Glossary

Every wetsuit and water sports term we use on this site, explained in plain language. If we've missed something, let us know.

#

3/2mm: A wetsuit with 3mm rubber on the torso and 2mm on the arms and legs. The most common summer fullsuit in temperate waters. Suitable for roughly 15–21°C (59–70°F) depending on wind and personal comfort. Related guide
4/3mm: A wetsuit with 4mm rubber on the torso and 3mm on the arms and legs. The all-rounder for spring and autumn in most of Europe. Covers roughly 12–18°C (54–64°F). Often the first suit people buy if they can only own one. Related guide
5/4mm: A wetsuit with 5mm rubber on the torso and 4mm on the arms and legs. A winter suit for cold water, roughly 7–13°C (45–55°F). Usually paired with boots, often with gloves and a hood. Related guide
6/5mm: A wetsuit with 6mm rubber on the torso and 5mm on the arms and legs. For very cold water below about 7°C (45°F). Almost always a hooded suit, worn with thick boots and gloves. The thickest standard surf wetsuit you can buy. Related guide

A

Aqua-a glue: A water-based adhesive used to laminate linings onto wetsuit rubber. Replaces traditional solvent-based (petroleum) glues that release volatile organic compounds. Used by Patagonia, SHEICO, and a growing number of brands as part of their sustainability commitments. Related guide
Air temperature delta: The difference between air and water temperature. When air is significantly colder than the water, you lose more heat between waves or during surface intervals. Our engine accounts for this as a modifier.

B

Beavertail: A historical wetsuit design where a fabric flap attached to the back of the jacket passes between the legs and fastens at the front. Popular in the 1970s before modern zip systems replaced it. You'll sometimes see the name referenced in vintage wetsuit discussions.
Bombshell: A women's wetsuit without legs, shaped like a neoprene swimsuit, usually with long sleeves. Made from thinner rubber for warm water where you want sun protection and a bit of insulation without full leg coverage.
Blowing agents: Chemical additives mixed into raw rubber that cause it to expand during baking, creating the tiny gas bubbles that give wetsuit rubber its insulation and flexibility. Without blowing agents, you'd have a solid sheet of rubber with no stretch and no warmth. Related guide
BolderBlack: Reclaimed carbon black produced by Bolder Industries from end-of-life wetsuits and scrap tires. Used by Patagonia in a first-of-its-kind circular program — old Yulex suits are broken down at the molecular level, and the recovered carbon black goes into new wetsuits. Uses 90%+ less water and emits 90%+ fewer greenhouse gases than virgin carbon black production. Related guide
Blindstitched seams (GBS): Glued and blindstitched. The panels are first glued together, then stitched with a curved needle that only goes halfway through the rubber — it doesn't poke through to the inside, preventing water from entering through the stitch holes. The standard on mid-range and above fullsuits. More waterproof than flatlock, less waterproof than a fully sealed seam. Related guide
Back zip: A wetsuit entry system with a long vertical zip running down the back. Easiest to get in and out of, but the long zip can let more water flush through. Common on entry-level suits and warm-water suits.
Batwing: A neoprene bib or panel sewn inside back-zip wetsuits that sits behind the zipper to block water from reaching your skin. Acts as a secondary barrier against flushing through the zip. Standard on most modern back-zip suits.
Booties / Boots: Neoprene shoes that protect your feet from cold, reef, and rocks. Thickness ranges from 3mm (mild cold) to 7mm (extreme cold). Round toe vs split toe is personal preference — we don't prescribe it.
Beach break: A spot where waves break over a sandy bottom. Shifting sandbanks mean the peaks move around. Generally more forgiving than reef breaks — softer landings, fewer hazards underfoot.

