The surf wetsuit for summer

Before we start, welcome to ONE SURFING CO, the first French surf brand created in Hossegor, Europe's surfing capital. We've created an innovative service and a unique offer around neoprene wetsuits. In fact, we're the first to offer monthly subscriptions for wetsuits. We design high-quality products using Japanese Yamamoto #40 limestone-based neoprene, which offers today's best performance at prices to suit your surfing style. Click here to see our wetsuit collection.

When we think of summer, we don't necessarily think of neoprene wetsuits, but they are a real asset for surfers of all levels, as well as for swimming or snorkeling.

In this article, we'll look at the advantages of a neoprene wetsuit for summer. We'll start with protection from the cold, then safety, and finally sports performance.  

Protection from the cold. 

The No. 1 asset of a wetsuit is protection from cold water. Over the years, neoprene has become lighter, more flexible and more comfortable.

Although the water is warmer in summer, the wind often makes itself felt on beach outings.

As a result, you can bathe in water over 20°C and still feel cold...

Simply wearing a 2mm thick neoprene wetsuit will keep you warm. You'll be able to take full advantage of water activities for an unlimited time. The ocean is an extraordinary playground for bodyboarding, surfing, bodysurfing, paddleboarding, skimboarding and, of course, swimming in the waves. With a summer wetsuit, you'll have plenty of time to perfect each of these disciplines.

Last but not least, children are even more likely to be cold, and the wetsuit will enable them to get the most out of the waves with their friends.

At ONE SURFING CO, we use Japanese Yamamoto #40 neoprene to retain body heat. What's more, we have GBS seams to each of our wetsuits to prevent water infiltration.

 Safety - the wetsuit is your ally. 

Let's talk about safety: what are the risks at the beach?

For those who are not very comfortable or who are apprehensive, the neoprene wetsuit allows you to float effortlessly.

In fact, triathlon swimmers wear a wetsuit during the swimming part of the race to ensure optimum glide.

The buoyancy is the same for the whole body. So you can lie on your back and breathe easily. If you're caught by a wave, the neoprene wetsuit will bring you back to the surface.

The ocean is a magnificent playground, but the risks are sometimes invisible, starting with the currents. Having a wetsuit can be very useful. If we look at the world's best surfers at competitions in Hawaii or Tahiti, most of them wear 2/2mm neoprene wetsuits to protect them from the reef, and therefore from shocks and UV rays. Let's take a leaf out of the book.

UV rays, they hit!

There's no better sun protection than a neoprene wetsuit. As surfers who spend hours and hours in the water are well aware, they only apply sunscreen to their faces.

Not only are the UV rays strong, but in the water there's the phenomenon of reverberation, which accentuates the sun's power.

Whether you're a surfer or other water sports, if you spend hours in the water, it's a good idea to wear a 2/2mm wetsuit. You'll keep your performance up with soft, lightweight neoprene and UV protection at the same time.

If you're used to spending long periods in the sun in the water, the same applies.

And for the kids, they'll be able to enjoy the pleasures of the beach without having to slather their bodies with sun cream every 30 minutes and wait to get back into the water.

It's strictly impossible to get a sunburn on your body if it's protected by a neoprene wetsuit. It's even more effective than lycra.

Finally, let's talk a little about impact: in terms of safety, neoprene is the first layer to reach your skin. A rock, a surfboard, a jellyfish or whatever, the wetsuit will protect you. It can help minimize injury. You can think of a neoprene wetsuit as a biker's jacket. It protects and minimizes risk in the event of an accident.

To conclude this safety section, the summer neoprene wetsuit, often referred to as the 2/2mm, is an excellent means of protection against UV rays and impacts, with optimum flotation in the event of exhaustion...

 Performance for maximum enjoyment. 

Finally, let's talk about performance for surfers and other water sports such as bodyboarding, stand-up paddling, bodysurfing, foiling and so on.

Wearing a summer wetsuit may be a reflex, but performance should be an integral part of the choice of neoprene wetsuit.

What are we looking for in summer?

1. Lightness. In winter, the wetsuit is a real weight... every surfer dreams of summer, when they can practice being light! So if even in warm water, surfers feel heavy, there's no point.

2. Flexibility. Surfing and other water sports require freedom of movement to optimize performance. So it's vital not to have any restrictions when practicing.

2. Comfort. No chafing, the right size wetsuit for the job. Wearing a wetsuit in summer means staying out of the sun for hours on end, so it has to be comfortable.

So if you're looking for performance in summer, a quality neoprene wetsuit is a must, so you can spend hours in the water and keep improving.

There are different types of 2/2mm wetsuits:

1. fullsuit, i.e. covering the whole body.
2. Short sleeves and long legs
3. Long sleeves and short legs.
4. Shorty with short sleeves and legs.

So maybe there's a touch of style in there... because YES, a surfer has a reputation to uphold...

Then for the fullsuit, it lets you enjoy the benefits of a 2/2mm in cooler water from 18-19°C depending on outdoor conditions.

The 2/2mm short-sleeve, long-leg is ideal when it's hot outside but the water is a little cooler. What's more, it protects the knees, which can get chafed on the surfboard pad.

The 2/2mm long sleeves and short legs are perfect when there's a northerly wind, potentially counteracting the feeling of cold on the upper body.

Finally, the 2/2mm shorty is often less expensive and offers greater freedom of movement, as there are fewer neoprene restrictions. Nonetheless, it offers less protection from the sun and irrigation...

So with all this information, what's the ideal summer surf wetsuit for you?

If you don't have a big budget, the 2/2mm shorty is the perfect solution. However, only a small part of the body is covered by neoprene. As a result, UV and impact protection, as well as buoyancy, are less effective.

If you prefer freedom of movement for your upper body, you can opt for 2/2mm short sleeves and long legs.

The place where you practice has a lot of wind despite temperate or even warm water. The 2/2mm long-sleeve is ideal.

Finally, if you practice in cooler water but still want to lighten your weight with greater flexibility than in winter, you should go for the fullsuit. In addition, the latter may allow you to take advantage of sessions in Main-June and September-October - a real luxury!

So you have all the information you need to choose your summer wetsuit.

At ONE SURFING CO, we've opted for the 2/2mm short-sleeve, long-leg wetsuit. We're surfers first and foremost, and we want to optimize freedom of movement on the upper body.

What's more, we chose Japanese neoprene YAMAMOTO #40, which offers the best performance currently available. The icing on the cake is that it's eco-responsible, as petrochemicals are replaced by limestone.

Finally, our wetsuits have a unique design, with a classy white sleeve and logo proudly worn on the shoulder.

Discover our collection of wetsuits by clicking here. We are offering a 30% discount on our 2/2mm wetsuits, click here. 

Thanks and happy surfing!