring travel and lifestyle tips, click here.