C

Competition suit: A lightweight, stripped-down wetsuit designed for contest heats or short, high-intensity sessions. Thinner panels and minimal lining maximise flexibility at the cost of warmth and durability. Not built to last — built to perform for 30 minutes.
Carbon black: A pigment that gives wetsuit rubber its black colour and adds structural strength. Traditionally made from petroleum, but increasingly sourced from recycled car tires (ECO Carbon Black) or reclaimed from old wetsuits (BolderBlack). Makes up about 15–20% of the rubber foam in a typical wetsuit. Related guide
Closed cell: Neoprene or rubber foam where the gas bubbles are sealed inside the material, trapping insulating air. This is how standard wetsuits work — the sealed bubbles provide warmth, flexibility, and buoyancy. The opposite of open cell. Related guide
Chest zip: A wetsuit entry system where the zip runs horizontally across the chest. Less water entry than a back zip because the zip is shorter and easier to seal. Most common on mid-to-premium suits.
Confection: Mass production of standard-size wetsuits using predetermined fits and panel patterns. Every brand develops their own confection sizing — which is why a Medium in one brand doesn't fit like a Medium in another. The more shapes and curves in the panels, the harder it is to cut efficiently from a sheet of rubber at scale.
Cuffing: The seal treatment at the wrist and ankle openings of a wetsuit. Ranges from a simple cut edge to silicone-printed grip strips or glideskin panels that stick to the skin and reduce water entry. Tighter, better-designed cuffing is one of the clearest differences between budget and premium suits.
Changing poncho / Towel robe: An oversized towel garment you pull over your head to change out of a wetsuit in public without flashing anyone. Doubles as a drying towel. A car park essential.

D

Drysuit: A suit that seals completely at the wrists, ankles, and neck to keep water out entirely. Used in extreme cold or by divers at depth. You wear insulating layers underneath instead of relying on trapped water for warmth.
Dope dyeing / Solution dyeing: A colouring process where pigment is melted into hot liquid plastic before it's spun into thread. The colour is baked into the fibre itself rather than applied in a traditional dye bath afterward. Uses significantly less water, energy, and chemicals. Increasingly used for wetsuit lining fabrics. Related guide
Drain holes: Small holes punched into a wetsuit at strategic points — usually at the ankles, lower back, or bottom of the zip panel — that let accumulated water drain out. Especially common on kitesurf and windsurf wetsuits where water splashes up the legs more than in surfing.
Dropping in: Taking off on a wave that someone else is already riding and has priority on. The single most common breach of surf etiquette. Don't do it. Related guide
Denka: Japanese chemical company that supplies most of the world's chloroprene — the raw ingredient for neoprene production. Factories in Omi, Japan and in Louisiana, USA. If you're wearing a synthetic wetsuit, the rubber almost certainly started with Denka's chloroprene.
DuPont: American chemical company whose chemist Wallace Carothers invented neoprene (originally called Duprene) in 1930. The name was changed to neoprene in 1937 — partly a marketing decision to signal it was a raw ingredient, not a finished consumer product.

E

Exertion modifier: How much body heat your discipline generates. High-exertion activities like kitesurfing warm you up, so you can wear thinner rubber. Low-exertion activities like diving mean you cool down faster and need thicker insulation.
Exposure modifier: How exposed to wind and spray your discipline leaves you. Kitesurfers and windsurfers are above the water and fully exposed. Surfers are partially submerged. Divers are fully submerged with no wind.
Earplugs / Surf ears: Moulded or specialist plugs that keep cold water out of your ear canal while still allowing you to hear. Prevent surfer's ear (exostosis), a bony growth caused by repeated cold water and wind exposure. Recommended below about 16°C (61°F).

F

Fullsuit: A wetsuit that covers your full body — long arms, long legs. The standard choice for water below about 21°C (70°F). Also called a steamer in Australia.
FSC-certified: Forest Stewardship Council certification. When applied to wetsuit rubber, it means the natural rubber source meets environmental and social sustainability standards — no deforestation, biodiversity protection, fair labour. Look for it on Yulex, OCENA, and similar plant-based materials.
Flatlock seams: A zigzag stitch that joins diagonally-cut panels by laying one edge over the other and stitching all the way through. Strong, flexible, and causes minimal chafing, but the stitch holes go fully through the rubber, letting water in. Used on shorties, warm-water suits, and budget fullsuits where some water entry doesn't matter. Related guide
Flushing: Cold water entering the suit and replacing the warm water your body has heated. The fundamental enemy of warmth. Flushing happens through the neck, zip, wrists, ankles, and leaky seams — which is why fit, seam construction, and entry system all matter so much. A single bad duck dive in a loose suit can flush all your warmth in seconds.
Fair Trade Certified: A certification that guarantees the workers who make a product earn a premium on top of their regular wages and work in safe conditions. In wetsuits, Patagonia pioneered this at SHEICO — other brands can participate by paying a per-suit premium. Different from FSC, which certifies material sourcing, not worker conditions.

