Do Surfers Wear Anything Under a Wetsuit? (+Pros & Cons)

Have you ever wondered if you should be wearing something under your wetsuit?

It can be confusing as it seems as though some surfers do and some don’t.

Some surfers choose to wear rash vests, swimsuits, or underwear underneath their wetsuit in order to reduce wetsuit rash or for the ease of changing.

Let us take a deeper look into the reasons for wearing something under your wetsuit, the pros, cons, and when the best time to do so may be.

Should I Wear Anything Under My Wetsuit?
What You Could Wear Under Your Wetsuit (Pros & Cons)
What You Should Not Wear Under a Wetsuit
4 Benefits of Wearing Something Under a Wetsuit
3 Downsides of Wearing Something Under Your Wetsuit
Are the Considerations the Same For Guys and Girls?
How to Decide Whether or Not to Wear Anything Under a Wetsuit
Conclusion
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Should I Wear Anything Under My Wetsuit?

There is no should or shouldn’t when it comes to what, if anything, you wear under your wetsuit.

This is simply a matter of preference. It is acceptable to wear board shorts, a speedo, swimsuits, bikinis, rash vests, as well as nothing.

The best way to know what is best for you is to try it out, and if you find that you are uncomfortable, then switch up your method and try something else.

What You Could Wear Under Your Wetsuit (Pros & Cons)

Wear	Pros	Cons
Nothing	Easier movement while surfing Less wet material to take home Can reduce wetsuit rash Could be the most comfortable option	Can encourage wetsuit rash Harder to change at the beach May be inappropriate to pull down to your waist if hot
Board Shorts	Easy to change at the beach If it is hot, can be used to surf in without wetsuit	Can bunch inside wetsuit and make it uncomfortable Adds to wet luggage Can cause chafing Can make putting on your wetsuit difficult Can be constricting when maneuvering your surfboard
Swimsuit	Easy to change at the beach Thin and streamline Women can pull down their wetsuits to their waist if hot Low chance of causing rash	Added wet material May be too hot in warmer climates
Speedo	Small and streamline Makes changing at the beach easier Does not add much wet material to take home Can reduce rash and chafing	May feel uncomfortable and restricting
Bikini	Small and streamline Makes changing at the beach easier Does not add much wet material to take home Can reduce rash and chafing Women can pull down their wetsuits to their waist if hot Can be used to surf in if it is too hot for your wetsuit	May feel uncomfortable and restricting Can make putting on your wetsuit more challenging Can be seen as inappropriate clothing in some places (such as Indonesia)
Rash Vest	Helps prevent rash and chafing around the neck Can make changing at the beach easier for women Can keep you warm in colder water	Can bunch inside wetsuit and become uncomfortable Can become too hot Added wet material to take home

What You Should Not Wear Under a Wetsuit

Although in truth, you can wear whatever you would like under your wetsuit, there are a few things that are not recommended.

Instead of creating a list of all the clothing items that are likely to cause problems, it is easier simply say:

Do not wear cotton clothing that is designed to be worn on land.

Wearing cotton underwear, shorts, bras, or shirts under your wetsuit is very likely to lead to rashes and chafing.

These clothing items will be uncomfortable and will likely cause more harm than good.

Cotton clothing also holds a lot of water and therefore can reduce your buoyancy as it becomes wet.

Lastly, cotton takes much longer to dry than polyester or nylon (used for boardshorts, bikinis, and swimsuits).

That being said, some people do wear underwear under their wetsuit and do not find it to be a problem.

Once again, this always comes down to preference.

4 Benefits of Wearing Something Under a Wetsuit

As mentioned, choosing to wear something under your wetsuit when going surfing is completely preferred, but there are some benefits that should not be overlooked.

1. Rash Protection

Especially when using both bottoms (boardshorts, speedos, or bikini bottoms) and a rash vest, or a full-piece swimsuit, the chance of a rash is greatly decreased.

Chafing and wetsuit rash usually occurs around the neck and wrist areas (the spots where there is a seam).

