This is a review of the best wetsuit for SUP (Stand-up Paddle Boarding)
My name is Mako and I had been paddling since I was a child. Kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, are my favorite activities.
A day of stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) can be harsh to your skin as it comes in contact with your board, the cold water, and the harsh sun. To keep you insulated and protected from the elements, you should wear the appropriate clothing before riding the ocean.
In this article, I will share with you my top picks of SUP wetsuits so you can pick the most suitable one. Sounds good? Keep reading!
Quick Summary
- Best Budget: Hyperflex Access Wetsuit
- Best for Cold Conditions: NeoSport Wetsuit
- Best for Premium Quality: Synergy Triathlon Wetsuit
Top Picks for the Best SUP Wetsuits
Here are our top recommendations for the best SUP wetsuits for different needs.
Hyperflex Access Wetsuit
- Key Features: Soft and lightweight, added knee pads, seamless underarm gussets allow maximum flexibility, 50+ ultraviolet protection
- Material: Hyperflex 3 mm neoprene, durable 4-way stretch
- Zipper: Back zip
- Thickness: 3 mm on the body and 2 mm on the limbs (3/2 mm) for waters 63 °F (around 17°C) and up
- Best for: Budget
It is not too late to take on your SUP dream even on a tight budget. Hyperflex Access Wetsuit is known for its highly durable neoprene at an affordable price. So, it’s perfect for beginners who are new to the sport.
The gentle and lightweight fabric used to make this wetsuit will help any beginner feel confident enough to explore their limits in the sport. It should fit properly and feel snug against the skin, which is important for keeping your form.
Despite its soft texture, the suit is durable and long-lasting. This is because of its standard neoprene material stitched with flatlock seams. Plus, the knee pads provide additional warmth and comfort against colder weather.
The Hyperflex Access Wetsuit is also sufficiently padded with 3/2 mm neoprene that prevents you from getting chills when staying on the water for long. With its thick fabric, you can withstand water temperatures ranging from 62 to 68 °F (Around 16 to 20°C).
Lastly, the conventional back zipper gives you the convenience of wearing it in an instant. Although this somewhat limits the maximum flexibility of the suit, you can still feel comfortable because of its seamless underarm gussets and the anatomically cut pattern.
NeoSport Wetsuit
- Key Features: Lycra trimmed openings, full length back zip, adjustable hook and loop collar
- Material: Premium neoprene
- Zipper: Back zip
- Thickness: 7 mm on the body and 5 mm on limbs (7/5 mm)
- Best for: Cold condition
With the NeoSport Wetsuit, you can still enjoy your favorite aquatic sport even in low water temperatures. Its 7/5 mm thick premium neoprene is perfectly designed to keep you warm even after several cold-water dips.
Aside from the high-end material, NeoSport also offers special thermal bonded knee pads that greatly contribute to giving you comfort when bending. All of that while supporting your stance. The stress points are also reinforced with spot tape and flatlock seams inside and outside.
Not only does this significantly add to the durability of the full suit, the premium neoprene is extremely tough. The high-quality makes the material resistant to tears, despite feeling comfortable to wear.
Speaking of comfort, this neoprene suit is shaped deliberately to fit well on anyone, given the appropriate size according to the body frame. It also has a hook and loop collar that you can easily adjust.
Moreover, the Lycra trimmed openings for the arm, neck, and wrist allows you to wear the suit without feeling any discomfort.
The main problem with this suit is that the flatlock seams in between flex-prone areas cause cold water to leak in, but this type of stitch is one of the reasons for its durability.
Synergy Triathlon Wetsuit
- Key Features: Smoothskin finish, maximum buoyancy, 680% flexibility, adjustable velcro collar
- Material: Hydrodynamic neoprene
- Zipper: YKK internal back zip
- Thickness: 5 mm on the body and 3 mm on the limbs (5/3 mm)
- Best for: Premium
If you’re looking for a heavy-duty quality wetsuit, Synergy Triathlon suits you best.
The Synergy Triathlon Wetsuit is made up of supremely durable hydrodynamic neoprene with a silicone-coated finish. It has an anti-chafing chest and a dual smoothskin neck, making it last longer than standard ones.
This neoprene wetsuit has an Aqualift technology specialized to have a buoyancy twice than that of conventional suits. This allows you to float effortlessly and swim faster despite its five mm thick fabric.
The strategic location of the internal back zip minimizes drag and allows you to take advantage of its 680 percent flexibility. Its YKK back zip is non-corrosive, which plays a major role in extending its lifespan. Meanwhile, its Powermax panel maximizes propulsion while in the water.
