How to Buy a Wet Suit

Understand the relationship between suit thickness, designated in millimeters, and body warmth. A 4-3 full suit is 4 mm thick in the body and 3 mm thick in the arms and legs, and is the best choice for water that's 50 to 60 degrees F (10 to 16 C). For even colder water, get a 5-mm hooded suit. If you rarely see temperatures this low, consider one that's 1 or 2 mm thick.

Decide what kind you need. A suit with cut-off arms and legs is called a shorty and is good whenever maximum freedom of movement is needed. A full suit extends to your wrists and ankles, and is necessary for colder water. A farmer john has full legs and no arms. It's favored by paddlers and is the bottom layer for scuba divers.

Inspect the seams. The better the construction, the warmer the suit. In a high-quality seam, the edges of the material meet flush, are glued and sewn into place, and are then covered by a strip of cloth. Cheaper seams can leave a small hump and exposed stitching.

Try on different brands. You want a snug fit that doesn't constrict your movement or breathing. All suits enlarge slightly with use. Avoid suits that bag around your waist or ankles.

Set your budget according to how often you'll use your wet suit. An inexpensive shorty costs about $60, while a better-quality one may be $100. An inexpensive full suit is about $150 to $200. A top-quality full suit is $250 to $350.

Choose a wet suit for children based on the same criteria. Pint-sized wet suits range from $50 to $100. Keep in mind that kids often grow out of a wet suit before they wear it out, which makes finding a good used one a smart move. As they grow, kids want to spend more time in the water, which requires buying a better suit.