WHAT TO WEAR FOR SURFING IN WARM WATERS 👙🩳: A Beginner’s Guide
After debating with yourself for days (if not weeks or months), you have finally signed up for that surf lesson during your upcoming Punta Cana vacation. YAY!
As you pack your suitcase, you imagine yourself surfing in your sexy bikini, made of 3 square inches of fabric. Or if you are a man, surfing in whatever landed on your suitcase that you can swim in (and that includes your speedo swim trunk)!
But please keep reading! I beg you!
Sorry to burst your bubble but let me just give you a better picture of what is really going to happen on that surf lesson and what (from personal experience and years of teaching vacationers how to surf) I recommend you wear to your warm-water surf session, to ensure you have fun, are comfortable, and don’t get injured (I’m not kidding! Sunburn is serious!).
This is not an unusual dilemma. I get repeatedly asked by surfers coming to surf with us, specially those that come from a places where the water is normally cold, what is the right surfing attire in our waters. Let me start by letting you know the best part: wetsuits are not necessary. NEVER! 🙌🏼
Those of you that tend to get chilly, during our winter months (late December to March) you can comfortably wear a “Springsuit” for a warmer feel.
For your reference, Macao Beach in Punta Cana has a yearly average of 80°F (26.67°C). Keeping that into consideration, here are our recommendations for what works for surfing here:
ESSENTIALS
RASHGUARD
Rashguards may be the best invention for surfers since the surfboard!
Rashguards not only prevent belly-rash, caused by rubbing your belly against the board, but also provide excellent sun protection for your upper body. In the tropics, the sun is no joke: it burns you, fast and strong, in cloudy and clear days alike!
A quality rashguard should be made of good material and be at least 50+ SPF (most surf brands carry rashguards that meet this criteria).
Most surf schools offer rashguards, but make sure that your school of choice offers them. If they are long sleeved, even better. That is if you do not want a trucker’s tan, but to each their own!
HAT
HATIf the skin on your face is sensitive, or you simply want to add additional protection to your face, wearing a hat is recommended, even if you are dark skinned.
If you do not have a full head of hair, seriously consider a hat, to avoid getting your scalp sunburned.
Find a hat or cap that is specifically designed for surfing, with a short brim (as you need to have enough visibility to the sides) and should have a tie around your chin that can be tighten comfortably. The best surfing hats normally have neoprene ties that are safe, comfortable, durable and are secured with plastic buckles.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE LADIES
ONE-PIECE SWIMSUIT
If you don’t feel like wearing a rashguard since you only have two more days left of your vacation to work on your tan, by all means go ahead, but a one piece suit might stay better in place.
BIKINIS
If you are a bikini kind of gal, I highly recommend that you wear really tight top and bottom, at least one size smaller than what you normally wear (a sports bra as a top is even better) or you will be showing off more than your surfing skills in the water! The top should not tie at the neck. Having a string pulling down your neck while you are being active, can be a real literal pain and ruin your surfing experience as it can be really uncomfortable.
No ties, buckles or accessories on the front of your bikini or swimsuit! Those just get in the way and will poke you when lying down on the board.
LEGGINGS
I personally wear leggings to surf all the time, and for me they are as much an essential as rashguards. I suggest them for protecting your legs from the sun, and if you have sensitive skin, they prevent you from getting a rash on the front of your thighs when lying down on the board, or in your inner thighs when sitting on our board with your legs on both sides.
Good quality, lycra, workout leggings will do the job. Avoid cotton material as it absorbs and retains water and will be very uncomfortable.
Keep in mind that if you surf shortly after shaving your thighs, you will be more prone to skin irritation. And if you have hair in your thighs it will get caught and pulled by the wax on the board.
BOARDSHORTS
If you are modest or simply don’t have a tight bikini-bottom, you can always wear boardshorts (conveniently named, because they are perfect for surfing!) . These are shorts that stay put, dry quickly and are super comfy. All surf brands carry them and help you surf worry free!
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE GENTLEMEN
For men, the surfing attire in warm water could not be simpler! Here are a couple of things I dare to recommend!
BOARDSHORTS
They are a much better option than swim trunks or speedos, just because the length will prevent rash on your thighs, and the wax from pulling out the hair of your legs, OUCH! They are also stretchy and dry quickly. Today’s technology in boardshorts is simply mind blowing! All surf brands offer a wide selection of options.
LEGGINGS OR COMPRESSION BRIEFS
Worn under the boardshorts. For additional sun protection, rash prevention and avoiding the very common salt water rash around delicate areas!! You’re welcome 🙂
I am happy to share the items that have proven to be lifesavers during my surfing career and what our male surfers also suggest. Remember that the objective is to be comfortable and concentrate on your surfing, not on your bathing suit being all over the place, or with your skin burning from a rash or the sun!
Aside from these suggestions, keep on mind to wear whatever you think will work for you, and remember that regardless of what you have on, you will look like an absolute rockstar once you stand on a surfboard and smile for the camera! 📸
Useful Links:
Male Compression Briefs/Leggings
