Escaping the winter blues in search of sunshine and warmer waters? With year-round good weather and epic waves conditions for all abilities, Fuerteventura is becoming a popular surf camp destination for many. With the yearly average water temperature in Fuerteventura at 20°C, it is a comfortable temperature for swimming and bathing. While the water may be warm, it is also important to consider other factors such as air temperature, wind speed and your activity levels.

If you’re new to surfing, choosing the right wetsuit at first might seem quite complex, our friends at Mango Surfing have put together a wetsuit guide that will hopefully leave you feeling confident when picking the right suit for the right conditions.

As the water in Fuerteventura is warm, it would be best to wear either a summer full suit (3:2mm) or a shorty/spring suit due to the wind conditions on the island. The full suit covers your whole body, this gives the advantage of being able to stay in the water for longer and will help if you’re sensitive to getting cold. The short suits feature thinner material and short legs and arms and are primarily used in warmer months during the summer.

Each brand has a slightly different fit and style so it is important to shop for you body type and do your research first. If the wetsuit doesn’t fit you properly it won’t be able to keep you warm or allow you the mobility for surfing and moving in the water.

Wetsuit fit Checklist:

◉ After you have your wetsuit on there should be no excess room in the torso, crotch area, shoulders or knees. It may be challenging to put on when dry but you will find this with a proper fitting wetsuit (Tip: Keeping your socks on will allow your feet to slide in much easier.)

◉ Once you’re on, lift your arms over your head and stretch out your shoulders. This move should only be slightly restricting. If you feel a lot of pressure during this movement then the suit is too small.

◉ You should be able to squat down and move your arms easily.

Cleaning Your Wetsuit

◉ Directly after use, always clean and dry your suit as soon as possible.

◉ Rinse your wetsuit with fresh water.

◉ Hand wash with mild non-detergent soap as needed.

Drying Your Wetsuit

◉ After washing and rinsing your wetsuit, turn it inside-out to help retain the flexibility on the outside of the wetsuit. As an added bonus if the wetsuit is dried inside out then you will always crawl into the drier side.

◉ Hang to dry on a special wetsuit hanger/padded clothes hanger. NEVER hang on a wire hanger as the metal will cause the neoprene to stiffen, crack, and degrade along the shoulders.

◉ Do NOT dry in the sun. UV rays can damage the neoprene, shortening the overall lifespan of the wetsuit.

Storing Your Wetsuit

◉ Store your wetsuit on a flat surface or a special wetsuit hanger. (Regular hangers will cause the neoprene to stretch over the shoulders.)

◉ Avoid folding whenever possible to avoid creases and loss of insulating effectiveness.

👉Shop wetsuits @Mango’s!