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Clothes for Surfing: What to Wear for a Comfortable Ride
The clothes for surfing affect the whole process. These types of surfing clothes should be treated as a type of personal equipment.
Good surfing equipment has to keep your body warm and not irritate the skin with itching or rashes while surfing. The main condition for clothing in surfing sport is its convenience.
But while surfing, you may find yourself in the water at various temperatures, so you should choose surfing suits taking into account this factor.
It is important that the type of suit you wear does not hamper your movements while surfing and allows you to give yourself to your surfing occupation as productively as possible.
Below, we have collected the types of surfing suits that will help you feel comfortable while surfing.
Special thanks to Swell.com for providing materials for the article. In their store, you can buy all the surfing suits presented by us.
Clothing That You Can Use When the Water Is Warm
Surfing shorts for surfboards are the classic type of comfortable clothing for surfing on warm waves.
You can find such surfing shorts in a wide variety. They have replaced the outdated and uncomfortable swimwear for surfing which was often bulky and irritating for the skin.
Surfing shorts are made in accordance with modern technology.
Now, this type of shorts is made of elastic fabrics which are distinguished by their ease of wear and the ability to dry quickly after surfing.
The main advantage of such a type of surfing shorts is that after surfing, they become completely dry fast and you can continue doing your routines as if in ordinary shorts.
Due to the wide range, surfing shorts have many names such as swimming trunks or just shorts, etc.
Rash Guard represents surfing shirts or T-shirts that protect you from exposure to the sun and rashes during your surfing.
This is not a mandatory item for your wardrobe if your skin reacts normally to the wax coating of the surfboard. Many people go surfing without such a shirt but if your skin is too sensitive, it is better to give preference to this item.
While surfing, you can use a standard cotton-based T-shirt. This is not the best option but works well if you do not want to spend money on special surfing suits.
In the end, cotton clothing is comfortable and often used when riding in high temperatures.
Clothing for Surfing in Colder Weather
A neoprene vest is an option for surfing at lower temperatures when your body is a bit cool.
Such a vest is necessary for surfing in windy weather because being out of the water, you can easily get sick.
Such a vest is convenient during all the movements and it does not hamper the moves of arms and shoulders. It is aimed at maintaining heat in the sternum for as long as possible.
In addition, such surfing clothing protects the skin from rashes and other irritations. If you go surfing at very low temperatures, such a vest can be worn under your standard suit for riding which will provide additional warmth.
That vest may be necessary if you freeze while surfing so it is better to make this sport safe for your health.
Moreover, this surfing equipment costs from 30 to 50 dollars and can come in handy at any time. We recommend buying the vest for every surfer.
Neoprene jackets are more serious surfing equipment and belong to the category of wetsuits. But you can wear such a jacket with any addition, even with surfing shorts.
This piece of clothing is great for SUPing. These surfing jackets are very good protection against the cold when riding on low-temperature waves.
They will also be necessary if you often find yourself in a strong wind while surfing which can lead to illness, even if you are not too wet or are completely dry.
The advantage of this surfing jacket is the absence of a zipper. That way, the manufacturers have made sure that it is easier for you to wear it while surfing.
It almost completely envelops a bigger part of the body and therefore, does not interfere with the necessary movements while maintaining its protective function.
Surfing Suits in Spring
There are many different types of wetsuits but some of them are spring suits. Such suits do not have any special instructions and which one suits you better depends only on your taste and convenience.
Such surfing suits are called spring suits because they are used only in some seasons of the year – in autumn or in spring.
At this time, the water temperature is not as warm as in summer but not so cold as in winter, so you cannot put on this surfing suit for frosty waves.
Surfing suits for spring and autumn always have the thickness of 2:1.
This means that 2 mm of neoprene material will be located on the chest area and 1 mm will cover the areas of the limbs and joints where the maximum mobility is required while surfing.
The classic form of the spring surfing suit is a full body and its shortened parts cover the limbs (at the elbow and calves).
Such surfing suits are the best solution in cool weather because they have two important characteristics: the suits warm your body evenly and for a long time and also do not limit the mobility of arms and legs.
Many surfers consider such surfing suits not the best solution because of their design, in particular, in the bottom part.
Such shortened surfing suits warm well and basically the design has been developed for this factor. But some people think that these suits look ridiculous since the lower part of the suit ends above the knees.
This decision was made by manufacturers in order not to limit the mobility of surfers.
A Long Arm Spring Suit looks like a classic surfing spring suit, only with elongated limbs in the hands.
It is an ideal choice for light wind and normal temperature. Due to the elongated sleeves, the surfing suit warms the upper part of the body more.
In this case, the lower part of the suit remains the same way shortened above the knees. In this surfing suit, you are more warmed and also more mobile.
Short John is a spring suit without sleeves (short or long) and with an enlarged neckline. In such a suit, you can feel that you are wearing a summer T-shirt and shorts.
The suit is a revised version of the Long John suit which we describe below.
The Short John suit is used by athletes who ride longboards. This type of suit provides maximum mobility for the limbs which allows you to better row and control a longboard.
Long John is a neoprene surf suit that looks more like a jumpsuit. This type of suit is a combination of short sleeves (as on a T-shirt) and elongated lower ends.
