While surfing in a swimsuit is the tropical dream, in California, you’ll find that most surfers prefer to wear a wetsuit most of the year. Beyond keeping you warm, a wetsuit will also protect you from the sun, extra floatation, and full-body padding for a high comfort level on the board. This allows you to focus more on the fun.
What matters when choosing a wetsuit? The two primary considerations are the cut/fit and the thickness. We recommend a full-body wetsuit for maximum benefits. The next consideration is thickness. Wetsuit thickness is measured in millimeters, with the typical dimensions being 2mm, 3:2mm, and 4:3mm. The dual number system means the thicker sections are on the core and thinner on the extremities. A 3:2 mm wetsuit is ideal for most of the year and will keep you very comfortable until the winter, when die-hard surfers may opt for a 4:3mm thickness. We recommend a 3:2 full suit to start with. If you are interested in getting yourself the perfect fit, you can consider getting a custom surfing wetsuit specific to your measurements.