Boys Wetsuits—Gearing Up For Water Sports

Shopping for the best boys wetsuits can be quite a challenge, especially if you’ve never really thought about it before. Water sports are a great activity, but you have to make sure that you know which wetsuit to get him, to get the most out of the water sport fun.

There are a lot of boys wetsuits sold both on- and offline. Unless you know what you should be looking for, you might be wasting your money.

Below are tips to help you get started.

1. You should first understand the relation of the wetsuit’s thickness with its ability to keep your son’s body warm. Children are more sensitive when it comes to water temperature compared to adults, and they will need more protection from the cold. Boys wetsuits are made from neoprene, and this material comes with varying thicknesses. You should know first what season your son will be using his wetsuit. Wetsuits that are 3 mm to 4mm thick are usually used for water temperatures below 70º F. On the other hand, if the water temperature is 70 ºF or higher, a 1mm to 2mm thick wetsuit will do.

2. Boys wetsuits also come with varying cuts. You should consider the water sports that your son is interested in. Surfing and other boat-towed water sports will probably not require full bodied suits, although this will, again, depend on the temperature of the water. If you’re in an extremely cold region, you might have to purchase a full bodied suit even if your son is just into wakeboarding. It’s best to ask his coach about this matter as well.

A full bodied kids wetsuit will cover the core, arms and legs; farmer Jack suits do not protect the arms but protect the core and both the lower and the upper legs; spring suits provide minimal insulation for the arms and legs but they still protect the core. Some wetsuits also come without a bottom part, and these are the jackets and the vests. Vests protect only the core of your son’s body, while jackets protect the core and the arms.

3. You should also know how boys wetsuits fit. It’s useless to purchase a wetsuit that’s too loose for your child’s body, and it’s dangerous to make your son wear a wetsuit that’s too tight. The wetsuit should fit snugly around your son’s chest, arms and legs without cutting off his blood circulation or restricting movement. If the seams seem strained, or if the suit is extremely difficult to zip up, the suit is too tight. If the suit seems too loose in areas, you should look for other suits. Wetsuits that are too loose let in too much water. You wouldn’t want your son to freeze while he’s wearing the suit.

4. Buying used wetsuits is not recommended, unless you find out the condition of it. Even the most expensive wetsuits wear out with use, and neoprene tends to “adapt” to the shape of the wearer’s body. If you purchase a wetsuit that belongs to someone else, there’s a high possibility that you’ll find it loose in all the wrong places. You’ll be inviting a cold “water slush” with these used items.