Best Surfing Clothes to Ride the Waves
Surfing is a fantastic hobby that can be enjoyed almost everywhere that has access to the ocean, which is pretty much everywhere. While the sport itself is rather uncomplicated, it’s possible to arrive unprepared for the large waves, powerful currents, and sandy falls into the ocean that might be encountered on the lake.
Wearing the appropriate surfing clothing may make a significant difference in your surfing experience, no matter where you are in the globe. We’ve put together this guide to help you determine what to wear when surfing, whether it’s your first time out on the water or you’re a seasoned pro looking for a refresher course.
What to Wear Surfing: The Essentials of a Bathing Suit
Despite the fact that it should go without saying, a swimsuit should be included on any list of what to wear surfing.
Swimsuits that are more suited (get it?!) for surfing are different from those that are less suitable.
When surfing, you’ll be falling into the water on a regular basis, tumbling in and out of waves, and sometimes having to contend with currents. Because of this, you’ll want to invest in a very durable swimsuit that will stand up to these types of situations.
To keep ladies safe, we suggest a robust one-piece swimsuit that won’t come undone during the daytime. The last thing you want is to lose your balance and tumble off your board… and find that your swimwear has come undone as well.
As a result, we recommend that you avoid wearing strapless swimsuits, tie-tops, or bandeaus when surfing, and instead go for buckles or elastic swimsuits, which will hold up better in the water and provide more support.
In warmer weather, either bikinis or one-piece suits may be worn on their own, while in colder weather, they can be worn beneath a wetsuit with ease. Summersalt, Billabong, Roxy, and PrAna are just a few of our favorite brands for women’s surf-friendly swimwear.
Boardshorts for warmer weather and a pair of surf undershorts below a wetsuit for colder conditions are our recommendations for male swimmers. When worn under a wetsuit, boardshorts can often bunch up and become unpleasant.
Having rashguard undershorts or a Speedo-style swimsuit for wear under your wetsuit may be quite useful in cooler weather.
Men’s surf undershorts from brands like as Rip Curl, Quicksilver, and O’Neill are excellent choices for wearing under a wetsuit and being comfortable.
Wetsuit
While a wetsuit is not required in all surfing situations, it is a wise purchase for anybody who intends to surf on a regular basis. In most cases, wetsuits are constructed of thick neoprene and are available in a number of sizes and colors.
The fit of a high-quality wetsuit should be tight and keep you warm from the moment you step into the water. When it’s dry, it should be difficult to put on, and it should hug your arms, legs, and chest without constraining your range of motion.
A wetsuit may also help protect you from items that sting, such as jellyfish, while you are swimming.
Wetsuits are available in a variety of sizes and neoprene thicknesses (measured in millimeters). When choosing the thickness of your wetsuit, the temperature of the water where you want to surf will normally be taken into consideration. The following are the most often seen wetsuit thickness levels:
A 5/4 designation indicates that a wetsuit’s torso is five millimeters thick, with four millimeters thicker arms and legs and a four millimeter thicker legs and arms. When it comes to cooler climates, such as the Pacific Northwest or New England during the off-season, these are often used.
4.3/3, or 4mm on the torso and 3mm on the arms and legs, is a popular wetsuit thickness classification. Wetsuits with the 4/3 designation have 4mm of thickness on the torso and 3mm of thickness on the arms and legs. These are often worn in temperatures ranging from chilly to cold (58 to 68 degrees F).
3/2/ – Wetsuits with a 3/2 classification have three millimeters of thickness on the chest, with two millimeters in each arm and leg for a total of three millimeters of thickness. These are suitable for use in moderate to chilly weather (68 to 78 degrees F).
Wearing a springsuit or rash guard may be sufficient in warmer temps if you simply want covering on the top of your body. These situations may necessitate the use of a springsuit (a long-sleeved swimsuit) or rash guard (a long-sleeved swimming top used with board shorts or over a women’s swimsuit).
It is normally possible to rent a wetsuit at most surf shops located near major surfing spots if you do not believe you are ready to buy one yet.
Reef-Friendly Sunscreen
When going to the beach, most people remember to apply sunscreen, but on dark or foggy days, it’s easy to overlook this precaution.
The Sun Bum sunscreen is recommended for surfers since it is reef-safe and does not include any chemicals that might damage marine creatures.
This is particularly crucial while participating in water activities such as surfing, stand-up paddling, and sea kayaking since some sunscreen ingredients have been shown to damage coral reefs and other marine species.
What to Wear Surfing: Additional Surfing Gear & Clothes that are Beneficial
Boots made of neoprene
Booties for surfing are needed in cold and rough surf conditions, as well as in other circumstances when boots are not recommended. Normal and split-toe designs are available in a variety of sizes and combinations.
These booties are normally constructed of neoprene and come in a variety of sizes and configurations.
The split-toe shape is our preferred form of bootie since it is significantly more durable and will remain securely on your feet even in tougher situations.
Some people, however, may find these unpleasant and prefer the more traditional round toe choices.
Surfer’s hood
A surf hood, similar to booties, may assist surfers in keeping their heads warm in freezing water conditions. These are likewise often made of neoprene and are available in a variety of colors and designs.
In spite of the fact that hoods aren’t generally included on many lists of what to wear surfing, they’re a wonderful option for year-round surfers or those who like to surf in cooler climates, such as the Pacific Northwest or New England.
Gloves made of neoprene
Neoprene surf gloves are another essential piece of thermal equipment for every surfer. These gloves are excellent for shielding your hands from the chilly water temps and jagged rocks.
These are often equipped with rubber grips on the palms to make standing up on your board simpler and less likely to skid. Gloves are commonly required for surfers who ride in chilly conditions on a regular basis, and they may also be beneficial in shallow locations with jagged pebbles to prevent cuts and scratches on the hands.
Sunglasses for Surfing
Getting caught in a powerful wave and being thrown off balance because you were blinded by the sun is the worst feeling in the world. If your favorite surfer wears SeaSpecs Surf Sunglasses, he or she may escape this predicament!
They are fastened on by a flexible adjustable strap similar to swimming goggles, making them ideal for any water sports activity, including surfing.
Sandals with a lot of movement
If you spend a lot of time at the beach, a good pair of athletic sandals is a really handy piece of equipment to have on hand at all times.
The flip flops seen here are popular among surfers, but for all of our outdoor activities, we prefer hiking sandals with ankle straps. Tevas and Chacos are our go-to shoes for any warm-weather outings, and we take ours to the beach with us on a regular basis.
Beach Towel that dries quickly
A lightweight, absorbent beach towel is essential for removing one’s wet and sandy surfboard after a session (since no one enjoys being sandy and wet in the vehicle!). Slowtide is one of our favorite companies when it comes to playful, lightweight beach towels.
Beach towels, Turkish towels, and fast dry towels — all of which are ideal for surfers on the road – are available in a plethora of patterns. Our favorite beach towel is the Black Hills beach towel, but there are many more styles to select from.
Poncho for Changing at the Beach
Any surfer understands how uncomfortable it may be to change clothing in a car or to attempt to find a public toilet to change in while surfing. A beach changing poncho eliminates the need to do so entirely.
Making a private change of clothing on the beach is straightforward and fast with one of these enormous garments, which give protection and covering while you’re changing out of your wetsuit and into dry clothes and vice versa (or vice versa).