G

Geoprene: Yamamoto's brand name for their limestone-based neoprene. Made from calcium carbonate instead of petroleum, using a proprietary closed-cell process. Often referenced by grade number — #39 and #40 are the premium grades found in high-end wetsuits. Related guide
Guayule: A desert shrub native to the southwestern United States and Mexico that produces natural rubber latex. Yulex originally used guayule before switching to hevea rubber trees for scale and performance. Guayule rubber is hypoallergenic and doesn't compete with food crops, but hevea remains dominant in wetsuit production. Related guide
Graphene lining: An inner lining infused with graphene, a carbon material 200 times stronger than steel that conducts heat exceptionally well. Redistributes body heat more evenly across the suit and improves heat retention. Used by brands including Rip Curl and Billabong in their premium winter lines.
Glideskin: Smooth, unlined neoprene used on the inside of a wetsuit's neck, collar, wrist, or ankle openings. Slides over your head easily when putting the suit on, then grips your skin to reduce water entry once you're in the water. Also called skin-in or raw neoprene.
Gusset: An extra neoprene panel sewn into the armpit area of a wetsuit to increase paddling range of motion and reduce fatigue. Since roughly 90% of surfing is paddling, the gusset is one of the most important construction details for comfort. Standard on almost all surf-specific wetsuits.
Gloves: Neoprene gloves for cold water. Range from 2mm to 5mm. They restrict dexterity significantly, so most surfers avoid them until the water drops below about 9°C (48°F).

H

Hooded suit: A fullsuit with a built-in hood that's sewn into the collar. Used in very cold water (below about 6°C / 43°F) where a separate hood would let water flush through the neck seal.
Hevea: The rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) whose sap is tapped to produce natural rubber latex. The source material for Yulex and OCENA wetsuit rubber. Trees can produce rubber for 25 to 30 years. FSC or PEFC certification ensures they're grown on responsibly managed plantations, not cleared rainforest. Related guide
Hood: A neoprene hood covering the head, either separate or built into the suit. You lose a large amount of body heat through your head, so a hood makes a big difference in cold water. Most brands recommend one below about 6–9°C (43–48°F).

K

Key pocket: A small sealed pocket, usually on the inside of the thigh or calf, designed to hold a car key while you're in the water. Simple feature, but losing your car key at the beach is a special kind of miserable.
Knee pad: Reinforced patches on the knees of a wetsuit, made from textured rubber, Supratex, or a durable rubber-textile composite. Protect the suit from wear caused by kneeling on a board (especially common in bodyboarding, SUP, and pop-ups). One of the first areas to wear through on a suit without them.

L

Long John: A sleeveless wetsuit with long legs. Leaves the arms free for unrestricted paddling while keeping the core and legs insulated. Popular with longboarders, SUP riders, and in layering setups where you add a separate neoprene jacket on top.
Limestone neoprene: Neoprene made from calcium carbonate (limestone) instead of petroleum. Lighter, more flexible, and better at insulating than petroleum-based neoprene. Used in most premium wetsuits today. Still a synthetic material, not a natural one. Related guide
Leash: A cord that connects your ankle (or calf, or wrist for bodyboards) to your board. Keeps the board close when you wipe out. Essential safety equipment — a loose board is dangerous to everyone in the water.
Lineup: The area where surfers sit and wait for waves, just beyond where they break. Has its own social hierarchy and unwritten rules at every spot.

N

Natural rubber: Rubber derived from plants — typically hevea rubber trees — rather than petroleum or limestone. Yulex and OCENA are the two main FSC-certified natural rubbers used in wetsuits today. Performs comparably to neoprene with a significantly lower environmental impact. Still a small share of the market, but growing fast as more brands move away from synthetic materials. Related guide
Neoprene: The standard synthetic rubber used in wetsuits since the 1950s, made from petroleum or limestone. Neoprene traps a thin layer of water against your skin, which your body heats. Insulation comes from tiny gas bubbles baked into the rubber. Still the most common wetsuit material, but natural rubber alternatives are gaining ground. Related guide
Neck seal / Neck system: The combination of features around a wetsuit's collar designed to minimise water flushing: elastic adjusters, silicone grip patterns, glideskin lining, and shaped panels. More important on chest-zip and zipless suits where the neck is the primary entry point and the main place water gets in.

