Down below you’ll find the most popular wetsuits preferred by female surfers from all around the world.
table of Contents
Wetsuits Q & A
Women’s Wetsuit Size Chart
Best Women’s Surfing Wetsuits available today.
Choosing the right Type and Thickness wetsuit for surfing can be a task that requires some research before jumping in and getting one right out the shelf. You’ll be spending quite a lot of time in it so make sure to choose carefully to get the best option out there. Well, the good news is, that there are plenty of high-quality wetsuits by the most known brands available at a reasonable price!
Women’s Surf Wetsuit Prices
Entry-Level Surf Wetsuits – $100 – $150
Mid-Range Surf Wetsuits – $150-$250
HIgh-End Surf Wetsuits – $250+
Interested in SCUBA & FREEDIVING? Check out SLOActive‘s female-focused post where there’s a load of specific FAQs!
1. Xcel Women’s Surf Wetsuits
Xcel is a well-known brand in the surfing industry, known for its focus on surf and freediving wetsuits. What’s most notable, is that their niché is making wetsuits only, which is something to rely on their quality. They specialize mainly in the making of high-end, cold-water wetsuits, but there’s something for every season and for everyone – Men, women, the youth, big or small.
High-End
Axis
Mid-Range
Comp
High-End
Infiniti
Drylock
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Xcel Drylock
Unmatched warmth and performance!
Thickness: 4/3, 5/4, 6/5
Zip: Chest
Type: Women’s Springsuit
Season: Spring
If you are looking for a wetsuit with all the bells and whistles’ and expect it to last and perform in all sorts of conditions, then look no further from the 4/3 Drylock. Recommended for water temperatures from 49′ – 58’F, the Drylock is a choice for perfectionists, doesn’t matter your skill level – everyone has the right to ultimate freedom!
If you are not after the top-shelf Drylock and Drylock X, take a look at the Infiniti, and Comp series as well. When you happen to be on a tight budget, check out their Axis series wetsuits! Xcel is a brand that produces technical wetsuits only so even their entry-level suits are above-average for sure!
2. O’Neill Women’s Surf Wetsuits
O’Neill is Californian surf wear and surfboard brand that was started in 1952 by Jack O’Neill. Jack O’Neill is also credited to have invented the modern wetsuit, and he had developed son Pat the surfboard leash.
O’Neill Wetsuits for Women:
High-end
Psycho One – Review
Psycho Tech
Psycho Tech Hooded
Hyperfreak – Review
Mid-Range
O’Riginal – Review
Entry Level
Reactor
Reactor 2 – Review
Bahia
Epic – Review
↓
O’Neill Reactor
Thickness: 2mm & 3/2
Zip: Back
Type: Women’s Shorty S/S – Short Leg, Short Sleeve
Season: Spring/Summer
The O’Neill Women’s Reactor Shorty/Spring wetsuit is durable, comfortable, toasty, and very affordable. The reactor is somewhat the most basic option on the list of the known surf brands. It’s sitting right at the low-mid section of the price and quality list. The Reactor model is prevalent and widely used all around the world for a good reason – it’s got the best bang for the buck!
- Strategic Seamless Paddle Zones
- Chest/Back: Mesh smooth skin Fluid foam
- Fully adjustable Super Seal Collar
- Neck: Smooth Skin Fluid Foam (a dry neck seal)
- Flatlock Stitched Construction Full Suit, breathable seams
- Krypto Knee Pad
- Ykk Back Zip System zipper
- FluidFlex (TM) Shoulders and sleeves – Super stretchy
O’ Neill Reactor 2
Thickness: 3/2 / 2mm Shorty
Zip: Back
Type: Women’s full wetsuit
Season: Spring/Summer
A good option for an enthusiast, who wants the best bang for the buck. Reactor 2 is an excellent wetsuit with plenty of extras in the design. There are many 2mm wetsuits for women from the Reactor 2 series, so check out more from the link above.
- Seamless paddle zones
- Flexible design: Utilizes minimal seam placement for comfort and maximum mobility.
- Wind-resistant smooth skin provides extra insulation and protection against the cold.
- Flatlock seams
- Krypto knee pads
- Super soft neoprene
O’Neill Epic
Thickness: 3/2, 4/3, 5/4
Zip: Back
Type: Women’s full wetsuit
Season: Spring/Autumn/Winter
Stretchy & flexy. The reason why it’s called epic is that it has rather good features that are equivalent to more high-end wetsuits while sustaining a reasonable price.
- Ultraflex DS neoprene.
- Ultra-stretch neoprene: Incredibly soft premium material that has a superior feel, flexibility which elevates your performance.
- Zip: Double seal neck closure, LSD (seamless lumbar design), and re-engineered covert blackout zip.
- GBS Seams. Blindstitched & triple glued: Keeps the water out while increasing durability.
- FluidFlex firewall panels: Extra insulation & protection against the cold.
