NCW wetsuit guide - everything you need to know about wetsuits.

About NCW and this guide.

NCW (North Coast Wetsuits) is a family owned and run, home grown UK wetsuit and watersports business. We specialise in supplying top quality wetsuits, accessories and hardware for all types of watery activity.

Based in Cornwall - minutes from well renowned SW surfing beacheswe design and test all NCW branded gear in UK waters. We know rubber and then some!

This guide is designed to give you all the necessary infomation you'll need when looking at buying your first or next NCW wetsuit.

If you need further help then do check out NCW's website or get in touch via the usual channels. Also be sure to follow our social media feeds for further updates.

A brief history of wetsuits.

Back when surfing was fledgeling tanned bods and bleach blonde hair was all you needed to score a decent surf sesh. The fact that most of these riders were in warmer climes (with balmier water temps than the UK) helped. No need for thick rubber suits – or maybe surfers were just hardier back then?

Surfing soon migrated though and a hotbed of surfing talent sprang up on California shores. While summers in Cali are (just about) warm enough for skin only board riding shenanigans winters can be much colder. And the further north you go the icier waters become (and remain) year-round.

World War II salvage diving suits - Suits to combat the cold waters divers encountered can be traced all the way back to the 1910s. Salvage hunters, required to dive down great depths, needed a tool to halt hypothermia when immersed in cold water.

Surfer circa 1960s California

US Navy Frogman suit.

Looking more like a space suit the US Navy

Frogmen – as they were nicknamed – was used extensively during World War II. It also served a secondary purpose of protecting against cuts and gashes when coming into contact with sharp objects. As for surfing, if ever anybody had tried to use a suit like this, they would’ve probably given up in frustration due to lack of mobility and inefficient insulation.

Hugh Bradner and modern wetsuitsHugh Bradner, looking to improve on the wetsuit design above, came up with his own version around 1951-52.

Sandwiching thin neoprene layers between nylon and spandex the suit trapped water between the wearer’s body, which in turn warmed up during movement, and therefore halted cooling from outside water surrounding the wearer.

Jack O’Neill and influence on wetsuit design and development

- Hugh Bradner, took his wetsuit to showcase its properties to the man in Santa Cruz. O’Neill was manufacturing early neoprene wetsuit from his garage. continued on next page...

Hugh Bradner.

Jack O'Neill.

Nicknamed the ‘beaver tail’ Jack’s first suits looked particularly whacky with a dangling piece of rubber swinging between the wearer’s knees. At a similar moment in time Body Glove owner Bob Meistrell also began manufacturing similar styled wetsuits. Unfortunately many of these first wetsuit types were fragile and would often rip and tear. This led to materials such as nylon being added which would make them more robust.

Up to date, modern wetsuits -

Following those early developments the front zip moved to the back with this being more efficient and less prone to flushing. Two-piece suits weren’t exactly efficient and were replaced very quickly by all in one wetsuits pioneered by Gul Wetsuits in the early 70s.

Gul’s one-piece suits were nicknamed ‘steamers’ because of the heated water held inside only escaping once the wearer removes. The quick evaporation warm water turned to steam. To this day the nickname stands and is used to describe one piece winter wetsuits.

Kids wetsuits wouldn't be as good as they are without modern materials and wetsuit tech.

DaveLudgate enjoyingthebenefits ofmodernwetsuit technology.

Further advancements with wetsuit development - Wetsuits these days utilise some pretty exotic materials to improve things like elasticity, without compromising the original aim of what a wetsuit’s job is. Fleece liners, wool and spandex are used to good effect in wetsuits, although not limited to just these materials. CAD design and laser cutting of wetsuit panels and the way they’re laid up is all standard practice these days. Some water disciplines, that rely on efficiency through the air, as well as water has called for improved aerodynamics and reduction in drag. As such features which help this kind of thing can be found incorporated into relevant wetsuits.

Cold water SUP surfing with the right kind of modern rubber!

Windsurfers wouldstruggle withoutmodern wetsuits

Also, with improvements in blindstitching and elastic Lycra backings single backed wetsuits can now outperform early 70s suits considerably. And then there’s, of course, the aesthetic aspect. Wetsuits now come in all kinds of colours of hues and can be custom made to a wearer’s exact specifications.

How wetsuits work.

