Buying a wet-suit is a rite of passage. Much like getting a tattoo on your face it's potentially uncomfortable, expensive and a big commitment. A good wet-suit will slip on like cocoa butter and enhance your surfing. A bad wet-suit will give you rashes which look like you might be into strangulation and help you wipe out.
It is therefore with trepidation one embarks on purchasing my mermaid skin. Being a UK surfer presents a new set of problems in that my wet-suit needs to have a level of thickness which prevents our cold waters penetrating through. My skin has that kind of transparency which turns me smurf blue when I get cold, I therefore have to find a particularly toastie suit.
Luckily for me I have a lovely group of surf experts who are able to point me in the right direction, here is the suit I'm currently lusting over, the Ripcurl 2014 Flashbomb 5/3mm chest zip steamer wet-suit a mere £280?!!
As someone fairly clueless about wet-suit specifications, I've gleaned as much knowledge off others as possible so here's a breakdown of the things you need to know when buying a winter wet-suit.
1. Thickness
When you see things like 5/4/3mm all that's pertaining to is the thickness of the neoprene in different areas of the suit, usually chest, legs and arms. You don't need GCSE science qualifications to get that the thicker the suit the warmer your going to be!! Look for the higher numbers because that's going to keep you toastie when the North Sea is crashing on your head.
2. Stitching
This is when it starts to sound a bit complicated 'flat lock stitching' 'blind stitched' 'liquid taped.' From what I can gather 'flat lock' = bad everything else is good. The stitching is highly important because if you material isn't joined together in a steadfast and waterproof way well your going to get cold. Very cold. I've had surfers get highly passionate on my facebook wall around the subject of what stitching, take it seriously people!
3. Brand
Like everything certain brands have certain reputations. Not long ago Ripcurl wasn't known for its wet-suits longevity but since the appearance of the flashbomb (i.e. dries quicker) they've made something of a comeback. A friend of mine has nothing but praise for his quoting that its super stretchy, easy to get on and off and gives him freedom in the water. I have yet to hear about billabong/roxy wetsuits but Gul is another name which seems to crop up for positive reasons. I think like anything its a case of try before you buy, ask at surf hire shops about their wet-suits and get second opinions. I've bugged everyone I know about what to buy so feel a little more confident with parting with my well earned pounds!
In terms of where to buy wet-suits I have two places which have a good selection at reasonable prices. The first is my beloved Surfdome which have a really good variety, they also have literally every accessory under the sun so you can find everything your going to need in the line up. The other place I've been told is worth a gander is Wetsuit Outlet which have a huge amount of stock.
4. Style Entrepreneur
You HAVE to be practical, there's no point getting a pretty suit that will deliver you back to the shore as a human ice cube. That being said once you've ensured you've ticked all the practicalities off the list, it is something you should definitely play with. For summer suits I think the more experimental the better, invest in handmade local businesses like Slynk Suits or check out Salt Gypsy for new and innovative styles from around the world.
Who says you can't have style in the lineup?!
I hope this meandering post is of some relevancy to you.Happy Winter surfing!
