Buyer's Guide: Wetsuits
We've got the information you need to get a wetsuit that will keep you warm when you hit the surf, even in the most extremely cold conditions.

Arm yourself with information to make a wise buying decision

The wetsuit market has several main brands and each brand has several models made for various conditions and price points. The most established brands are O'Neill, Xcel, Hotline, Quicksilver, Rip Curl and Roxy (Quicksilver's sister Brand).

So before you try to narrow down your search you need to have the following general knowledge about wetsuits:

Thickness
The thickness of wetsuits in measured in millimeters. For example, the warmest suits are 6/5 mils. The first number represents the thickness in the torso area and the second number the arm and leg thickness.

Seams
Wetsuits with fewer seams will let less water in but be less flexible. Suits meant for winter surfing will also have tape (nylon or liquid neoprene) over the seams to prevent water from seeping through.

Stitching
There are several ways wetsuits can be stitched together. Blind-stitched means the seams are glued together and then sewn halfway through the neoprene so you don't see the stitches on the other side. Blind stitched suits are flexible, durable and mid-range in terms of water-tightness. Double Blind-stitched means the process is the same but the blind-stitch come from both sides of the wetsuit making it extremely watertight. Flat-stitched means the seams are sewed right through the garment making a super flexible but not very watertight suit.

Zippers
Zippers can go up your back or across your chest. There are also, high-end "zipperless" suits available. These are the most warm because they let the least water in. But they're also hard to get in and out of.

Boots and gloves
These keep your hands and feet warm and come in various designs and thicknesses depending on the temperature of water you're surfing. They range in price from $30-$80. It is important to note that the cuffs of the boots and gloves should go under your wetsuit cuffs to prevent water seeping in or your boots/gloves falling off.

The experts Street Cents spoke to also say beginners should talk to experienced surfers or surf shop clerks they are comfortable with to learn about wetsuits.

Decide what you need the suit for

Now that you know the difference between a new high performance wetsuit and that neon dive suit your dad has in the basement, you need to figure out exactly what you need your suit for.

Be realistic, if you're just surfing in the warm summer and fall months, get a $200 suit and the cheapest boots you can find. But if you're committed to surfing year ‘round, spend the extra money and buy the best wetsuit, boots and gloves you can find. You'll be happy you did two hours into an epic February surf session.

Basically, if you're planning on surfing in the relatively warmer summer and early fall seasons on the east or west coast of Canada then you need a thinner wetsuits (2-4 ml thick). You may also need surf boots to keep your feet warm and protected if walking out to rocky point or reef surf breaks. People who are particularly susceptible to the cold may also need gloves to warm their hands. This warmer water set up will cost you around $350 ($210 for wetsuit, $50 for boots, $50 gloves plus applicable taxes.)

However, if you're planning on charging the big winter swells when the water temperature can reach below zero and the air can dip even further, you need a top of the line, thick, hooded winter wetsuit (5-6 ml). You also need thick boots and gloves to keep your feet and hands, which are the first part of your body that will go numb, warm. A high quality winter set up will cost over $600 ($500 wetsuit, $60 boots and gloves plus applicable taxes.)

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