Kitesurf Beginners Guide
All you need to know about kites, kiteboards, wetsuits and harnesses and how to select your first setup! All the knowledge you need is provided below as well as product examples and complete sets. Need help finding the right kitesurf gear? Feel free to contact us!
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Buying a wetsuit
We help you as a beginner in making the right wetsuit choice
Wetsuit for beginners
It is important to stay warm if you are in the water for a few hours to enjoy a great session. So it is crucial you buy a good wetsuit to keep you warm. On this page we tell you all there is to know about wetsuits:
- What types of wetsuits exist?
- What does those number (like 4/3 or 3/2) mean?
- How thick should my wetsuit be?
- Should I go for a wetsuit with Backzip, frontzip or no zipper at all?
- What is my wetsuit size?
- How do I put on my wetsuit?
- How do I take care of my wetsuit?
What types of wetsuits exist
Wetsuit for summer or winter! BackZip or Frontzip? With hood or without hood? From a 1mm neoprene top to a 6/5mm winter wetsuit with integrated hood, there are many options to choose from.
Shorty
Shortys have long or short arms and short legs. Shortys are for summer months or warmer temperatures.
Full suit
Full suit: Full suit wetsuits have long arms and long legs and are most common types of wetsuits.
Hooded suit
Full suit with integrated hood: These wetsuits are for winter.
Thermo layers
Thermo Layers: There are different types of thermo layers that can be either worn by itself, under or over a wetsuit.
Neoprene Accessories
Neoprene Accessories: These are crucial to extend your season. Add boots first, as your feet are always in the cold water followed by adding thermo layers with a hood and lastly gloves
What does those numbers (like 4/3 or 3/2) mean?
A wetsuit that is indicated as a 4/3 has 4mm of neoprene at the upper body and 3mm at the extremities. The material is thinner at your elbows and legs to offer you more freedom of movement.
How thick should my wetsuit be?
The thickness of a wetsuit is the major factor that determines how warm a wetsuit is. See our Kitemana Wetsuit Guide chart below for recommended thicknesses and neoprene accessories – the colder the water, the thicker the material!
This table just serves as an orientation and the ideal thicknesses might vary 1-2mm from the recommendation above due to wind chillfs-bigger , yhalfactivity level, length of your sessions and individual sensitivity.
Should I go for a wetsuit with a backzip, frontzip or no zipper at all?
Backzip wetsuits
Backzip wetsuits are the easiest and fastest to get in and out. However, backzip wetsuits tend to let the most water in and are not as flexible as the other two. If you prefer comfort over performance, backzip wetsuits are for you.
Frontzip wetsuits
Frontzip wetsuits have shorter zippers, which are located on the chest. Therefore, these wetsuits are a bit more hassle to put on but allow less water to come in and offer more freedom of movement. If you do not mind a bit more effort, before and after the session, go for a frontzip wetsuit.
Zipfree wetsuits
No-zip wetsuits are top notch performance products and designed for wave and freestyle kiters that seek maximum performance. We recommend No-zip wetsuits as the best mix of comfort and performance.
What is my wetsuit size?
Wetsuits come in regular US sizes like M (medium). However, where normal clothing is looser and therefore has a wider fit, a wetsuit should really fit like a glove. For this reason additional length measures have been developed like MT or MS (medium tall or medium short). You will find size charts to each wetsuit on the product pages in our online shop.
How do I put on my wetsuit?
Slip in feet first and work yourself forward bit by bit. When sliding in with your feet, to not pull at the chest, but at the legs. Do not pull too hard and be careful with your fingernails and the smooth mesh neoprene on the front and back. You can check out our blog post on how to put on wetsuits properly with video instructions here:
How do I take care of my wetsuit?
- Rinse it with cold, fresh water after each session.
- Do not dry your wetsuit in direct sun light.
- Dry your wetsuit inside out.
- Store it nicely on a wide hanger. Preferable with arms and legs down.
- Hand wash once a year with wetsuit shampoo.
Need help finding the right wetsuit? Feel free to contact us at any time!
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