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How to Put on a Wetsuit
Lauren Belt January 28th, 2016 Posted In: How-To
How to Put on a Wetsuit
You might be wondering how to put on a wetsuit, right? It’s pretty forward but a little guidance never hurt!
A wetsuit should fit like a second skin. If the wetsuit goes on really easily and isn’t tight, it might be too big. Be sure to call (866-906-7848) or email us (service@wetsuitwearhouse.com) to discuss the sizing.
A few things to keep in mind:
– Make sure your suit is completely unzipped.
– Be careful when pulling on smooth rubber sections like the chest and back panels, or triathlon suits since these areas are prone to tears.
– Use a plastic bag to cover hands and feet if there is difficulty getting the suit over these areas.
– Generally, you should be able to zip your suit yourself. It helps to bring the Velcro neck together (as seen in image 4) and attach it before zipping the suit. This helps bring the zipper teeth closer together, reducing stress on the zipper and making it easier to zip up.
– When using a wetsuit with wetsuit gloves and boots, enter the suit first, then boots, and end with gloves. For best performance, pull the wetsuit over the boots and gloves.
– Wetsuit lubricants are available, if needed.
The graphic below will help you to have a better understanding step by step on how to put on a wetsuit!
Photo credit: blueseventy
Lauren Belt
Contributor at Wetsuit Wearhouse
Lauren (LoLo) has been turning words into blog posts for Wetsuit Wearhouse since 2014. She learned to surf for the first time ever in Costa Rica but she gravitates more towards SUP. When she's not scouring the web for travel deals, you can find her either hiking, running, gardening, tending to her animals, or reading a good book outside on a beautiful day.
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any wet suit recommendations to best handle someone with large calves?
Hi Patrick! Most of our 100% stretch performance wetsuits from brands like Billabong, Quiksilver, Vissla, and Matuse are super stretchy and should fit over most calves comfortably. What kind of wetsuit were you looking for in particular so I can make a more specific recommendation? You can also reach out to our expert customer service team either via email (service@wetsuitwearhouse.com) or call 866-906-7848 to find a wetsuit that will work for your activity and water temperatures (and calves!). Cheers!
The video shows the back zipper being pulled up without hassle. In my experience that is not the norm, especially on thicker winter wetsuits. I’d love to see some tips on dealing with stubborn back zip suits.
If the wetsuit is pretty hard to put on, does that mean it is too small? It seems to fit once one, but my husband is struggling. He has lost grip in his hands and gets short of breath.
Hi Laurel,
Not necessarily. A wetsuit that fits properly is often a little difficult to get on and off. Try this product: https://www.wetsuitwearhouse.com/PROD/20414.html. Thank you!
I just recently purchased a 4/3 Hyperflex Voodoo front zip wet suit. Do you a a video for putting it on ! I have never put on a front zip what suit before and I am struggling
Thanks,
Jeff
Hey Jeff,
Actually, if you watch the video in this blog post it shows how to put on a wetsuit with a chest zip (or, front zip) as well as a back zip!
Thank you!
as the newer higher end wetsuits are lightweight and prone to tearing, is there a pair of gloves we could buy to cover our nails while putting them on?
Hi Rick!
Outside of triathlon suits, wetsuits are not particularly prone to tearing. You just have to watch the smoothskin rubber exteriors that some suits have on panels. Those can be prone to fingernail tears. Otherwise, pulling on nylon laminated neoprene rarely causes an issue.
If you want to wear gloves, some disposable cotton gloves will work (you can reuse them.) Hope that helps and thanks for asking!