Wetsuit Buying Guide: What to Wear in Cornwall Through the Year

For those of you who aren't regular wetsuit buyers, the range of products and some of the sizing can be overwhelming. In this guide we hope to steer you through the options – it's the same advice we give in the shop at Bathsheba Surf, Perranporth, for surfing, bodyboarding and swimming on the north Cornish coast.

The quick answer: which wetsuit for which season

Whatever you choose, a good tight fit matters as much as thickness – see getting the fit right below.

Month by month

• January to March: 5mm, with boots, gloves and a hood on the coldest days.
• April: 5mm early in the month, then a 4/3 once the sea starts to warm up.
• May: 4/3, or a sealed 3/2 towards the end of the month if you don't feel the cold.
• June to September: a 3/2 – or a 2mm suit or shorty on the warmest days.
• October: a sealed 3/2 or a 4/3.
• November: 4/3, moving into a 5mm as it gets colder.
• December: 5mm, with boots, gloves and a hood on the coldest days.

To sum up: if you're "up north", a taped 5 or 6mm is a minimum requirement for year-round use. Further south, a good quality 4/3 will comfortably cover Easter 'til Christmas and, if you are reasonably hardy, can see you all the way through – albeit a little too warm from June to September.

When is the sea warmest?

Not when you might think. June can be hot on the beach, but the sea is still warming up – around 14°C. The water is usually at its warmest from late August into September, at around 16–17°C, after a whole summer of sunshine. That's why a September session can be warmer than one in June.

Getting the fit right – the most important part

A wetsuit only works if it fits snugly. It keeps you warm by holding a thin layer of water against your skin, which your body heats up. If the suit is loose, cold water keeps flushing in and out – and a baggy expensive wetsuit will leave you colder than a well-fitting cheaper one.

• It should feel tight – like a second skin – when you try it on dry. That's normal; neoprene gives a little once it's wet.
• No gaps or baggy areas, especially in the lower back, armpits, chest, crotch and behind the knees. Folds or pockets of loose neoprene fill with cold water.
• Snug at the neck, wrists and ankles without cutting in, so water can't rush in at the seals.
• You should still be able to move: raise your arms above your head, crouch down and breathe comfortably. Tight is good; restricted is not.
• Arms and legs should finish around the wrist bone and ankle bone – a little short is better than bunched up.
• Between two sizes? Go for the tighter one, as long as you can move and breathe freely.
• Kids: it's tempting to buy a size up to grow into, but a baggy wetsuit will leave them cold and miserable. Buy the size that fits now.

Kids' wetsuit trade-in

That's exactly why we run a trade-in scheme for kids' wetsuits. When your child outgrows their wetsuit, bring it back to the shop in good condition and get money off a new one. The better the condition, the more it's worth – so look after it, and no holes or tears. Pop into the shop in Perranporth to trade in.

Thickness

For use in the UK, wetsuits range from 2mm to 6mm. Most suits have at least two measurements: usually the higher number for the body and/or legs and the lower number for the arms and shoulders, where you need more flexibility for paddling. Water temperature and weather vary widely over the seasons, so one wetsuit is rarely enough for year-round use.

Seams

The seams and stitching make a big difference to warmth and, as a rough guide, come in three types:

1. Flatlock – the stitch sits flat against the skin but lets some water through the seams, so it's only suitable for summer. Normally only used at the budget end of the market.
2. Glued and blindstitched (GBS) – the stitching doesn't pass through the entire thickness of the material, and the opposite side of the seam is glued to reduce water entry. Most mid-priced suits use this method. A GBS 3/2 is the most common suit for Cornwall between May and October.
3. Taped seams – a reinforced version of GBS, with flexible fabric tape glued over the seams to reduce water entry even further. Most suits over £200 have taped seams; with proper care a taped suit will last longer than others and keep you warmer.

Other things that make a wetsuit warmer

• Fleece lining: plenty of higher-end suits have a fleece lining, which in our experience has a similar effect to going 1mm thicker. The more fleece and taping, the warmer the suit.
• Entry: chest zip and zip-free suits let in less water than a traditional back zip, though back zips are easier to get in and out of.
• Boots, gloves and hoods: in winter these make a huge difference, and can stretch a good 4/3 further into the colder months.

Everyone's different

These are rough guides – some people feel the cold more than others. If you run cold, add or shorten each range by a month. If you're out for long sessions, go warmer; for a quick dip, you can get away with less.

Sizing

Nothing beats trying a wetsuit on in the shop – it's the best way to get that snug fit – but if that's not possible, here's how our brands generally fit.

Children's wetsuits are usually sold by age, but cut and fit vary widely across brands. From shortest/narrowest to longest/widest: 1. Rip Curl, 2. Xcel, 3. Quiksilver/Roxy, 4. Vissla, 5. Alder.

Men's wetsuits are usually sold in Small to XXL, with an added S for short and T for tall. Brand sizing is broadly similar to the children's order above.

Women's wetsuits have been simplified on our website – we've converted all the manufacturers' sizing to the closest UK dress size. To replace an old wetsuit with US sizing (most US and Australian brands print US sizes inside the suit), use this conversion: US6 = UK8, US8 = UK10 and so on – apart from Billabong, who use a two-size gap (US6 = UK10). Brands vary: generally Rip Curl and Xcel come up smaller than Roxy (larger top half), Billabong and Sisstrevolution. Alder wetsuits are slightly wider in the hips with a narrower waist, and more suited to an hourglass shape.

Still not sure?

If all this leaves you baffled, pop into the shop in Perranporth to try a few on, or email or call us and we can talk you through our large range.