You’re about to learn:
- Why surfers wear wetsuits.
- How they work and what they’re for.
- Why they just so happen to always be black
- What surfers actually wear under their wetsuits.
And, we’ll debunk the myth of whether surfers actually pee in their wetsuit or not (yuk!).
All will be revealed below 
WHY DO SURFERS WEAR WETSUITS?
Surfers wear wetsuits to keep themselves warm in cold water so that they can surf all year round, regardless of the water temperature.
Wetsuits are made of neoprene and come in different thicknesses to cater to different water temperatures, for example:
- Warmish water: 3mm x 2mm
- Cool water: 4mm x 3mm
- Cold water: 5mm x 3mm
- Freezing water: 6mm x 5mm
- Frickin freezing water: 7mm x 6mm
The thicker neoprene sections are to protect the vital organs (chest and back), with the thinner areas on the arms and legs for extra flexibility.
If you’re interested to know more and want to know the best wetsuits for surfing right now, click here.
DO SURFERS WEAR ANYTHING UNDER THEIR WETSUITS?
Many beginner surfers opt to wear swimwear underneath their wetsuits, which kinda makes sense I guess, and it’s certainly convenient when getting changed.
However, almost all advanced surfers around the world will go eau natural, and wear nothing underneath whatsoever.
Go figure.
The likely explanation is either for that extra percentage of performance, pure laziness, or because guys tend to hate wearing dick-togs (unless you’re from Brazil that is).
Either way, there’s no right or wrong – whatever floats your boat.
WHY DO SURFERS WEAR BLACK WETSUITS?
Surfers wear black wetsuits because black absorbs light, hence will warm up more than any other colour.
And seeing as wetsuits are all about keeping you warm, black is the default colour of choice.
Sure, you can get wetsuits in all different colours which will be more predominant in warmer climates, but when things get super cold, black will reign supreme, always.
DO SURFERS PEE IN THEIR WETSUITS?
On the topic of wetsuit warmth…
Do surfers pee in their wetsuits? Damn right they do (guilty 
)
Why? Well for a couple of reasons I guess.
First up, if the surf is pumping that last thing you want to do is drag yourself out of the water, de-robe, all for a wee.
Secondly, as gross as it is, peeing in your wetsuit in cold water is like a momentary, inbuilt hot water bottle, which at the right time and place – can be heaven.
Ahhh.
That heaven can soon turn to hell though when you get changed, and realise you smell like a urinal.
It’s worth it at the time though I promise.
CONCLUSION
Hopefully this article has given you a few insights as to why surfers actually wear wetsuits, and unearthed a few untold surfer truths you never knew.
Yew!Rowan 
ROWAN CLIFFORD
Rowan is the technical nerd behind the scenes. A lover of everything entrepreneurial, and living a minimal, simple life. Surf, Travel, Create.
