It’s Christmas. You’ve had a few drinks, you feel a bit merry, you fancy going for a surf to burn off some of those Christmas calories. It doesn’t feel too cold outside, so you’re tempted to just jump straight in without putting on a wetsuit, but is it safe?

Santa scoring a wave!

The short answer is no, it isn’t a good idea at all! We’ve actually seen folks out near Bournemouth Pier without wetsuits in previous winters obviously trying to prove their mettle. Most don’t stay in the water very long, but even a short dip in the sea carries dangers if you’re not wearing the right kit.

The main issue with going into the water without a wetsuit is that you will get cold very fast. Surfing in particular carries the real danger of hypothermia, particularly as most of us will be idle in the water for extended periods waiting for the best waves.Wetsuits are a worthwhile investment for the added protection they offer against hypothermia.

Let’s be honest, even in the summer months Britain’s Seas can still be a little on the cold side, so a lightweight and skin tight wetsuit is ideal for letting you enjoy your water sports activities over the summer while keeping the chills at bay.

A Shortie made of 2 mm neoprene will do fine for water temperatures above 70 F. Anything below that temperature you’ll want to think about a full wetsuit. We strongly advise against anyone wearing a summer wetsuit in winter, it simply won’t be up to the job!

A properly fitting winter wetsuit is really the only answer if you want to continue surfing in safety and comfort throughout the winter months. Add to that a decent set of boots, gloves, and even a hood to stop heat loss from your head, and you’ll stay in the water much longer.

As an alternative to a top of the range winter wetsuit, you can combine your standard winter wettie with a thermal rash vest.

Rip Curl H Bomb - The Ultimate Winter Wetsuit

For the ultimate in winter warmth check out the Rip Curl H Bomb wetsuit – with this one you’ll never have to worry about the cold again!

It’s the world’s first power heated wetsuit. It’s a wetsuit designed to keep you super-warm by positioning two coated fibre elements that generate heat on your upper back. It has three temperature settings, Low, Med & Boost!

Okay, so all things considered, surfing without a wetsuit just does not make sense. If you are going to go in the water this Christmas, make sure you wear a decent winter wetsuit.

The producers of the Channel Five hit TV Series, The Gadget Show approached us a little while back in order to help out with a little wetsuit test they were about to embark on – and we were only too happy to help.

The “hands-on” test was going to pitch the very latest in wetsuit technology against each other. In the blue corner was Billabong’s brand new solar-heated wetsuit – the Billabong SG5, and in the red corner the favourite – the Rip Curl H-Bomb (supplied by the Wetsuit Centre).

Once the Presenters, Gail Porter and Jason Bradbury got all togged up it was time to take on the wetsuit cold water challenge, a series of cold water tests designed to see who would stay warm the longest.

The face-off started with a ice-box challenge, with Gail wearing the Rip Curl SG5 and Jason in the H-Bomb sitting in an ice-box for a full 5 minutes. Then it was a mad dash to pick up a couple of lilos and head off down the rapids at the Nene Whitewater Centre. With thermal imaging cameras runnin alongside the intrepid twosome, it was easy to see which wetsuit was holding the heat.

You can check out the video for yourself – but just so you know ….. our Rip Curl H-Bomb romped home a worthy winner. (Ok it is three times the price of the Billabong SG5 – but it looks like the bar has been set for other winter wetsuits manufacturers to catch up).

Watch the Gadget Show Wetsuit Challenge

Impressed by the reviews?? Buy the Rip Curl H-Bomb online or give the Wetsuit Centre a call on 01202 302943 to give one a try.