Selecting the right wetsuit according to the water activities you will be participating in is important. This article will provide useful tips that will help you buy the best wetsuit according to your need and body type.
The single most important factor that one needs to consider while buying a wetsuit is the 'FIT'. If a suit doesn't fit you then it will be useless, as it will let water enter your suit and thus won't be able to keep your body warm. A wetsuit should be like a second skin, that offers least resistance during swimming, scuba diving, kayaking, surfing, or other water activity.
How to Select the Right Men's Wetsuit?
Determining the Need: Before you even start looking for any wetsuit, you need to figure out for what purpose you will be using it. Wetsuits are made according to the water activities. If you are going to be scuba diving, then buy a men's scuba wetsuit. If you are thinking of participating in a triathlon, then go for a men's triathlon wetsuit. However, if you are going to be using it for water sport activities like swimming, surfing, kayaking, etc. then buy a wetsuit made for general water sports.
Fit: Instead of focusing on how the wetsuit looks like, you should concentrate on the fit of the suit. Because, even if you buy an expensive wetsuit which doesn't fit you well, then during any water activities the cold water will enter the suit and render it ineffective. Though, a wetsuit should allow a little amount of water to enter the suit. This little amount of water is useful, as it is used, and gets warmed by the body's temperature. This little amount of water then will get insulated by the neoprene material of the wetsuit. If this doesn't happen then the water will keep moving through the suit and your body will be cold during the water activities. To see if the suit is fitting you, check the body areas around your ankle, wrist seals, base of the neck, and the spine.
When you try it on, make sure it fits you tight for the first time you put it on. If the suit doesn't feel this way, then it is not the right one you. It has to feel tight for the first time, because it will expand about half of its size once it becomes wet. So, ensure you buy a wetsuit that allows the water to circulate, but not so much that your body will remain cold.
Four More Factors to Consider
Comfort: Apart from the fit of the suit, you also need to keep in mind these four factors, when shopping for a wetsuit. Comfort is interrelated to the below factors, and hence, one needs to find a good balance between the below 3 factors, to get the best of comfort.
Warmth: Wetsuits come with neoprene material, and the thickness of this material varies from suit to suit. The thicker the suit the less the performance will be, but it will keep you warmer, hence select a suit which has a combination of 3, 4, and 5 mm neoprene during the winter season, and a suit that has 2 and 3 mm neoprene combination for the summer season.
Durability: This factor depends upon the type of material the suit is made of. The super stretch material are less durable but high on performance; while the neoprene ones are cheaper and more durable.
Performance: This refers to the amount of stretch that a suit offers. The least the resistance given by a wetsuit during swimming the better your performance will be during the activities.
So, keep in mind the above important factors like comfort, warmth, durability, and performance to buy the best wetsuit. Good luck!