O

OCENA: SHEICO's FSC-certified natural rubber for wetsuits. Made with natural rubber from hevea trees, oyster shell powder, soybean oil, and recycled carbon black from scrap tires. Gives brands that manufacture with SHEICO — which is most of them — access to plant-based rubber at scale without developing their own supply chain. Related guide
Open cell: Neoprene or rubber foam where the gas bubbles are cut open on one side, creating a surface that grips directly against the skin through suction. Used in freediving and triathlon suits for maximum warmth and minimum water entry. Fragile, hard to get on without lubrication, and not practical for general surf use. Related guide
Overlock stitch: The most basic seam construction — a simple stitch that goes all the way through both panels. Cheapest to produce but the least waterproof and most rigid of all seam types. Found on the cheapest wetsuits and rental suits. If you see overlock stitching on a fullsuit, it's a budget suit. Related guide

P

Pod suit: A neoprene vest with long sleeves, designed to be worn over a Long John. The combination gives you the warmth of a fullsuit with the flexibility of a two-piece system. You can remove the top when conditions warm up.
Polychloroprene / Chloroprene: The chemical compound that polymerises to form neoprene. Chloroprene is the monomer; polychloroprene is the resulting synthetic rubber. Most of the world's chloroprene supply comes from Denka, with factories in Japan and Louisiana, USA. Related guide
Plush lining: A thick, fleece-like polyester inner lining that creates air pockets between the rubber and your skin for extra warmth and faster drying. Standard in cold-water suits. The trade-off: plush linings compress and lose performance over time as the fibres flatten with use. Related guide
Panels / Paneling: The individual cut pieces of rubber that are stitched together to form a wetsuit. A standard suit uses 15 to 30 panels. Fewer panels means fewer seams (and fewer potential leak points), but requires more premium, stretchier rubber to maintain mobility. The Quiksilver Highline Pro famously uses as few as 5. Related guide
Priority / Right of way: The surfer closest to the breaking part of the wave has priority. In kitesurfing and windsurfing, specific starboard/port rules apply. Every discipline has its own version of right-of-way rules. Related guide
Point break: A spot where waves wrap around a headland or point of land, producing long, peeling waves that break in one direction. Often crowded because the takeoff zone is predictable and the rides are long.

R

Rashvest / Rash guard: A thin, stretchy top worn for UV protection and to prevent chafing from a board or wetsuit. Not insulation — just skin protection. Common in tropical water.
Rubber: What surfers call their wetsuit. "What rubber are you wearing?" means "what wetsuit do you have on?" Used throughout this site instead of "neoprene" because not all wetsuits are neoprene anymore.
Reef boots / Reef shoes: Thin neoprene or rubber shoes designed to protect your feet from sharp coral, rocks, and sea urchins. Not primarily for warmth — for protection. Recommended at any reef break regardless of water temperature.
Reef break: A spot where waves break over rock or coral reef. Produces more consistent, often more powerful waves than beach breaks. Sharper, shallower bottom means reef boots are recommended and wipeouts carry more risk.

