Looking at buying my first wetsuit and I could do with some advice as to what features, brands etc. to look for. Tell me all I need to know please...!

Right now I'm only looking for a summer suit - but that's summer in Aberdeen, so I'm not sure if a 3-2mm will be warm enough? I'd be looking to use the suit for an hour or so at a time, two-three times a week.

At this stage it will mostly be used for messing around on body and surf boards, but I'd also like something that's suitable for windsurfing later on too (is there a difference?).

Is there anything else that I should look for when I try the suit on?

Thanks.

Oh yeah, should also have said - Don't want to spend a fortune but I want to make sure I get something that's up to the job. Does a budget of £100-130 sound right?

hello,

have a look at http://www.boards.co.uk under windsurfing kit/wetsuits. This will give you an idea of the sort of things to look for. Also, if you or any of your mates get Boards magazine regularly they did a wetsuit test last month. This reveiwed specific wetsuits, but the overall conclusion was that the better makes were Neilpryde & Sparten, but that the slightly cheaper brands like O'Neil & Sola were still pretty good. I have an O'Neil summer suit and a Neilpryde winter suit, both of which are really good.

The most important thing is that it fits you well.....it's well worth trying several different brands/styles on to get the best fit - any decent windsurf/surfing shop will be able to offer advice as well.

I've never surfed in Aberdeen, but would have thought you would do better with something a bit warmer than a 3/2mm. Alternatively, you could go for a summer suit, and get a decent rash vest - you can get them with neoprene in and even with fleecy linings which are very good. Probably the best thing is ask people who surf where you are what they generally wear.

In terms of windsurfing / surfing wetsuits, it depends which you are going to do the most of. You can wear any wetsuit for both, however, in general wetsuits with a full "rubbery" skin are better for windsurfing, and for surfing one's that have softer neoprene in areas such as under the arms make them more comfortable when paddling out etc.

£100 - £130 is quite reasonable as a budget.....a summer suit will probably be less than that, a winter suit is about in that region.

Hope his helps

Thanks for the info, and happy birthday!

From the site you recommend it seems like getting a suit with a decent fit is the best plan - I'm pretty much limited to the one surf shop in Aberdeen (Granite Reef), so I'll try on the makes that they have and take it from there. They certainly stock Sola suits though.

Like the idea of a rash vest - seems like a good way to maximise a suit's versatility. Anyone any experience with these?

Speaking to a surfing mate here, he reckoned that starting with a 3-2mm suit in Aberdeen was a good way to ensure that you only ever surfed the one time!

Cheers - went down the pub at lunchtime to celebrate hence why I'm surfing the web this afternoon rather than working!

Good luck with the wetsuit search

Neil,
If I were you I'd go for a full 5/3mm suit for Aberdeen. Its better to be warmer rather than colder and you'll be able to use it into the autumn and spring then as well. You should be able to find one in your price range fairly easily.

Try www.kitesurferbetty.co.uk for some bargains. (I'm after a new 5/3mm suit mysefl for the autumn spring and chilly summer days!!)

Al.

Al - Kitesurferbetty does seem to have some good deals, but I have some reservations about making sure I get the right size for me if I can't try the suit on first... Nice to see what a 'good price' for each suit is though!

I'll see how I get on in my local shop and perhaps find a manafacturer / size combination that works for me, then take it from there.

Thanks, Neil

Fair point Neil.... I've only used Kitesurferbetty once before and that was to buy my semi-dry winter suit...Beinf semi-dry the actual fit isn't so importnat so there was no need to try it on.

I'm going to buy a 5/3mm suit from them soon too, but I prety much know what size I am so it should be OK.... At least with suits being so flexible these days, although the fit is still important, its not quite as crucial as it used to be... At least the suits will no stretch and mould to your shape unlike old fashioned suits which were awful.

Al.

If you're not sure what size you need try some on in a shop. You don't have to buy it from them, you can get it cheaper elsewhere but at least you will know if it fits first.

Second Skin down in Braunton do a mail order service which requires you to take umpteen measurements across shoulders, round thighs, etc, etc so I expect if you get those right then the suit will fit like a glove.

Just regarding the rash vest, i find the straight lycra ones can actually make you feel a bit colder so i'd stick to the fleecy/warm ones that Al mentioned. They are also great to use by themselves to stop windchill in Mediteranean conditions on holiday so a good investment.

Whoops! Don't go to www.secondskin.com by mistake - interesting website but nowt to do with wetsuits.

http://www.secondskinsurf.com is the right one

[Edited on 4-6-2003 by markh]

Bizzarely I was down in Braunton last friday at a mate's wedding and it was looking in that shop that inspired me to buy a wetsuit! Wish I'd taken the extra time there now - would have solved my problems.

Neil... Does all this mean that you have actually started windsurfing then???

What other toys have you got and how are you getting on??

Al.

Al.... not quite! Can't find any local windsurf schools in NE Scotland, so I plan to book myself onto a Neilson holiday (as recommended elsewhere) in September and learn to windsurf somewhere warm instead.

This wetsuit is just going to be for messing around on body and surf boards here in Aberdeen for now. Thought that while I'm living on the coast I should at least be doing some playing in the water. As for kit, currently zero items in my toybox, but will keep you posted!

Can't go wrong with Neilson. I've been on hol with them for the last four years or so. You'll love it!

[well - if there's any wind that is]

Thanks all... have decided on a suit now. Going for a 5x4x3 Ripcurl Core Raptor. Tried on a load of suits from Sola and ?Tiki as well, but the Ripcurl suits fitted better - particularly on my short arms!

Just searching now for a good price on the web, otherwise it's back to order it from my local shop and go way over budget.

Does it get any easier to get in and out of a wetsuit?! It could have been my hangover, or the 200W bulb in the changing room, but I could wring sweat out of the rash suit that I'd borrowed from the shop! And before you ask, I did buy the vest, it didn't seem right to put it back on the shelf like that...

Also bought a Wave Rider 42" bodyboard so will soon be posting humble tales of drowning in the cold North Sea.