Wetsuit Glossary
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There's a lot of jargon surrounding wetsuits and wetsuit technology. We've put together a nice little glossary of the terms that you'll want to familiarise yourself with before you begin your search for a new wetsuit.
Please feel free to contribute any terms that have been left out. There are also a couple of other glossaries that you may find useful to increase your surfing vocabulary.
Surf talk: your guide to surfer lingo
Surfing wave terms explained.
Terms and Terminology
Back Zip
The traditional location for a wetsuit zip. Back zips normally run from the base of the spine and zip straight up the back behind the neck.
Batwing
A separate layer in the back of a wetsuit, which stops water seepage from the zip from coming into contact with the skin.
Beavertail
You won't see beavertails much these days, but they were all the rage in the 1970s. Wetsuits had a flap attached to the wetsuit's back. The flap was used to secure the wetsuit, passing it between the legs and secured in front. Although designed to hold the suit in place, it would often be seen hanging free, resembling a beaver's tail.
Blindstitched
A method of wetsuit stitching where the edges of the wetsuit panels are glued together then stitched. Find out in detail about wetsuit stitching here.
Booties
Neoprene boots for use with wetsuits in very cold water and for protection from reefs, urchins etc.
Chest Zip
Where the wetsuit zip is sewn in along the chest - not the back - of the wetsuit. A chest zip provides an excellent water seal and allows maximum flexibility across the backpanel and sholders.
Convertible
A wetsuit with detachable arms and / or legs.
Custom Wetsuit
A wetsuit that is tailor made to a persons specific measurements. This ensures an excellent fit and results in a warmer wetsuit.
Double blindstitched
Where the seam is glued together and blindstitched (see above) on one side. The seam is then turned inside-out and blindstitched on the other.
Double lined
A wetsuit that has a lining on both the inside and outside.
Expanded Seam Technology (EST)
EST is a patented stitchless technology first used in wetsuit fabrication in the 1990's. The panels are bonded together with glue, using hexagonal or wave shaped edge patterns, resulting in a strong stitchless seam.
Flatlocked stitching
Flatlock stitching involves laying one panel edge over the other, then stitching though the neoprene. Flatlock seams are strong and flexible, but let in water. This type of stitching would not be used on a cold water suit.
Flush
Refers to cold water entering the wetsuit, normally though the neck while duck diving, and flushing the warm water from inside the wetsuit. Brrr!
Fullsuit
A wetsuit with full length arms and legs. Find out more about wetsuit types in detail.
Gaskets
Gaskets were areas on the neck, wrists, and ankles of a wetsuit where the wetsuit fabric was rolled inwards to create an improved waterproof seal in an effort to reduce seepage and flushing. Gaskets have been replaced by modern tight fitting wetsuit neoprene.
Glued
Where glue has been used in the sealing / stitching of the seam.
Gusset
The gusset is the panel that runs down the arm, and designed to make paddling easier.
Hood
Hoods are wetsuit balaclava's that are used in very cold water conditions. Hoods can be bought separately, but some models of wetsuit include an attached hood, or a hood that can be removed if required. An wetsuit with hood attached can dramatically reduce flushing.
Kneepads
No prizes for this one. Extra resistant rubber pads placed over the knees of a wetsuit to help protect the knee area from wear and tear.
Liquid Seams
Liquid rubber is applied to the inside and / or outside of a seam over the stitching. This creates a 100% waterproof seal, strengthens the seam, and is ultra flexible.
Long John
Armless, long legged wetsuit.
Millimeters (mm)
Refers to thickness of neoprene. For example, 2mm refers to a wetsuit made from 2 millimeter neoprene. For full details, have a look at the wetsuit sizing page.
Mini-back Zip
A zip at the back of a wetsuit, smaller than the traditional back zip. Its reduced size results in less chance of cold water seepage through the zip.
Mini Zip
A small wetsuit zip, an alternative to the full length back zip. Mini zips can be located at the back of front of a wetsuit, but not both!
Neoprene
Neoprene is the stretchy synthetic rubber that wetsuit are made from. It is produced by polymerization of chloroprene, and its production process results in a waterproof material with insulating gas cells.
Panels
The separate sheets of neoprene that are joined together to make the wetsuit. As neoprene technology has moved on, the number of panels used to make a wetsuit has reduced, meaning less seams and a more flexible suit.
Polypropylene
A water repellent material used as a lining in modern wetsuits, and some rashguards.
Rubber
Wetsuits are made from the synthetic rubber Neoprene.
Seams
The areas of a suit where the panels have been joined together. There are a number of different ways that seams are created, read all about them here.
Short John
Armless, short legged wetsuit.
Shortie
A wetsuit with short arms and legs.
Shoulder Zip
A zip that goes across the shoulders at the back of the wetsuit.
Springsuit
A short legged wetsuit, with either long or short arms. Usually made from 2mm neoprene.
Steamer
A full length wetsuit, normally with full length arms, but sometimes with short arms.
Stress point taping
Glueing tape over critical seam joints in a wetsuit to provide additional strength. Also see taped seams.
Superstretch / Ultrastretch
A type of neoprene developed for excellent stretch and memory. It is usually used on the arms or underarm panels to provide lower resistance when paddling.
Taped seams
Nylon tape is glued along the seams, covering the stitching. The tape strengthens the seam and makes it waterproof. The tape does decrease flexibility, and is now being replaced with more flexible liquid seams.
Titanium
The addition of a titanium layer to the wetsuit provides increased insulation, resulting in a warmer suit. Also used in rash guards.
Velcro
Hook and loop fastener, used to secure overlapping wetsuit panels on zipperless wetsuits and at the top of zippers.
Warranty
Wetsuits, like most other purchases, come with a guarantee, issued to the purchaser of an article by its manufacturer, promising to repair or replace it if necessary within a specified period of time. These periods vary, so check at the time of purchase and find out exactly what warranty is on offer. Wetsuits can be expensive to buy, so it's nice to have some piece of mind with a good warranty.
X-Stretch
See Superstretch.
Xcel Wetsuits
Premier wetsuit brand, created in 1982 by Ed D'Ascoli, right on Sunset Beach, Hawaii. See our Xcel wetsuits range here.
Yamomoto
Yamomoto is a type of rubber used in some wetsuit construction - Matuse currently use this. Yamomoto offers more flexibility, premium performance and has more warmth for less thickness.
Zipperless
A wetsuit without a zip. Ultra stretchy neoprene is used in it's construction.
Further Wetsuit Information
We have some other articles that give in-depth explanations of many of the terms mentioned here. Types of stitching are mentioned several times about, so why not continue by reading more about wetsuit seams and stitching.
What about the type of surfing wetsuit you'll need?
Take a look at our main wetsuit detail page that explains how a wetsuit works.
Taking care of your wetsuit is important if you want it to last. The price of a new wettie is high enough that you should care about it lasting.
If you are looking to buy a wetsuit, look through the wetsuit buying guide, which gives an overview of all considerations.
This was very helpful!!
I could not find the coloquial word for wetsuit
Hi- try Steamer