How to choose a bodyboarding wetsuit?
Choosing a bodyboarding wetsuit comes down to how you will use it, and depends mostly on the water temperature. Three criteria are enough to decide: the thickness of the neoprene, the size and the finishes.
Neoprene thickness by water temperature
The colder the water, the thicker the neoprene. For example, in winter in France the water is between 10 °C and 13 °C, and riders will go for a 4/3. From 15 °C up to 20 °C a 3/2 will suit most bodyboarders, and above 20 °C, a shorty or a steamer.
| Water temperature | In °F | Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Over 22 °C | Over 72 °F | 1 mm |
| 19 to 22 °C | 66 to 72 °F | 2/2 |
| 15 to 19 °C | 59 to 66 °F | 3/2 |
| 12 to 15 °C | 54 to 59 °F | 4/3 |
| 9 to 12 °C | 48 to 54 °F | 5/4 |
Wetsuit size
Another important criterion to take into account is the size of the wetsuit. It is important to choose your wetsuit size according to your build. A well-fitted wetsuit will let you save energy when kicking and paddling.
You can refer to each brand's size chart to choose the one that will fit you best.
Details and finishes
Details and finishes are the final criteria for choice and comfort.
The bodyboardcenter.com team is here to advise you and guide you towards the wetsuits suited to how you ride.
- Stretch neoprene will give you greater freedom of movement.
- Liquid tape on the seams will reinforce the stitching and therefore the lifespan of the wetsuit.
- Inner ‘fleece’ panels provide a feeling of comfort and warmth.
Advice from Jérémy Arnoux, Bodyboard Center rider
“Sensitivity to the cold varies from one person to the next. If you feel the cold, do not hesitate to wear boots to limit heat loss.”
Completing your kit: our other guides
Bodyboard size guide
The navel test, the table by weight and height, conversions in centimetres and a size calculator.
How do you choose your fins?
Symmetrical or asymmetrical, soft or stiff, the DaFin, Orca, Stealth and Vulcan size charts, and a shoe size calculator.
How do you choose your bodyboard?
PE, PP or NRG core, slick, stringer, shape, tail, level and budget: every criterion explained, with the brands' ranges.
To go further
Is your neoprene thickness settled? Browse our selection of bodyboarding wetsuits, from the summer shorty to the winter 5/4.
For the rest of your kit, everything is covered point by point in our guide how to choose your bodyboard. And since the cold also gets in through your extremities, see how to choose your bodyboard fins, where we go into the neoprene socks Jérémy mentions just above.
See our bodyboarding wetsuits
