Summer is drawing to a close but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t plenty of good Jet Ski days left on the water. It just means you’ll have to find a way to stay warm as the temperatures start to drop. Enter the wetsuit – your best bet for staying warm on the water. Here are some tips to help make finding the right wetsuit for you easier.
Comfort
When it comes to choosing a wetsuit one of the most important factors is your comfort and the thicker a wetsuit’s material, the warmer you’ll be. How does a person determine how thick their wetsuit should be? It all depends on the type of water and activities you’ll be doing. Here’s a general guide to help you decide the proper wetsuit thickness that will work best for you.
If you plan to be in water temperatures above 85° F, look for wetsuits 2mm in thickness. If you plan to scuba dive in water temperatures 70-85°F, you’ll want at least 3mm thickness. In September water temperatures in the Midwest will drop, with 60-70°F the norm. Water temperatures like these demand 5 mm thickness. For water temperatures 50-70°F you’ll need a wetsuit that’s 6.5 mm thick. Temperatures cooler than 50°F and you’ll want to consider a dry suit.
Style
Now that you have an idea of your preferred wetsuit thickness, it’s time to choose your style. You’ll have to decide if you want a full wetsuit, or shortie, one with shorter sleeves and legs that end just above the knee. Perhaps you prefer a farmer john or farmer jane wetsuit (a one piece wetsuit with long legs and a sleeveless top, usually worn with a covering jacket). Shortie wetsuits are geared for warmer weather since your legs and arms are left exposed. In colder temperatures you’ll want to opt for at least a farmer john or jane wet suit with a covering jacket.
Quality
Another important factor in choosing a wetsuit is the quality of construction. Before purchasing your wetsuit, be sure to check the seams. A seam with a glued stitch is the cheapest and least strong. Another stitch commonly found on “bargain” or “cheap” wetsuits is the over-lock stitch that simply joins the neoprene along the seam by merely stitching the edges together. Unfortunately, this puts a ridge inside the suit that makes the wetsuit uncomfortable to wear. And when this seam is stretched to its limits, water can seep in.
A blind stitch is the quality stitching you should be looking for in a wetsuit. With a blind stitch, the material is first glued and then stitched on one side which prevents the stitch from piercing the material and allowing an entry point for water. This same blind stitch is done on the reverse side of the wetsuit which interlocks with the first stitch. A blind stitch gives the strongest seam and is found on more expensive wetsuits.
Fit
Getting the right fit is also an important factor in buying a wetsuit. If you’ve never worn a wetsuit before, you’ll think you’re wearing the wrong size. This is because wetsuits are supposed to feel snug to the point that you have a reduced range of motion. But be careful that the size you’re wearing isn’t too tight that your range of motion is overly restricted and you have difficulty breathing. On the flip side, you don’t want a wetsuit that’s too loose either. If your wetsuit is too loose, water can easily seep in. You don’t want any large gaps in the underarm or crotch area.
Neoprene Type
Finally, check the type of neoprene on a wetsuit. The type of neoprene affects the wetsuit’s quality and price. High quality neoprene is gas blown, made up of thousands of tiny bubbles of nitrogen gas. These tiny bubbles will compress and the neoprene will eventually wear out but gas blown neoprene is much more durable than a chemically blown wetsuit. Chemically blown wetsuits may feel softer but they’re not as durable.
