Surfer Gear For Women: How To Dress For The Waves

Surfwear for men is relatively easy – experienced surfers can usually get away with a pair of swim shorts. However, planning what to wear as a woman surfer can be a bigger challenge, especially if you’re a first-timer or still an inexperienced surfer.

If you’re wondering how to dress for the waves as a female surfer, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Protect Your Skin and Hair

As a woman surfing, you need to be ready to protect your skin from the sun and your hair from the effects of the harsh salty ocean water. Additionally, you also need to ensure that the sunscreen you choose will stay on when you are in the water.

Ideally, choose a sunscreen that uses zinc oxide that blocks the UV rays and is also highly water-resistant. Moreover, it is essential to choose a reef-safe sunscreen, so you can be confident that you’re not damaging the ocean you’re surfing in. It is believed that a good portion of reef death results from pollution, and reef-safe products ensure that you are not contributing to the problem.

Use either conditioner or oil, depending on your preference, to protect your hair. There are specialist products available to help protect your hair while surfing, including surf hair masks.

Without adequate protection, the saltwater from the ocean can strip water from your hair and dry it out. The longer the saltwater sits on your hair, the more damage is done, so always ensure to rinse your hair as soon as possible once you’re done surfing.

Choose Your Surfwear Carefully

Swimwear isn’t always synonymous with surfwear, especially for women. Certain styles of swimwear should never be worn when surfing, including:

• Halter-neck bikinis
• Bikinis with underwire
• Strapless bikinis
• Triangle bikinis
• Side-tie bikini bottoms
• White or light-colored swimwear
• Swimwear with zips and metal details

These types of swimwear can be dangerous or slip off easily while you’re surfing. For example, metal details will dig into your skin, you risk sunburn if you wear light-coloured swimwear, and triangle and strapless bikinis slip off your body easily.

Instead, choose the right surfwear. If you opt for a bikini or one-piece swimsuit, the team at Roxy clothing Australia recommends purchasing from a brand committed to surfwear. Types of swimsuits and bikinis that are worn while surfing include cross back and racerback bikinis, swimsuits with thick shoulder straps, and bikini bottoms with wide hip bands.

Consider Wearing a Wetsuit

While swimsuits are still the most common clothing option for surfing, wetsuits are growing increasingly popular. There are numerous advantages to opting for wetsuits – they ensure that you stay warm in the water and allow you to surf regardless of the water temperature.

Additionally, wetsuits provide a sense of compression to your muscles and joints that help improve strength and stamina. They essentially serve as a compression sleeve and provide a significant amount of support to your knees while surfing.

There are several considerations to keep in mind when buying a wetsuit. Besides keeping you warm, it should also be comfortable, flexible, and durable. Wetsuits are undoubtedly more expensive than swimwear, whether a bikini or a one-piece swimsuit, but a good wetsuit is definitely worth the investment.

Choose the Right Surfboard

No matter what you’re wearing, choosing the right surfboard is crucial for riding the waves. It’s essential to ensure that the board is right for your height, weight, and skill level.

Additionally, it’s important to remember that buying a surfboard as a woman is different from a man. Some suggestions to keep in mind when making a purchase include:

• Add 10% to online calculators that provide you with a surfboard volume suggestion because men tend to have less body fat than women and can work with smaller boards.
• Choose your board width carefully. This is especially important if you have wide hips, as a narrower board can lead you to slide off the board edges.

Surfing is a lot of fun, as long as you’ve taken the proper protection for your skin and hair and wear the right clothing. If you’re a first-time surfer, ask a retail associate for guidance when you buy your surfboard – they will also guide you on all the other essentials you need.

Aside from wearing the right clothes, stock up with a first-aid kit and a kit to take care of your board. If you’re going on a long surfing trip, you may also need other necessities, including your surfboard leash, a rash vest, reef booties, board wax, and more.