A wetsuit is made from multiple layers - including a thick layer - of synthetic rubber called neoprene. Neoprene is a kind of foam rubber with a cellular structure. Nitrogen gas bubbles are trapped inside it, making it a particularly good heat insulator

Most wetsuits are made from multiple layers. Some have titanium or copper to further reflect heat back at the user. As you immerse yourself in water, a small amount seeps in and is trapped between the neoprene your skin. This warms from body heat and stays there.

A quality, well manufactured wetsuit needs water that seeps in to stay inside and stay warm. Badly fitting wetsuits, or wetsuits that are made to a high standard, allow water to flush in and out making the wearer colder than they should be.

When this happens you need to make sure your wetsuit works properly!

A neoprene wetsuit keeps you warm in spite of the fact that it makes you wet. Stopping cold water flush is vital, hpowever. That's why the seams of a wetsuit are held together with special waterproof tape. Blind-stitching is also employed. instead of the stitch holes going all the way through, they go only part of the way through the neoprene from the inside. There are no stitch holes in the outside of the neoprene to let in cold water. Wetsuits have tight-fitting cuffs and legs for the same reason.

Wetsuits that work well and fit properly allow this kind of thing

How to look after your wetsuit.

Look after your wetsuit properly and it will give you years of use. So go get that saltwater and sand rinsed away!

Once you've done this you'll need to rinse and dry your wetsuit thoroughly.

Leaving your wetsuit to dry out in salt water will slowly destroy it. If salt and sand dries in your suit zip it will make it stick and if you pull it hard you may well break your zip.

Just giving it a simple wash in fresh water will make your wetsuit last so much longer and help keep the neoprene in good order. Give your wetsuit the care it deserves.

Now your need to hang your wetsuit up to dry. Use a nice wide wooden or plastic hanger and not a narrow wire or skinny plastic one. That will deform the neoprene under its own weight. When you leave it to dry make sure it's in the shade and not direct UV sunlight. This will also damage the suit. Don’t pee in your wetsuit to stay warm! Urine acidity will slowly rot and destroy your suit - plus, it's actually pretty disgusting. Even in the water urine may get into the seams and your wetsuit wilk be wrecked in a short time.

Hang your wetsuit and accessories in a shaded place to dry.

Wetsuit size guide for NCW branded wetsuits only.

NCW’s wetsuit size chart is a guide to how a suit will fit you based on generic body averages. There’s no 100% guarantee that any wetsuit, rash vest or accessory will be your perfect fit as body shapes are so varied. In all instances NCW will aim to get you the best fitting wetsuit possible. And if we can’t we can always utilise our in house wetsuit alterations service to get you a custom fit. If you’re struggling to determine what size you may be, and/or getting a wetsuit that suits your body shape, get in touch and we’ll help you out as best we can

Adult wetsuits.

FOR MINI FRONT ZIP SUITS : with the very stretchy neoprene used on the mini front zip gulf stream suits we find if you are the smaller end of the size scale on chest and waist measurements it's often better go a size slimmer as these suits are so flexible. E.G if you are 6' x 38 chest, 32 waist, we’d advise you to take the MST rather than the MT you would normally fit in a back zip suit.

Kids wetsuits.

Kids wetsuits can be tricky to size as kids of all ages comes in different shapes and sizes!! Please measure, as per diagram below, from their lower ankle (where trousers would end) across the front of the body to the lower centre neck (where a t-shirt crew neck centre would sit) and this will give you the measurement for the sizes in cm that you can use on the kids suits product pages.

NOTE: The ages on the product pages for kids wetsuits are only a guide. You really need to measure as above to get the right fit. A sung fit is one of the most important factors with any wetsuit. Please don’t be tempted to order your kids wetsuit in a size far larger than they need so it will last them longer. If the fit is loose it will not keep them nearly as warm as snug fitting wetsuit. If you need help please call us on 01208 880839.

For more NCW wetsuit sizing info visit this page here.

For specific product sizing and info please navigate to NCW wetsuit pages via the folowing links: Kids wetsuits. Adult wetsuits.

Don't hesitate to contact us at The Rubber Shack should you require further help.

NCW offers a bespoke wetsuit repair and alteration service. We appreciate not all body shapes are the same. Sometimes getting the right fit is tricky. And this can go for both wetsuits themselves but also accessories like wetsuit socks.

For more idea of what we can do regarding wetsuit alterations and repairs head over to this page on the website.

Sizing up materials ahead of the next wetsuit repair job.