Top 5 Best Wetsuits for Water Skiing
Anyone who has ever witnessed a water ski display or competition has felt compelled to try their hand at it. Water skiing was the first towed sport, and it has since generated offshoots, including slalom, trick and ski jumping, wakeboarding and wakesurfing, and even tubing and kneeboarding. It all began with a man wearing two boards tied to his feet, standing behind a boat. The exciting sport it has become today is the culmination of a century of advancement and innovation. Whether you are a first-time water ski learner or are simply looking to find the best wetsuits for water skiing, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve prepared everything you need to know in picking the right outfit for your next water skiing adventure. Wetsuits and Water Skiing Although water skiing is more popular as a summer sport, it can be enjoyed all year round. Wetsuits allow you to enjoy water skiing even after summer by keeping you warm and protected against other harmful elements from the waters. Water skiers require a well-fitting water skiing wetsuit that allows for lots of movement in the upper body. Wetsuits for water skiing are often made with a thicker torso for warmth and a thinner arm material for flexibility. The form is also cut somewhat looser across the shoulders, allowing for more upper-torso flexibility. Diving wetsuits aren’t as good for water skiing because they’re designed to be tight in the upper torso to help retain heat when fully immersed. This means that these suits will be less flexible than a water skiing wetsuit. Choose a wetsuit built for energetic sports with many upper-body movements, such as water skiing, surfing, or wakeboarding. Top 5 Best Wetsuits for Water Skiing A well-fitting waterskiing wetsuit with the proper blend of features will keep you on the water all year (or at least comfortably extend your season.) But bear in mind that they won’t keep you entirely dry. Water skiing wetsuits allow a bit of water to enter, and your body heat will take care of the rest. Here are five of the best wetsuits for water skiing in the market today. Billabong Mens 202 Absolute Back Zip SS Wetsuits, Adult Rip Curl Dawn Patrol 4/3 Back Zip Fullsuit Wetsuit XCEL Axis 2mm L/S Womens Springsuit Roxy 3/2mm Women’s Prologue Fullsuit O’Neill Men’s O’Riginal 2mm Back Zip Sleeveless Spring Wetsuit 1. Billabong Mens 202 Absolute Back Zip SS Wetsuits, Adult Specifications: Material: Neoprene Closure Type: zipper Sleeve Type: short sleeve The Men’s Absolute 2/2 Short Sleeve Springsuit is engineered for maximum water skiing performance. Premium Recycled Superflex neoprene, a lightweight foam created partially from recycled car tires and neoprene scraps, is used to make the short-sleeve wetsuit for water skiing. Strategically placed seams, high-end materials, and modern construction techniques add to the performance. Its flatlock seams are solid and flexible, and there’s a back zip opening. Billabong has designed this suit more relaxed, warmer, and faster drying than ever before. All while retaining an environmentally conscious perspective. Because an un-taped GBS seam has more stretch potential due to its minimalism and capacity of each stitch to expand, most competitive water skiers pick it over the more expensive but more durable ‘taped’ seam. Durability is not a concern for a sponsored water skier because their sponsors provide them with suits for free or at a low cost. Wetsuits are the same way: features that increase stretch negatively influence durability, so achieving the appropriate balance is crucial. If you’re a regular water skier seeking a long-lasting water skiing wetsuit, look for the ‘taped seam’ Absolute X suits; the taping significantly enhances durability and can be quickly bonded back down- learn more about seams. 2. Rip Curl Dawn Patrol 4/3 Back Zip Fullsuit Wetsuit Specifications: Material: Neoprene Closure Type: zipper Sleeve Type: long sleeve Rip Curl’s Dawn Patrol wetsuit for water skiing has been a fixture of the performance wetsuit industry for over a decade by mixing high-performance features and durability. Because it uses their market-leading E5 neoprene, E5 Flash Lining, and is 75 percent E5 taped, the current Dawn Patrol collection is stronger than ever. We’ve come to expect the chest zip entry mechanism in high-quality water skiing wetsuits because it solves a critical fault with the back zip: it denies most back-panel stretch because a zip can’t extend. This implies that tucking down low or simply standing up with your legs tucked under your body puts a lot of tension on the back panel and can pull the zipper out of its position. The front/chest zip eliminates this problem by positioning the no-stretch zipper between your shoulder blades, where there is minimal elongation. Rip Curl’s Flash Lining is a high-tech material made of poly-fleece wrapped around the torso to create a dual-layer construction that channels water away from your important organs. Poly-fleece is ‘hydrophobic,’ meaning it won’t absorb water, keeping your torso dry and comfortable. The ‘E’ prefix used on most Rip Curl features is frequently asked about. As they phased out their old Elastomax rubber, which was popular at the turn of the millennium, it was applied to the neoprene. As a result, it’s possible that the E is a modernization of Elastomax. 3. XCEL Axis 2mm L/S Womens Springsuit Specifications: Material: 100% Stretch Neoprene Closure Type: zipper Sleeve Type: long sleeve Creating a wetsuit for surfing is a difficult task – first, you must find the ideal balance of warmth and flexibility. Second, you must strike a balance between breathability and warmth while maintaining a maximum range of movement and the highest potential durability. The list goes on and on. Xcel’s primary focus has been on building the ideal layer around the body for water skiers, and they have unquestionably mastered the craft. This 2mm L/S Women Springsuit is your new water skiing wetsuit favorite because it’s stretchy, easy on the eyes and budget, and trustworthy. This long sleeve wetsuit for water skiing is made of 100% performance stretch neoprene with Eco Limestone Veoprene … Read more