O’Neill Bahia
Thickness: 3/2 & 2/1
Zip: Back or Straight Chest
Type: Women’s full wetsuit, Long Leg & No Sleeves
Season: Spring/Autumn
The model Bahia claims to be the model for the trendy surfers. Bahia features a traditional back-zip or a straight chest zip on other thicknesses and types. Chic styling and absolute function are the key differences. Perfect women’s spring suit for the amount of money.
- FluidFlex: Top sleeve/undersleeve, chest/back
- Mesh smooth skin Fluid foam
- Krypto knee pads – Ergonomic knee protection
- Smoothskin fluid foam neck: 30% FluidFlex / 70% Fluid Foam
O’Neill Prem
Thickness: 1mm
Zip: Back
Type: Women’s shorty/long Sleeve rashie
Season: Summer
Great and stylish selection for warm water surf. The long-sleeved Prem will protect your skin from the UV rays, keep away the chest easily, and provide some additional warmth. O’Neill makes a wide range of wetsuit tops for women, so make sure to check out more from Amazon’s feed down below.
- Elastane
- Polyester ultra flex neoprene
- Double super seal neck
- Plasma Wrist Seals
3. ROXY Women’s Surf Wetsuits
Summer models: Satin, POP surf, Syncro
Spring/Autumn models: Syncro, Prologue
Autumn/Winter models: Syncro, Syncro Plus
Technology: GBS, FN Lite
High End
POP Surf
Performance
Syncro Performance
Mid-Range
Syncro
Satin
Entry-level
Syncro Prologue
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Roxy Syncro
Thickness: 1mm, 3/2, 4/3
Zip: Back
Type: Women’s full wetsuit, Top
Season: Spring/Autumn
Roxy is playing it safe by advancing and producing the model Syncro in all thicknesses and types for all possible occasions. There are also a ton of different color schemes to choose from.
- Warm light X thermal lining – Far infrared technology.
- GBS seams: No sew-throughs for water entry.
- GBS Seams: Glued and blindstitched.
- F’N Lite neoprene – packed with air cells for lightweight warmth.
- 92% nylon, 8% elastane on chest and back panels.
- Thermal Smoothie neoprene: Flexible, wind, and water-resistant.
- Ecto-Flex knee pads: Durable, lightweight, and flexible to protect you and your board.
- Neck: Hydro wrap adjustable closure.
- Neck Gaskets: Hydrowrap.
- YKK® #10 back zipper.
- Hydroshield water barrier.
4. Rip Curl Women’s Surf Wetsuits
MODELS
High-End
Flashbomb – Review
G-Bomb
Mid-range
Dawn Patrol – Review
Entry-level
Omega – Review
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Dawn Patrol
Thickness: 3/2, 4/3
Type: Women’s Full Wetsuit
Zip: Back
Season: Spring/Autumn
Dawn Patrol is the mid-range Rip Curl’s wetsuit. I’m sure every intermediate surfer has heard of the Dawn Patrol or at least seen their E4 Flash Lining technology. It offers great warmth and durability at a reasonable price tag!
Lining & Seams
Glue and Blindstitched with taping in critical stress points to increase durability
- GBS Seams: Glued and blindstitched
- SuperStretch 3mm neoprene at the body and 2mm neoprene at arms and legs
- Back zipper entry with interior back panel for easy entry and a watertight fit
- E4 Flash Lining fleece at the rear panel for additional insulation and quick dry time
- Glued and blind-stitched (GBS) seams for an ultra waterproof and insulated construction
- Lightweight kneepads to protect against knee bruises and board dings
- Seamless shoulders and underarms for comfortable paddling
- Hidden key pocket at back zipper
- E4 Freeflex neoprene
- Mesh Skin Outer outer
- Blue Steel Back Zip
Omega
Thickness: 3/2, 4/3, 5/3
Type: Women’s Full Wetsuit
Zip: Back
Season: Autumn/Spring
High-end features at an economical price. The Omega is a back-zip traditional wetsuit by Rip Curl, known for its innovative approach.
- E5 Neoprene
- GBS stitchings all over
- Ultralite – Body
- Hydrologic – Collar
- Freeflex – On arms
5. Billabong Women’s Surf Wetsuits
Australian boardwear brand from the “Big Three.” Founded in 1973 Gold Coast, Australia. Billabong owns two of the prominent brands: Von Zipper and Element brands. Kustom, XCEL, Palmers Surf, Sector 9, Tigerlily, Honolua Surf Company are the company’s other brands. My personal favorite of the bunch.
Related: Billabong Synergy Series Overview
Billabong Surf Wetsuits for Women
High-end
Furnace Synergy Carbon
Furnace Comp
Mid-range
Salty Dayz
Synergy
Entry-level
Synergy
Furnace Synergy
Thickness: 3/2
Type: Women’s full wetsuit
Zip: Chest
Season: Spring/Autumn
Value and flexibility. Tons of color scheme variations to choose from. Billabong has a wide range of wetsuit tops to select as well. Premium AX2 Superflux neoprene. Triple glued and sealed seams
Women’s Wetsuit Q and A
How to choose a wetsuit?
