Wetsuits

A good wetsuit is one of the most important pieces of gear in your quiver — not because it's the most exciting purchase, but because it determines how long you stay on the water and how comfortable you are while you're there. Kiteboarding wetsuits, wing foiling wetsuits, and water sports wetsuits in general share a common goal: keep you warm enough to focus on riding, not on the cold. Get it right and you'll extend your season on both ends, turning marginal temperature days into legitimate sessions. Get it wrong and you'll be cutting runs short, dreaming about the beach instead of riding it.

Wetsuit Thickness: What the Numbers Actually Mean

Wetsuit thickness is measured in millimeters and listed as two numbers — the thickness across the torso and the thickness across the limbs. A 3/2mm wetsuit, for example, has 3mm of neoprene through the core and 2mm through the arms and legs. Thicker core insulation protects your vital organs and keeps your core temperature stable, while thinner limbs preserve range of motion where you need it most. For most Great Lakes and Michigan riders, a 3/2mm suit covers a solid portion of the season, while a 4/3mm or 5/4mm suit extends your time on the water into the colder months. If you're riding in water below 50°F consistently, it's worth a serious conversation about a drysuit instead.

Sealed seams matter as much as thickness in cold water. Flatlock stitching works fine in warmer conditions but allows water to pass through the seam. Blind stitched and glued seams, or sealed and taped constructions, keep water out more effectively and make a noticeable difference once temperatures drop. Entry system — chest zip versus back zip — is worth considering too. Chest zip suits tend to flush less water and fit more snugly, which pays off in colder conditions, while back zip suits are easier to get in and out of and work well in moderate temperatures.

Fit, Flexibility, and What to Look for in a Wetsuit

Fit is the first thing to get right. A wetsuit that's too loose flushes cold water constantly and works against you regardless of its thickness rating. One that's too tight restricts your movement and becomes uncomfortable fast — which matters especially in kiteboarding and wing foiling where your arms and shoulders are working throughout the entire session.

When trying on a suit, move through the motions you'd make on the water: reach overhead, twist through your torso, bend your knees. If anything pulls or restricts significantly, size up or try a different cut.

Neoprene quality varies meaningfully between price points. Entry-level suits use heavier, less flexible neoprene that does the job but fatigues your muscles over a long session. Mid-range and premium suits use lighter, more elastic materials — limestone-based neoprene and Japanese Yamamoto rubber are common benchmarks — that move with you rather than against you. If you're riding multiple days a week, the investment in a more flexible suit pays back quickly in how you feel at the end of a long session.

How We Approach Wetsuits

We carry wetsuits because we ride in them — on Lake Michigan, on inland lakes, and in the kind of shoulder-season conditions that test gear in ways a warm-water demo never would. The suits we stock are ones we'd recommend to a friend, which means we've made decisions about which brands and constructions hold up over time and which ones don't. We've also helped enough riders size into the wrong suit to know that fit advice matters more than most people expect going in.

Our team rides year-round in Michigan, which gives us a specific and honest point of view on what works in real cold water. If you're not sure whether a 4/3mm gets you through November or whether you need to start thinking about a hooded suit, we can give you a straight answer based on actual experience rather than a size chart.

Ready to Find Your Wetsuit?

Browse our full wetsuit selection and filter by thickness, brand, and size to find what fits your season and your riding. If you want a recommendation dialed into your local conditions and how you ride, reach out — we're happy to point you in the right direction before you buy.