The ABCs of The Wetsuit Top

A wetsuit top works just like a rash guard but is typically made of neoprene, unlike rash guards that are made of either lycra or polyester. Wetsuit tops are usually 1 to 1.5 millimeters thick, but can also include the thicker 7mm scuba diving wetsuit tops as well.

It can be worn by itself if you are out swimming in the summer or when the temperature is not so cold. When it gets colder, however, a wetsuit top can be worn inside a wetsuit for extra insulation. Normally, wetsuit tops can handle a temperature range of 72 degrees Fahrenheit to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, they have lower insulation levels than a full wetsuit.

Insulation is in fact one of the biggest benefits that you can get from wetsuits and wetsuit tops. Aside from this, they also protect you against jellyfish stings if you are swimming or surfing in the open seas, or from injuring yourself against the sand or coral.

Wetsuit tops are, however, not as fully waterproof as a full wetsuit. The seams are sealed using flatlock stitches that don’t keep all the water out. But they don’t need to be extremely waterproof because wetsuit tops are designed to let the water pass through from the neck or armholes down to the waist. Especially if they are worn alone, it is enough that the material streamlines your passage to the water so you can glide with the least resistance. When they are worn underneath a wetsuit, on the other hand, the locking mechanism of the wetsuit is enough to keep water out.

Whether you intend to wear your wetsuit top by itself or under a wetsuit, it is important that you don’t compromise comfort with the benefits. Comfort is mostly determined by how well your wetsuit top fits you. The perfect wetsuit top should fit your body snugly, with the seams running along the contours of your upper body.

Unlike wetsuits that are locked at the ankles, wetsuit tops only go down up to the waist. As such, wearing wetsuit tops that are bigger than your ideal size can cause them to slip up and never stay in place, thereby resulting in utmost discomfort on your part. In contrast, wearing smaller-sizes wetsuit tops can restrict your movements, lower your flexibility, and decrease your performance.

To be sure that you don’t have to worry about your wetsuit tops slipping up, it also helps to choose one that locks at the bottom. This way, you can surf and swim free while the hem stays at the waist.

Aside from the fit, the material used also affects the wearing comfort of wetsuit tops. Wetsuit tops are typically made of neoprene in varying thickness. Neoprene is, by nature, a stretchy and flexible material. But the level of flexibility is also affected by how thick the material is.

You need to strike a balance between warmth and flexibility here, because the thicker wetsuit tops necessarily provide more warmth but less flexibility. On the contrary, thinner wetsuit tops are not as effective in terms of keeping you warm, but give you utmost freedom to move as you surf or swim.