Whether you’re an open water enthusiast all year round or want to dip your toe into wild swimming in your local lake, a great wetsuit will help you stay warm and happy for longer.
How to choose a swimming wetsuit
Not all wetsuits for women are created equal: most are designed specifically with either surfers or open water swimmers in mind. If you exclusively swim, make sure you choose a suit designed specifically for swimmers. All wetsuits have panels of varying thicknesses of neoprene in different areas – wetsuits usually have thicker neoprene around the torso and thinner neoprene on the arms and legs, and you’ll see a suit’s neoprene thickness rated in millimetres.
A 4/3mm wetsuit, for example, has 4mm of neoprene on the torso and 3mm on arms and legs, and a 5/4/3mm wetsuit has 5mm of neoprene on the torso, 4mm on the legs and 3mm on the arms. Swimming wetsuits have thinner neoprene around the arms and armpits than surf suits for ease of movement, and are cut in order to reduce drag in the water.
Yulex – the new wonder material
Neoprene is great as a warm wetsuit material for swimmers heading out in cold conditions, but this petroleum-based fabric is far less kind on the planet. Luckily, there’s a new material on the block that wetsuit makers are now using to create cosy seasonal suits – yulex rubber. This renewable, plant-based rubber is more sustainable than neoprene, but it’s still flexible, durable and has heat-holding properties, so it’s ideal for winter waters. Yulex suits are often more expensive than neoprene, but are worth the spend if you’d like to make an eco-friendly purchase.
Get the right fit and style
Swimming wetsuits are designed to be quick and easy to pull on and off, to suit the needs of triathletes, who need to change on the fly. We recommend a suit with long arms and legs for winter swim sessions. If you like some protection in warmer months, pick a sleeveless, full-leg suit for swimming, which allows the arms free movement but keeps your legs and torso cosy. Winter wetsuits are sometimes also lined with thermal fleece, which adds welcomed extra warmth.
Don’t forget to consider the look and fit of your new suit. We found fit varied greatly from brand to brand, and one medium wetsuit might fit you perfectly while another is too long or too loose. While most wetsuits are black (neoprene’s base colour, which offers good UV resistance), some women’s wetsuits also feature bright pops of colour.
Wetsuits for swimming aren’t cheap – except to pay between £100-£200 for a decent full-length design. If you’re only buying one suit for casual swimming and surfing, a 4/3mm is probably your most versatile pick. If you swim year-round, owning a full-length thermal winter wetsuit and a short-sleeved ‘shortie’ wetsuit will keep you comfortable in every season. Look after your new wetsuit by rinsing in fresh water after wearing, especially if you’ve been swimming in salt water, and dry in a shady place.
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Zone 3 Thermal Agile Wetsuit
Cold water warrior? Zone 3’s Thermal Agile suit will be your new second skin. New for this winter, the Thermal Agile boasts a cosy inner lining of fleece coupled with well-balanced neoprene in panels of varying thicknesses, so you stay warm without compromising on freedom of movement.
Buoyancy panels on the legs help reduce drag, and Zone 3’s winter wonder is made with recycled neoprene, for eco brownie points. If you want to take your swimming further into the colder months, this is the suit to get you to your goals.
Buy now £249.00, Wiggle
Patagonia R1 Lite Wetsuit
This stylish short wetsuit is the perfect blend of swimsuit and wetsuit. The 2mm of yulex and long sleeves add warmth and also give good protection from strong sunlight – ideal if you’re on a water sports holiday.
The shorts-style bottom doesn’t restrict movement but also doesn’t ride up, even if you’re swimming distances for fitness, going diving or trying water sports. The chest-zip version of the R1 Lite is ideal for surfing, while this front-zip version is better suited to wild swimming. A great shortie for the ethically-minded.
