How to Buy a Wet Suit

There are many types of wet suits, but surf-style suits are perfect for swimming and many water sports. They offer freedom of movement and span a range of water temperatures. Suits designed for scuba diving are vastly different--talk to an instructor before buying one.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Understand the relationship between suit thickness, designated in millimeters, and body warmth. A 4-3 full suit is 4 mm thick in the body and 3 mm thick in the arms and legs, and is the best choice for water that's 50 to 60 degrees F (10 to 16 C). For even colder water, get a 5-mm hooded suit. If you rarely see temperatures this low, consider one that's 1 or 2 mm thick.
2. Decide what kind you need. A suit with cut-off arms and legs is called a shorty and is good whenever maximum freedom of movement is needed. A full suit extends to your wrists and ankles, and is necessary for colder water. A farmer john has full legs and no arms. It's favored by paddlers and is the bottom layer for scuba divers.
3. Inspect the seams. The better the construction, the warmer the suit. In a high-quality seam, the edges of the material meet flush, are glued and sewn into place, and are then covered by a strip of cloth. Cheaper seams can leave a small hump and exposed stitching.
4. Try on different brands. You want a snug fit that doesn't constrict your movement or breathing. All suits enlarge slightly with use. Avoid suits that bag around your waist or ankles.
5. Set your budget according to how often you'll use your wet suit. An inexpensive shorty costs about $60, while a better-quality one may be $100. An inexpensive full suit is about $150 to $200. A top-quality full suit is $250 to $350.
6. Choose a wet suit for children based on the same criteria. Pint-sized wet suits range from $50 to $100. Keep in mind that kids often grow out of a wet suit before they wear it out, which makes finding a good used one a smart move. As they grow, kids want to spend more time in the water, which requires buying a better suit.

What to Look For:

• Appropriate thickness
• Suitable type
• Glued and taped seams
• Snug fit

Tips & Warnings

• The zipper on a surf suit runs up your back. Avoid embarrassment in the shop by remembering this. All zippered wet suits are hard to get on and off; you just have to practice.
• Rinse out suits used in saltwater after every use.
• Adults should not buy used wet suits unless they like being cold. Even the best suits wear out rapidly, begin to leak and lose their suppleness.