Choosing wetsuits that are designed for your performance level, your sport, and your climate is really quite important. There is nothing more discouraging than dropping a few hundred dollars on a wetsuit only to find that it chafes, doesn’t move in all the wrong places, and isn’t the appropriate weight for most of your wetsuit days.
Wetsuits are not made to keep all of the water out. As water builds inside the suit, it warms up and increases skin temperature. It also improves buoyancy and provides protection from things like stinging nettles.
The point of a wetsuit is to help keep you warm in cooler water. Perhaps you want to extend a surfing season or a windsurfing season. Each sport would actually require different flexibility in different areas. Sitting and riding on a jet ski does not require the same type of flexibility that a more active sport would. Thus, it’s important that you buy the wetsuit that will help you retain the flexible movements you will need.
Some northern climates will require a shorty even in the middle of summer. Some southern regions will require only a short or a “John” or “Jane” in the middle of winter. Each suit comes with its own weight to help you determine which suit will keep you the most comfortable the longest.
A full suit offers full coverage of the body, legs, and arms. You can add a hood, boots, and gloves to the ensemble in order to provide 100% protection of all exposed surfaces. While there are claims that different weights will keep you warm down to certain water and air temperatures, remember that we all have a different tolerance for the cold. What one might find reasonable another might find intolerable.
On the other hand, you might have days when all you really need is warmth for your core. A shorty or spring suit can offer you the valuable protection necessary and offer you freedom of the arms and legs. These do come with various options, so shop scrupulously. Sometimes a shorty will offer you a three quarter sleeve, but many sports have movements that can not tolerate this feeling of constriction.
You can get the full leg and core coverage you need without going all out and buying the full suit. Known as “Janes” and “Johns” these suits are the sleeveless model of a full suit. They are surprisingly effective and can be very comfortable for various activities.
Wetsuits come in different weights, with each weight providing more protection. A skinsuit, which isn’t really a wetsuit, is the lightest form you can buy. It’s not meant for heavy duty protection. The weight of a wetsuit is measured in millimeters. Thus, a 3 to 5 mm suit may be good for early fall protection in temperate climates but isn’t likely to provide ample protection for winter conditions. Buying the right suit is imperative. Cold water and cold air can cause hypothermia, which can lead to death in a short period of time. Playing in the water in cold temperatures with an ill fitted or ill protective suit can end up being dangerous.
Clement writes for the wetsuit information website where you can find out everything you need to know about wetsuits. Just check this wetsuits guide for instance.
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