It used to be that the surfing season was limited to the months outside of winter. For people in places other than balmy southern California, this could mean the window for surfing was closed as many as six months out of the year. But dedicated surfing wetsuits changed all that. With insulation against uncomfortably low temperatures, wetsuits expanded the range of conditions one could comfortably enjoy, and thus the range of seasons and locations a person could surf. In present times, wetsuits have emboldened surfers to take the idea of surfing in cold and inhospitable climates to an entirely new level.
For an example of the extreme conditions sought out by surfers, look no further than those who have ventured down south to Antarctica and up north to coastal Norway. These frontiers are obviously a far cry from the places where surfing began and continues to thrive. It's also possible to go on surfing tours in Iceland, venturing up into the Arctic Circle in search of never-before-surfed waves. Surfing in these frigid waters is a world apart from the sport's sunny Polynesian origins. When considered in this light, wetsuits for surfing take on a whole new property, becoming something more like arctic exploration gear. And if all that sounds too cold, there are always the balmy shores of Alaska!
For big wave riders, temperature isn't as much the reason for wearing wetsuits as is the need to protect every single inch of one's body when facing up against waves that reach up to 50 or 60 feet. 20 to 30 feet is the maximum range in which surfers can catch waves under their own power. Any higher, and they'll need the help of a jet ski. Getting a tow in to a giant wave is now standard practice for big wave surfers, helping them conquer waves that were once thought impossibly large. Hawaii was once thought to be the only surf destination with the perfect balance of reefs and placement in major ocean currents to consistently create large waves. But progression (and perhaps a little competition) drove surfers to find other major big-wave spots all around the Pacific - off the coasts of Peru, Baja California, and Tahiti, to name a few.
Another place where there is no choice but to wear a surf wetsuit is a man-made wave in the middle of landlocked Munich. That's right - the major European metropolis. On the grounds of a large urban park is the Eisbach, a man-made river that features a wave popular with local surfers. Even in the middle of the winter, you can visit the bridge and watch surfers hit the stationary wave. Because the average daily temperature of Munich in the winter is below freezing, the surfers who are brave enough to stand the cold have no choice but to gear up in a wetsuit.
Surfing wetsuits have been an important component of surfing's expansion to places unconventional, unexpected, and downright freezing cold. While other pieces of equipment are also important parts of the story, the role of the wetsuit in empowering the surfer cannot be ignored.
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Surfing wetsuits embolden surfers to seek out waves in ever colder and harsher climates. Here are are some of the places where wetsuits come in handy.
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