What Is A 3/2 Wetsuit?
Lauren Collison July 10th, 2020 Posted In: Articles
What Is A 3/2 Wetsuit?
Picture this – it’s a beautiful summer day where the sun is out, there’s not a cloud in sight, and the air feels warm against your skin. You decide to jump into the water and enjoy this wonderful day (can’t say I blame you). Yet, as soon as your legs touch the water, a chill hits you and makes you completely second guess your decision to enjoy the water today. Bummer, right? Lucky for you, that’s where a 3/2 wetsuit comes in!
So, what is a 3/2 wetsuit exactly?
Pronounced “three-two”, a 3/2mm full wetsuit is a fantastic option for days when you need full coverage in warm to cool water temperatures. And by water temperatures, I mean in the 58 Degrees Fahrenheit & up kind of temperatures (depending on the wetsuit seams – more on that shortly).
Ranging in all kinds of colors and features a 3/2 fullsuit was designed for use for a variety of watersports such as surfing, wakeboarding, diving, paddling, and more.
What is a 3 2 wetsuit thickness defined:
The 3mm thickness is found in the core of the fullsuit. Why? Because the torso is where the heat is, baby. That’s where water gets trapped and where the neoprene fabric creates heat so you stay warm while in the water. The 2mm thickness is placed in the extremities of the wetsuit – so the arms and legs. The less mm thickness in the arms and legs means there’s more flexibility for you to paddle comfortably. While the 3mm in the core allows you to stay warmer, longer. Also, because the thickness is pretty light overall, a 3/2 wetsuit offers the most range of motion!
Seams
A 3/2mm wetsuit is either constructed with flatlock seams or with sealed seams. However, they can also feature sealed & taped seams, which works best in 58 degrees F temps because the taping creates more of a watertight seam and adds durability.
Flatlock seams do allow water to seep in which is why 3/2 suits with flatlock seams work best in 68 degrees F temps and up. Meanwhile, sealed seams are more watertight than flatlock but not as leakproof as sealed and taped. Sealed seams also allow you to be in 62 degrees F & up temps.
Zippers
3/2 fullsuits can either have a back zipper, chest zipper, or no zipper (zip-free). Truthfully, it’s up to you and your preferences when it comes to choosing what type of zipper you want with your 3/2 suit. With that being said, back zippers are the easiest to get in and out of because they have the largest opening.
Other Features
Some suits come with a smooth skin material which can attract UV rays and turn that into heat while still fending off the chill from the wind. Also, fullsuits nowadays come in a variety of colors and genders. Whether you need a 3/2mm men’s fullsuit, a 3/2 women’s wetsuit, or even a kid’s/junior’s 3/2mm wetsuit, you’ve got options!
Now that you’re an expert in 3/2 wetsuits, time to gear up and get in the water!
