How to Choose a Wetsuit - Thickness & Size Guide
Pick the wrong thickness and you'll shiver through your session. Pick the wrong size and water floods in at the neck—killing your warmth before you even paddle out. We'll solve both puzzles here.
Match thickness to water temperature: 2/2 mm shorty for 18–24°C, 3/2 mm fullsuit for 16–22°C, 4/3 mm for 13–17°C, 5/4 mm hooded below 12°C. Then get fitted in person—a suit that's too loose or too tight kills warmth. The Neilpryde Serene Fullsuit GBS (4/3 and 5/4) are our reference for predictable sizing and solid seams.
01 — Neoprene numbersReading the Label — Why Thickness Matters
Those two numbers on the label—say, 4/3—aren't random. The first is your chest and back thickness; the second is arms and legs. A 4/3 keeps your core warm where you need it most, while thinner arms let you paddle without feeling like a stiff penguin.
Water temperature drives everything. At 16°C, a 3/2 mm fullsuit won't cut it—you'll feel cold seeping in after 30 minutes. Drop to 12°C and below, jump to 5/4 mm or hooded. Summer sessions in the Mediterranean? A 2/2 mm shorty is all you need. We've shipped thousands since 2003, and the pattern never changes: riders underestimate cold water and buy too thin.
02 — Sizing and sealsFit — The Part That Actually Stops the Cold
A perfect thickness means nothing if water's flooding in at the neck or your shoulders feel trapped. Wetsuits shrink slightly when new—expect a snug fit fresh out of the bag. The neck seal should let one finger slip under; armpits shouldn't pull your shoulders back; the chest shouldn't bulge over the front zip. Too loose and cold water cycles through. Too tight and you can't move.
We recommend getting fitted in person if you can. If you're ordering online, check the size chart against your chest and height—not your street clothes size. The Neilpryde Vamp and Rise both run true to chart, which is why riders keep coming back. Hoods matter in winter: they seal your neck and trap heat your bare head would lose.
03 — Our picksOur 4 In-Stock Picks
We've chosen these four because they fit true, their seams hold up to real use, and they cover the temperature spread we see from Portugal to the Red Sea.
Prices and 2026 specs are pulled live from each product page. Confirm on the product page before checkout.
04 — MistakesThree mistakes we see every week
Ready to pick your thickness?
Browse our Neilpryde and ION range, filter by thickness, and get fitted.
Frequently asked
The first number is chest/back thickness, the second is arms/legs. A 5/4 is warmer overall but slightly stiffer to paddle in. Use 5/4 below 12°C, 4/3 for 13–17°C water.
Fresh neoprene shrinks slightly (2–3%) in the first few sessions. That's why a snug fit out of the box is correct—it'll settle in.
Not comfortably below 14°C. You'll get cold and your focus drops. Jump to 4/3 or 5/4 and you'll actually enjoy your session.
GBS (glued and blind-stitched) seams last longer than flat-lock. The seams won't peel after a year of use. All our Neilpryde picks use GBS.
