Which wetsuit should I wear during Spring? | Poole Harbour Watersports
Alex SchonrockWhat wetsuit is best during Spring?
It’s that time of year when the weather starts to improve for getting out on the water, but we are not quite in the heat of summer yet, so you may be thinking about what to wear to stay warm. There is no 'one answer' on how to dress on the water, it will depend on the daily conditions, which can be particularly changeable this time of year. However, we do have some general tips depending on your chosen activity.
Windsports (Wing foiling, Windsurfing, Surfing, etc.)
Windsports tend to require better/thicker wetsuits, as you will be out in the wind chill and getting wet 😊. Generally, we recommend a full length 4:3 wetsuit. This is a great wetsuit for the transition from winter to summer, it’s known as a 3-season wetsuit so you can make it last for most of year if you are wanting to limit your number of wetsuits.
Specific windsport kit recommendations:
For the men, a Alder Pyro 4:3 full length wetsuit will work well. and for women the Alder stealth 4:3. We would also recommend the Rewired C-skins 4:3, this has higher stretch and warmth for the same thickness due to a higher quality material, this comes at an increased cost.
Sup
Generally, less warm kit is required in the calmer SUP conditions. However, if you are susceptible to the cold or going out on a chilly day, a 4:3 should keep you toasty. If you want a warmer option for spring, you could go for a 3:2 with blind stitching. The thinner wetsuit will provide better flexibility while the blind stitching helps to limit water entering the wetsuit, meaning you will stay nice and warm.
There are also lots of options for shorty wetsuits, with longer bottoms or tops if wanted. These are great for warmer conditions at the end of spring/summer. An alternative to this can also be neoprene shorts & top combos. These are great for the transition into the hot summer months as you can easily mix and match with other options such as a rash vest to adjust to the weather.
Specific SUP kit recommendations:
For a 3/2 wetsuit with blind stitched seams the C-Skins Session for men and C-Skins Surflite for women are great choices. These are more expensive, for the extra cost the wetsuit will be warmer due to a superior stitching technique and higher quality, more stretchy material.
For a cheaper alternative 3/2 wetsuit without blind stitching we suggest the C-Skins Element Flatlock, with options for men and women. This won't be quite as warm, but is still a great wetsuit option.
Womens C-skins Element £90 C-skins Session Blindstiched Mens £200
Neoprene tops and bottoms come in long and short form, you can mix and match depending on how warm you think you need to be and your personal preference. Some tops we would recommend are the Mens O'Neill Reactor-2 1.5mm L/S Top and the Prolimit Womens Neo Fire Top . For the bottoms, popular items are O'Neill Reactor 1.5mm neo Short for the men and Prolimit Women's SUP Neo Pants AIRMAX 1.5MM for the women.
Mens O'Neill Reactor-2 1.5mm £62.95 Prolimit Womens Neo Fire Top £79.99
O'Neill Reactor 1.5mm neo short £48.95 Prolimit Women's SUP Neo Pants £99
Swimming
Despite swimming naturally raising your body temperature, you may want to consider some layers to keep you warm. In spring the water will be colder than in Autumn as it takes time for the temperature to increase after Winter, so expect a refreshing swim even if it’s hot outside! It is important to balance staying warm with manoeuvrability and comfort, hence we would recommend a sleeveless shorty wetsuit option for sea swimmers.
Specific swim kit recommendations
For the men we suggest the Ion Monoshorty. If you think this will be too restrictive or are looking for something a bit cheaper we recommend a pair of neoprene shorts like the O'Neill Reactor ones above. This will however be a more chilly option.
For women we have a Prolimit Fire Sleeveless Shorty. Alternatively you can use a warm swimsuit if you want an option for the summer as well and don't mind braving the spring sea temperatures.
Mens Ion Monoshorty £79.99 Womens Prolimit Fire Shorty £65.00
These are just recommendations from what we experience in the water ourselves and what we have learnt from customers in the shop!
Everyone enjoys the water differently, so this may not be right for you but hopefully has give you some insight too!
Take a look at our Wetsuit range here.