Kitesurf Beginners Guide

Wetsuit for beginners

It is important to stay warm if you are in the water for a few hours to enjoy a great session. So it is crucial you buy a good wetsuit to keep you warm. On this page we tell you all there is to know about wetsuits:

1. What types of wetsuits exist?
2. What does those number (like 4/3 or 3/2) mean?
3. How thick should my wetsuit be?
4. Should I go for a wetsuit with Backzip, frontzip or no zipper at all?
5. What is my wetsuit size?
6. How do I put on my wetsuit?
7. How do I take care of my wetsuit?

What types of wetsuits exist

Shorty

Shortys have long or short arms and short legs. Shortys are for summer months or warmer temperatures.

Full suit

Full suit: Full suit wetsuits have long arms and long legs and are most common types of wetsuits.

Hooded suit

Full suit with integrated hood: These wetsuits are for winter.

Thermo layers

Thermo Layers: There are different types of thermo layers that can be either worn by itself, under or over a wetsuit.

Neoprene Accessories

Neoprene Accessories: These are crucial to extend your season. Add boots first, as your feet are always in the cold water followed by adding thermo layers with a hood and lastly gloves

What does those numbers (like 4/3 or 3/2) mean?

A wetsuit that is indicated as a 4/3 has 4mm of neoprene at the upper body and 3mm at the extremities. The material is thinner at your elbows and legs to offer you more freedom of movement.

How thick should my wetsuit be?

The thickness of a wetsuit is the major factor that determines how warm a wetsuit is. See our Kitemana Wetsuit Guide chart below for recommended thicknesses and neoprene accessories – the colder the water, the thicker the material!

This table just serves as an orientation and the ideal thicknesses might vary 1-2mm from the recommendation above due to wind chillfs-bigger , yhalfactivity level, length of your sessions and individual sensitivity.

Should I go for a wetsuit with a backzip, frontzip or no zipper at all?

What is my wetsuit size?

Wetsuits come in regular US sizes like M (medium). However, where normal clothing is looser and therefore has a wider fit, a wetsuit should really fit like a glove. For this reason additional length measures have been developed like MT or MS (medium tall or medium short). You will find size charts to each wetsuit on the product pages in our online shop.

How do I put on my wetsuit?

Slip in feet first and work yourself forward bit by bit. When sliding in with your feet, to not pull at the chest, but at the legs. Do not pull too hard and be careful with your fingernails and the smooth mesh neoprene on the front and back. You can check out our blog post on how to put on wetsuits properly with video instructions here:

How do I take care of my wetsuit?

• Rinse it with cold, fresh water after each session.
• Do not dry your wetsuit in direct sun light.
• Dry your wetsuit inside out.
• Store it nicely on a wide hanger. Preferable with arms and legs down.
• Hand wash once a year with wetsuit shampoo.

Checkout all available wetsuits >>