Wetsuit fitting
Guide to fitting a wetsuit.
There is a lot of confusion about how a wetsuit should fit, and the preferences can vary between sports.
Below is a link to video from Xcel Wetsuits about how a wetsuit should fit compared to one that is a size too big or too small. They also provide some information on how to read a size chart.
If you have not had a proper fitting wetsuit before then please watch the video. Rental wetsuits are often stretched out of shape so going by the fit of one of them is not always a real reflection of how a wetsuit should fit. The better a wetsuit fits the warmer it will be and the longer you can stay in the water.
We have size charts for each wetsuit listed on our website, but if you can't spot it just let us know and we can send a copy to you electronically.
Each wetsuit brand fits differently so if there isn't a compatible size in one brand check the others. Alder tend to be the narrowest fit in the men's wetsuits and widest in Juniors. They're also quite long fitting in the men's wetsuits so the Tall size variant isn't always needed. C-skins are more generous across the chest and shorter fitting for both men's and ladies wetsuits but narrow fitting in the junior wetsuits. Billabong are probably closest in size to standard clothing on their women's wetsuits, Roxy tend to be small fitting while C-Skins are a little generous in their women's sizing and Alder are now(2022+) the most generous across the chest of the women's wetsuits.
Buying wetsuits for juniors is a little more complicated than it is for adults as most parents want some growing room in the fit. If the junior is a surfer or surf lifesaver a good fit is much more critical than the case other watersports where there would be more leeway in allowing for growing room. However, if there is far too much room in a wetsuit it becomes dangerous to the wearer as it will carry too much water and may cause them to sink. There is a happy medium such that we recommend allowing a couple of inches in the body length and don't worry about arms/legs. We'd strongly recommend coming in-store for a fitting so that you get the benefit of our experience in doing the balancing act for juniors. This is also why we run a trade-in program on the junior wetsuits as many of the suits are only used for a couple of weeks in the summer and are still in saleable condition when the junior has grown out of it.
Below is a link to a video on YouTube from Xcel which talks through how an adult wetsuit should fit.