When wearing clothing under your wetsuit, you add a layer of protection between your skin and these areas.

Although wearing bottoms is not as useful in this case, chaffing in this area is less than an exciting idea.

Your costume bottoms can help keep you safe.

2. Extra Insulation

When surfing in cold water, even a thick wetsuit with internal insulation may leave you feeling cold.

Not having the correct wetsuit for a session can ruin your surfing experience.

Wearing a swimsuit, rash vest, or other suitable clothing beneath your wetsuit can add some extra warmth and insulation in colder temperatures.

However, you should remember, if your wetsuit does not fit properly, the extra layers will not help.

3. Ease Of Changing

Everyone who surfs is familiar with how difficult it is to put on a wetsuit.

Furthermore, everyone is aware of how difficult it is to take it off when exhausted after a surf.

Taking this challenge and adding the struggle of holding a towel around yourself becomes a particularly difficult task.

Changing at home is sometimes an option, but what about those days that you go straight from the office to the beach, and what about driving home?

No one wants to get into their car wearing a wet wetsuit.

Wearing a swimsuit or something similar under your wetsuit will make this experience much simpler.

Instead of hiding behind your car’s door with a towel around you, you can simply pull off your wetsuit and carry on with your day.

4. Comfort

Although this point is completely up to the individual, some surfers find wearing something under their wetsuit more comfortable than not.

This can be both physical comforts as well as being mentally comfortable with the situation they are in.

3 Downsides of Wearing Something Under Your Wetsuit

As it is with everything, there are always downsides to oppose the upsides.

Although the downsides of wearing something under your wetsuit are usually circumstantial, they are worth being aware of.

1. Underlayers Move

Some people find it more comfortable to wear swimwear under their wetsuit while others feel the opposite.

Clothing that is worn underneath a wetsuit often moves out of place. This is particularly true for boardshorts as they often roll up and bunch in an area.

Apart from that, imagine your underwear creeping up into an awkward position but not being able to fix it because of your wetsuit.

This is a common problem and can often get so uncomfortable that you may need to leave the water to fix it.

2. Chafing

Ironically, where in some cases wearing something under your wetsuit can reduce chafing and rashes, in others it can be the cause of it.

When your underlayers begin to move as you carve up the waves, the constant friction can lead to chafing that would not otherwise have existed.

This is why it is important to always wear something that fits correctly.

3. Overheating

Just as the extra layers can help keep you warm, they can also be the cause of overheating on sunnier days or when surfing in warmer water.

Overheating is extremely dangerous when surfing as it can lead to heatstroke.

Because of this, when the climate is warmer and you wish to use underlayers you should make sure to wear a thinner wetsuit, or perhaps consider surfing without a wetsuit.

Are the Considerations the Same For Guys and Girls?

As far as the advantages and disadvantages of wearing something under your wetsuit, they are much the same for both guys and girls.

The only major difference is the huge advantage girls will have when using at least a top underlayer.

As mentioned before, when men finish their surf, or before they get into the water they can keep their wetsuits pulled down to their waist.

This prevents them from overheating and helps them remain comfortable.

Girls do not have this advantage (in most places) when they are wearing nothing under their wetsuit.

Besides that, the considerations for men and women do not differ any further than the actual piece of clothing that best suits them.

How to Decide Whether or Not to Wear Anything Under a Wetsuit

If you are wondering whether you should wear something under your wetsuit you have two ways to go about it.

Firstly you can try out the different options and see what best suits you, or you can consider a problem you are having and decide if adding an underlayer could help.

For example, if you are struggling to remove your wetsuit at the beach after your surf because you are hiding beneath a towel and there are 100s of people around, then considering wearing something under your wetsuit may be the answer.

Alternatively, if you find yourself getting too hot in the water but cannot afford a thinner wetsuit, then removing your rash vest could be a solution.

Ultimately, you will need to find out what works best for you, what makes you the most comfortable, and what is the most convenient.