1. Determine the right Thickness – What seasons and temperatures will you be surfing?
2. Which wetsuit Type – Full suit, spring suit, steamer, or just jacket?
3. Choose the right wetsuit Size
3. Choose the Brand & Model you like – the fun part
What is the difference between Surfing, Diving, and Triathlon wetsuits?
A: Technology, thickness, and design
Movement
- Triathlon Wetsuits are intended for maximum mobility and floatation. Also, those wetsuits have a slick outer garment for less drag for the water through the water when swimming. Built for swimming, where heat is generated by body warmth. 1 – 5mm thick.
- Diving Wetsuit limits the movement due to different stitching technology. As the diving wetsuit is intended to be submerged all the time, those suits provide better insulation and therefore poor breathing capabilities in a high-intensity workout. 3 – 8 mm thick
- Surfing Wetsuit is a mixture of diving and triathlon wetsuit. Surfers are half-bobbed most of the time, so there must be a compromise of warmth and flexibility.
FAQ
Does a wetsuit keep you warm? A properly chosen wetsuit that has the right thickness for the weather and a snug fit will keep you warm.
What is the difference between the surf wetsuit companies? There are minor differences between the most popular surf brand wetsuits. Surfers tend to prefer some brands over others as each brand has its own “feel and fit”. The main female surf wetsuits brands listed on our website are all of the high quality, while some brands offer more high-end models than others.
Basic or brand wetsuit? Basic wetsuits lack the movement capabilities, stitching, and linings that a right surf wetsuit has to have these days.
Great brand wetsuits for surfing are packed with technologies to maximize your outcome in the water. Generally, surfers have their own preferences formed after going through many different brands, models, and types. There are under 10 high-quality surf wetsuit brands on the market, and each brand has about 2-5 different models.
Basic supermarket wetsuits are intended for snorkeling on Sundays and generally do not keep the warmth for a longer time.
What is the difference between men’s and women’s wetsuits? Sizing and design.
What thickness wetsuit to choose from? Recommended wetsuit thickness for the season:
- Summer: 1mm, 2mm
- Spring: 2mm, 3mm, 3/2
- Autumn: 3/2, 4/3, 4mm
- Winter: 4/3, 5/3, 5/4 + hoods, boots, gloves
What do the numbers in the wetsuit thickness mean?
2mm means that the whole wetsuit is 2mm thick.
5/4 means that the wetsuit’s core is 5mm thick, arms, and legs 4mm.
5/4/3 implies 5mm thickness around the torso area is 5mm thick, 4mm on shoulders and thighs area, arms and lower parts of legs 3mm thick.
How to pick the right size wetsuit for you? Having the right size wetsuit is as crucial as choosing the right thickness. Make sure to check the right sizing according to each brand out there. If you have to choose between height or weight, go for weight as the wetsuit has to be snug but not too tight.
What is the difference between the wetsuits listed above?
- Premium wetsuits dry faster, feel better by having the best flexibility and materials. High-end wetsuits usually cost around 250-500 USD. A great choice for anyone who appreciates quality time on the water.
- Mid-range wetsuits are packed with features and made of good materials. A great choice for anyone who doesn’t want a high-end or a low-range surf wetsuit.
- Budget wetsuits are value-driven suits for the ones who don’t go in as often, but still need something decent. The budget might not be the right word on this post since all the wetsuits down here are made by premium surf brands!
What are the alternatives for mass-produced wetsuits?
Custom-made wetsuits. Seventh Wave, a wetsuit company based in New Zealand, is the perfect example that produces wetsuits according to your body measures. They also use top-of-the-line Yamamoto neoprene and are really into the industry!
Patagonia is known for its different approach towards modern wetsuits by using YULEX instead of neoprene. Probably the most advanced wetsuits in the market. There’s a lot more every surfer should know about their mission, so definitely worth a check!
How to take care of the wetsuit so that it would last a long time? You can read more about the proper wetsuit care from here. It does not take too much time to take care of the wetsuit, but it makes a big difference in the longevity of the wetsuit.
How long will a wetsuit last? If taken proper care of the wetsuit on a regular basis, a good brand wetsuit can last up to many good years while keeping the warmth and holding the fit. Wetsuits can also be repaired at a proper surf/dive store.
Women’s Wetsuit Thickness Guide
O’Neill / Rip Curl / Xcel / Roxy / Patagonia
Worth a check before committing to a suit
Sizes
Find the right size from Women’s Wetsuit Size Chart – 7 Brand References Included
Read next
19 Surf-Specific Wetsuit Brands
What not to do to your wetsuit
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I created Nulltuul to share my experience, research and analysis with other surf enthusiasts out there. If I'm not surfing on my travels - I like to photograph waves, surfers, and the surf lifestyle in general.