Buy now £150.00, Surfdome
Zoot Kona Sleeveless Wetsuit
Zoot’s sleeveless wonder is ideal for open water swimmers and triathletes who want some protection from the cold but need their arms free for speed and range of movement. This suit is streamlined and has a slick finish for added hydrodynamics but isn’t restrictive. It feels comfy even when you clock up hours in the water. You can trim the legs for the perfect fit, and we like the pops of pattern and colour, guaranteed to cheer up a grey day of training.
Buy now £334.00, Zoot
Vivida Linda Reversible Wetsuit
We like the sleek looks and good cut of Vivida’s Linda suit, which is also fully reversible (one side has a grey graphic top, the other a black top and grey shorts), so you get two suits by packing just one piece for your swimming holidays. The suit’s bottoms aren’t too high cut, so you get good coverage as you swim. The Linda’s lining is made from plastic bottles, and we like that this design is available in a wide range of sizes.
Buy now £140.00, Vivida
Roxy Long Jane Springsuit
Who says swim wetsuits can’t be pretty? Roxy’s pastel-hued Long Jane suit is ideal if you want extra coverage for spring and summer beach swims or snorkelling sessions and fancy something a little different to boring black neoprene. This suit is so flexible thanks to its sleeveless design that you’ll barely notice you have it on as you move through the water, and padded knees are ideal for water sports when you aren’t swimming.
Buy now £120.00, Roxy
Slo Active Soneva Surf Leotard
It may be expensive but this suit is beautifully made from yulex. Slo Active’s leotard-style Soneva suit is a lovely premium option for summer swims. The Soneva feels soft and supple to wear, with a sleek fit, high neck and front zip that offers a figure-hugging fit for less drag in the water. The Soneva is marketed towards surfers, but its front zip makes it less ideal for board sports and better for swim sessions in warm climates. Not everyone will like the high cut of the legs of this suit.
Buy now £350.00, Slo Active
Alpkit Lotic Swimming Wetsuit
Alpkit call the Lotic their ‘all rounder’ women’s swimming wetsuit, and we’d agree – if you aren’t sure what suit to pick from the myriad choices online, this is a great first choice for budding open water swimmers. Thicker neoprene on the back and upper legs of the suit reduces drag, while thinner shoulder and underarm panels help you reach freely in the water. Red flashes make you more visible in open water, and on test we found the Lotic easy to pull on and off on the go. A great all-rounder for any level of swimmer, and for a decent price.
Buy now £179.99, Alpkit
Tri UK GUL Petrel Wetsuit
‘Open water is calling’ say GUL of their Petrel suit, and on test we found this comfy suit was ideal for clocking up distances in the ocean or your nearest lake. Good drag reduction and well-placed neoprene panels make gliding through the water a pleasure, and blindstitched seams keep warm water tucked around your body, keeping you cosy for longer. A great suit for swimmers and would-be triathletes working on their swim fitness.
Buy now £135.00, Tri UK
Fina Skinvolt Open Back Swimsuit
The perfect combination of swimsuit and wetsuit, Jammer swimsuits have open backs for full movement of your arms coupled with longer coverage for your legs, for warmth and comfort. At the recent World Ice Swimming Championships, we noticed many of the hardy swimmers competing opted for these jammers over skimpy swimsuits.
If you want to join them for summer swim sessions or for winter dips where you’re going without full coverage, look to Fina’s comfortable and form-fitting Skinvolt suit from Decathlon, which feels like a second skin and offers good muscle compression.
Buy now £199.00, Decathlon
Arena Neoprene SwimRun Wetsuit
Wetsuits aren’t usually cheap, but Arena comes up trumps with this affordable SwimRun wetsuit, which offers good coverage and fit, and is currently reduded to well under £100. Mid sleeves and shortie legs make this a good choice for swim sessions from spring through to autumn, and as the name suggests, this suit is very flexible and quick to dry, so it’s ideal for triathletes and swim runners who need one suit for water and dry land. Neon yellow panels make you more visible in murky conditions.
Buy now £59.95, Absolute Snow