It even has an adjustable velcro collar with a secured closure which prevents discomfort while paddling. Plus, the flex points have chemically bonded seams and are stitched thrice.
You may find this suit way more expensive than the others here, but rest assured that it is worth your purchase.
Best Wetsuit for SUP – What to Consider
Choosing the perfect wetsuit for your vacation involves taking many factors into consideration. To help you decide, here are the things you must know prior to your purchase.
Material
A must-have component of a SUP wetsuit is neoprene. Wetsuits are commonly made up of either 100% neoprene or a mixture of that and butyl rubber.
Nylon-lined Neoprene lets skin slider easier into the suit and the nylon adds extra protection. Air Neoprene is one of the most expensive kinds and is best for cold conditions because a middle layer of perforated neoprene traps air for insulation. There are tons of other neoprene mixtures, and you’ll usually be trading in flexibility for durability and vice versa.
If you’re looking for a durable suit, you’ll generally have to deal with less neoprene and more stiffness. On the other hand, more neoprene generally yields a more flexible suit.
Length
For those of you swimming in warmer climates, a sleeveless or short sleeve wetsuit is a better deal.
A full-length wetsuit can cause a paddle boarder to overheat under the sun and even while swimming. Although you can cut a full-length sleeve into a sleeveless wetsuit, sealing the ends isn’t easy. Depending on where you are, you’ll need to make a distinction between the length of the wetsuit you’re buying.
Thickness
Different kinds of environments require different levels of the wetsuit’s thickness. That is why awareness of the location and weather comes first before picking suits.
During mild temperatures at 65 to 75 °F (18 to 23°C), the ideal thickness of the suit is 2mm on the body, and 1mm on the limbs (2/1 mm). While in slightly colder conditions at 52 to 58 °F (11 to 14°C), the suit must be at least 4mm on the body and 5mm on the limbs (4/5 mm).
If the weather is extremely cold at 42 °F (around 5 – 6°C) and below, it is recommended to have a thick suit with 6mm on the body, and 5mm on the limbs (6/5 mm).
Although the thickness and warmth is assured in a suit with this thickness, the flexibility and softness is somewhat compromised.
Seams
In warmer water temperatures, you’re better off in a suit with flatlock seams. This type of stitching allows the material to be both flexible and durable. The only drawback of this is that it leaves a lot of holes that let the water pass through.
If you wish to practice SUP in cold water, we recommend that you choose a suit with taped and sealed seams. This kind of stitch effectively prevents water from seeping inside. Here, the panels are glued together using liquid glue before stitching, making the suit more durable and waterproof.
Zipper
Aside from its contribution to the style, the zippers’ placement has functional purposes as well. Wetsuits can have back zips, chest zips, or no zips at all.
Back zipping is the most common design. You can easily wear it because of its wide opening and it usually has a long tag that you can use to pull up the zip on your own. The only disadvantage of this type is that it limits the flexibility on the back which makes it harder to paddle.
On the other hand, the chest zip has shorter horizontal and diagonal zippers across the chest up to the collar. Due to its short length, there is a small chance of water seeping inside the suit. But, the zippers’ placement allows optimal movement of the shoulders.
There are also zipperless ones. Although this can give you a hard time getting in and out of the suit, there is very little chance of water flushing inside and there is nothing to restrict its flexibility.
FAQs
Here are some commonly asked questions relating to best wetsuit for SUP.
Do you Wear Shoes when Paddle Boarding?
There is no need to wear shoes for paddle boarding, however, I would recommend you to wear a pair of water sports shoes that can wrap your toes and heel well against sharp objects such as oyster shells, little rocks.
What Should I Wear for Paddle Boarding?
Usually, anything that can protect you against the cold and sun is great. For sure you can wear only swimwear for paddle boarding, however, make sure you put on sunscreen that can offer you enough production (ideally waterproof sunscreen with SPF 50+).
Wearing a wetsuit is a great idea if you are planning to paddle in colder days or longer hours.
How Tight Should my Wetsuit be?
Your wetsuit should be snugly fit, just like your second skin so it can keep you warm. But make sure it is not restricting your movement or blood circulation.
After you put on the wetsuit, it should be no rolls or gaps.
Final Verdict
All the wetsuits on this list make for reliability and mobility to your SUP journey. Feel free to pick the one that suits your need the most and they will keep you warm and fine out there.