Such a suit is also most practical when working with longboards as it leaves your hands free for rowing but throws all your energy into warming your legs.
Sometimes, the long legs of this suit replace some type of knee pad equipment and protect your legs from damage in cases when you need to go rowing by kneeling.
A Short Arm Full Suit is a type of spring wetsuit with an elongated lower part. Sometimes, it is also called a spring suit with long legs.
It is a type of full-fledged suit, only with short arms. This is a great type of suit for surfers who do not like the design of suits with short legs above the knees.
In such a suit, you can really look cool when almost everyone looks wretched in a shortened type of leg design.
This type of suit is a good choice if you belong to the second group. In the arms and shoulders, they give the ability to necessary movements without constraining them.
At the same time, the legs are kept warm and you look stylish.
Such types of suits with long legs and short arms are popular among professional surfers who prefer a short surfboard.
These types of athletes require high performance which entails riding comfort.
The warmth in the muscles of the legs is a decisive and main factor for such a type of professionals. This is due to the fact that on a shortboard, the surfer must maneuver with his feet.
That gives a lot of tension to the legs causing the muscles to stretch relative to the type of body position.
Such suits protect the legs from possible stretching and other types of muscle damage allowing them to be more plastic in the warmth.
Another advantage is the integrated knee pad which carries out a type of protective function. It will protect your knees if you accidentally hit them or if you need to go on a knee row.
That type of suit will best protect your legs, so professional surfers choose it.
Standard Wetsuits for Low Temperatures
A full suit is a classic type of wetsuit. That type consists of a completely long sleeve and the same fully long legs.
It means that such a type of suit protects your entire body from the cold.
There are only a few basic types of costumes. The difference between these types of suits is not in shape and design but in the amount of neoprene material.
Such suits have a ratio of thickness 4:3 and 3:2. A number that is smaller shows the thickness of the neoprene coating in the limb while a number that is bigger is the thickness of the material in the chest area.
The chest area is always more protected than the limbs. This is due to the fact that the sternum does not require such substantial mobility as the arms and legs and is also responsible for internal organs.
Obviously, a type of suit with a 4:3 value will be warmer and more massive than a suit with a 3:2 ratio. The latter type is suitable for warmer weather, unlike the first type.
Costumes for Your Riding in the Cold
A Hooded Full Suit is worn only when it is already very cold. This type of costume looks like a classic type of design, only with a hood.
That type of suit is able to protect your entire body including your head. The use of that type of item is rare as it is designed for very low water temperatures.
Most often, professionals use the classic type of costume without a hood and only occasionally use this type.
This is due to the fact that this costume will be too warm for the rest of the year. This type of suit is reasonable to use if you ride in the North or in glaciers.
In any case, if you are freezing in a standard suit, it is better to purchase a warm type with a hood, even if you use it a couple of times per year.
A Dry Suite is an extraordinary type of suit for surfers.
Regular types of costumes work on the principle of getting wet when it passes a layer of water to your body. The water is heated due to the body heat and thus warms you up.
That type of costume works differently. It does not get wet or leak water.
The main purpose of such a type of suit is to prevent you from getting wet. But you should heat up with ordinary wool clothes under this suit, so this design does not guarantee warmth.
The clothes of that type are rarely used with such costumes due to the need for additional items to keep warm. This may interfere with your riding.
Additional Equipment
Booties are a type of accessory for the feet. The main task of them is to protect the toes from various types of injuries (mechanical or thermal).
They keep the feet in constant heat protecting against mechanical obstructions in the water, such as rocks or reefs which you may hurt. There are many types of leg equipment but they have one protective function.
Reef Socks is an addition to the item described above. The surfing socks also protect your feet and toes from sharp and hard objects that you may encounter in the water.
Gloves are a special type of equipment and keep your hands warm and work on the same principle as a wetsuit.
They prevent the effects of cold on the hands so that your fingers do not become numb.
Such a restriction may not allow you to finish the surfing trip, row better and harder, and it may also leave your body trapped in a wetsuit.
A Hood is not only for use in very cold water. The main objective of this type of equipment is to prevent frostbite on the head.
There are several types of hydraulic hoods. The difference between these types is that one item just covers the head and another captures the neck.
Many riders do not use hoods because they squeeze the vessels of the head and betray a feeling of tightness. But in cold weather, do not neglect this type of equipment, even if it is not very comfortable.
A Hat can also be of several types. Their main task is protection from the sun while surfing.
Using hats during surfing rides will save your eyes from the rays of the sun and your head from various types of burns and bumps.
A cap is the most common option. Its minus is that it can be lost.
There are also types of hydraulic hats with wide brims or with a film along the edges of the head which prevents the loss.
You can use the types of hats that you like best.
A Helmet is an important part of your equipment. Many surfers do not use this type of item because of its inconvenience but its benefit is obvious.
The helmet protects the head from damage and keeps it safe while surfing.
This type of equipment is often considered unnecessary in surfing supported by the argument that it will be more useful in other sports where there is a direct possibility of injury.
But this is not true – you should take care of yourself while doing your favorite type of surfing. Even if the helmet makes it uncomfortable, it should go into fashion for a long time.
