Neoprene Womens One Piece
A women's neoprene one-piece for warmth and sun protection in and out of the water - built for surfing, kayaking, stand-up paddling and long days where a full wetsuit would be too much.
Who it's for
The gap between bathers and a wetsuit, which is where most Australian water actually sits. A full wetsuit is too much for a summer paddle or a snorkel; plain bathers leave you cold after an hour and burnt after two. At 1.5 mm this covers both - enough neoprene to hold warmth through a long session, thin enough that you never feel wrapped up.
Surfing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, open-water swimming and snorkelling, all in the one garment.
Buoyancy and flexibility
1.5 mm is thin enough to move naturally in - you will not notice it through a paddle stroke the way you would a 3 mm suit. The outer face is a hard-wearing fabric, which counts for a lot in something you sit on a board in and drag across sand.
Getting the size right
Sizes run XS to XL, and snug is what you want. Neoprene only holds warmth if the water against you stays put, so a loose fit flushes and stops working. Between two sizes, take the smaller - it gives with wear.
Water temperature range
1.5 mm is a warm-water thickness. It extends a summer session by hours rather than opening up winter swimming, which wants considerably more neoprene.
Looking after neoprene
Rinse it in fresh water after every swim - salt and chlorine both attack neoprene, and neither forgives being left on. Dry it in the shade or somewhere airy inside. Never in the sun: UV is what turns good neoprene hard and brittle, and one Australian summer on a fence will do it.
Hang it over something wide or fold it loosely, and never wring it out.