Lunasurf Wetsuit Thickness and Temperature Guide.
Choosing the correct wetsuit thickness can make all the difference, from an amazing surf to a miserable one. If your wetsuit is too thin for the water or weather temperature you will be cold, shivering and not at peak performance. On the other hand if your wetsuit is too thick for the occasion, you may find yourself over heating and carrying unnecessary resistance. Here we outline our recommended temperature guide throughout our range of wetsuits for men, women and children.
In the Wetsuit Temperature/Thickness Guide below you can find the recommended wetsuit thickness and type of wetsuit based from the water temperatures you will be surfing.
Wetsuit suitability may vary by 5°C to 10°C due to factors like your weight, level of activity in the suit/surf, the outside air temperature and a big factor is how is your own personal sensitivity/tolerance to the cold.
Personal Tolerance
Our Lunasurf wetsuit thickness guide above is based on suggestions through a range of different water temperatures, but that doesn’t mean it’s the ideal temperature for you. If you naturally feel colder, it might be beneficial to add a few millimeters to your wetsuit thickness or add accessories to keep you comfortable during your session. And of course, the opposite applies too if you typically run hot - a thinner wetsuit thickness might be in order.
Wetsuit Quality
Another factor when it comes to calculating wetsuit thickness, is the quality of the neoprene used. We only use the very best premium Yamamoto Japanese Limestone based neoprene which renowned for its heat bearing properties. Then combined with our top of the line craftsmanship constructing the suit with every seam blind stitched, glued and with a 4 way stretch tape over it you will be lined up for warmth. You will soon learn that wetsuit quality is very important the colder you go. Not all wetsuits are created equal.
Weather
The air temperature can make a big difference at times also. If the weather is nice and warm, you will not be needing as thick of a wetsuit as you would if the air was cold or the wind had a bite to it. Also, will you be sitting in river water, or are there long lulls? River water flow can drop the water temperature by a few degrees fast, so opting for a thicker suit maybe be the go here.
Wetsuit Fit
Lunasurf Wetsuits are awesome things, with today’s technology we can stay warm and have fun in the coldest of conditions. You can feel light, loose and warm unlike the wetsuits of yesteryear. Our wetsuits are 100% made using only the best Yamamoto Japanese limestone based neoprenes. That are then lined with a water/wind repelling buttery, stretchy lining that insulates you from the cold water water, air temps and winds. Your Wetsuit is made up of panels of Neoprene. Wetsuits are not designed to keep you entirely dry. A small amount of water gets trapped between your body and the neoprene. Your body temperature then heats up this small amount of water giving you a nice warm feeling. This is why finding the correct fitting Wetsuit is absolutely essential. Heat does eventually escape through the neoprene but very much like clothing the thicker the Neoprene the warmer you will be.
A proper fitting wetsuit is another very important factor. A wetsuit is supposed to be tight, skin tight. But not so tight that your range of motion is inhibited or restricts your breathing. The sleeves (if full-length) should fall at the wrist bone and the legs just above the ankle, and there should be no gaps, pockets, or rolls of neoprene. Wetsuits are meant to be form fitting. You don’t want loose folds of neoprene, or large pockets of air or water in your wetsuit.
You can see more at our Wetsuit Size Guide Page here
Surf boots, gloves, mitts, caps
As the water gets colder, the river flows or the wind howls you will hear the call for more rubber. This is where for as an example, the 3/2 could last longer into the autumn/winter season just by the addition of some Lunasurf surf boots, gloves or a cap. Suddenly, you have a higher tolerance again but in the same suit because so much body heat is lost through your head and extremities. So these surf accessories can be really helpful if you will be surfing a long time, long waits or if you feel the cold easily.
We have a range of surf boots from 2mm, 4mm to 8mm. Most people opt for the 8mm. Neoprene thickness on the feet is not noticed so much, and your feet are often the deepest part of you in the water, where it is coldest.
Gloves and mitts can further this tolerance in the same mm of wetsuit again.
Hoods and surf caps are great for retaining warmth, keeping ice-cream headaches, brain freeze at bay. As well stopping prolonged exposure to the cold water and winds which can cause surfers/swimmers ear. This is a condition where bony growth can develop in the ear canal, which down the line can cause partial or complete blockage of the ear canal.