Choosing The Right Wetsuit Thickness
On this coast, a 4/3 steamer does the job from late autumn through spring, with boots added on the coldest mornings. A 3/2 takes over from December to about April, and a spring suit suits hot days and kids spending hours in the shallows. When two suits share a thickness but sit at different prices, the gap mostly comes down to seams and lining. Flatlock stitching is fine in warm water, while glued, blind stitched and taped seams with a thermal liner hold far more heat in when the water is cold. For winter sessions, our wetsuit boots, hoods and gloves from O'Neill and Xcel finish the setup. If you can get to the shop on Mackay Street, try two thicknesses back to back and you will feel the difference straight away.