S

Semi-dry: A wetsuit with enhanced seals at the neck, wrists, and ankles, plus a waterproof or near-waterproof zipper — designed to drastically reduce flushing compared to a standard wetsuit. Sits between a wetsuit and a drysuit. Common in diving and kitesurfing where you need more warmth without going fully dry.
Short John: A sleeveless wetsuit with short legs, ending above the knee. The minimal option for warm water when you want some core insulation and sun protection without any restriction on the arms or lower legs.
Shorty / Spring suit: A wetsuit with short arms and short legs, typically 2mm thick. Used in warmer water (roughly 21–24°C / 70–75°F) where you want some protection from wind and UV but don't need full insulation.
Smooth skin rubber: Rubber with a smooth, sealed exterior instead of the standard fabric lining. Sheds wind and water instantly because there's no jersey for the wind to penetrate or for water to cling to. Common on chest panels, hoods, and suits built for windy conditions. The trade-off: it's more fragile than jersey-lined rubber — fingernails and velcro will tear it — and it's harder to pull on and off. Handle with care. Related guide
Sealed seams / Liquid-taped seams: An extra layer of liquid silicone or rubber applied over blindstitched seams on the outside of the suit for a fully waterproof seal. Essential in cold water (below about 9°C / 48°F) to prevent any water entry at the seams. Found on mid-to-premium cold-water suits. Related guide
Supratex: A brand name for a durable rubber-textile composite used in wetsuit knee pads. More abrasion-resistant than standard neoprene, so knee pads made from it last longer before wearing through.
Sizing chart: A brand-specific chart that maps body measurements (height, weight, chest, waist) to suit sizes. Every brand fits differently — a Medium in O'Neill is not the same as a Medium in Rip Curl. This is why we ask for measurements rather than a size label.
Surfer's ear (exostosis): A condition where bone grows in the ear canal as a response to repeated exposure to cold water and wind. Narrows the ear canal over time, trapping water and causing infections. Preventable with earplugs. Common in cold-water surfers.
Snaking: Paddling around someone to get closer to the peak and steal priority. Technically gives you right of way, but it's considered disrespectful, especially at crowded spots. Related guide
SHEICO: Taiwanese company that manufactures wetsuits for most major surf brands. Founded in 1968, originally making rain gear and rubber boots. Now produces around 6 million wetsuits per year with over 65% global market share. Also develops OCENA natural rubber and supplies its own linings and rubber. If a brand doesn't make its own suits, SHEICO almost certainly does.

T

Taping / Spot taping: Neoprene tape heat-welded over seams on the inside of the suit to reduce water entry and prevent chafing from exposed stitching. Full taping covers every seam. Spot taping covers only the critical high-stress or high-flush areas (chest, back, shoulders) to save weight and cost. Related guide

U

U-zip / Hybrid zip: A wetsuit entry system where the zip follows a U-shaped path around the upper back and shoulders, or combines elements of chest and back zip designs. Aims to balance the easy entry of a back zip with the water-tightness of a chest zip. Popularised by the Vissla x Axxe Classic collaboration.

W

Water temperature: The surface temperature of the sea. The single most important factor in choosing wetsuit thickness. Our tool uses 3-year historical averages or live forecast data depending on your travel dates. Related guide
Wind chill: The cooling effect of wind on wet skin. Every major brand lists wind as the second most important factor after water temperature. Strong wind can push you up an entire thickness bracket, especially for kitesurfers and windsurfers who are above the water. Related guide
Wax: Applied to the deck of a surfboard for grip. Comes in temperature-specific formulas: tropical, warm, cool, and cold. Using the wrong wax temperature means it'll be too soft (melts off) or too hard (no grip).

Y

Yulex: A plant-based natural rubber alternative to neoprene, made from FSC-certified hevea rubber trees. Pioneered by Patagonia, now adopted by Billabong, needessentials, SRFACE, WALLIEN, Finisterre, and others. Standard Yulex is 85% natural rubber, 15% synthetic rubber by polymer content. Related guide
Yulex 2.0: The latest generation of Yulex natural rubber foam, with improved stretch and rebound over the original formulation. Used by brands including WALLIEN, Alpkit, and Nyord. Same 85/15 natural-to-synthetic rubber ratio and FSC/PEFC certification, but more flexible and better suited to performance surf and open-water wetsuits. Related guide
Yulex100: Decathlon's wetsuit material developed with Yulex — the first and currently only alternative to neoprene made from 100% certified natural rubber with zero synthetic rubber. Launched in 2024 for junior shorties and snorkeling tops, with adult ranges following. Reduces CO₂ emissions by roughly 80% compared to neoprene foam. Related guide
Yamamoto: Japanese company that pioneered limestone-based neoprene, marketed as Geoprene. Known for premium grades — #39 and #40 are the benchmarks for high-end wetsuit rubber. The factory in Osaka uses residual heat from production to power an eel nursery, which remains one of the stranger sustainability stories in the industry. Related guide
YKK: Japanese zipper manufacturer (Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikigaisha) that supplies zippers for most wetsuit brands worldwide. If your wetsuit has a zip, it's almost certainly a YKK.

Z

Zipperless / Zip-free: A wetsuit with no zip at all — you pull it on through a wide neck opening that seals with a flap or magnetic closure. Minimum water entry, maximum flexibility, but harder to get in and out of.

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