Gear
What to wear.
What to ride.
Water temperature swings 35°F (20°C) across surf zones worldwide. Your wetsuit picks itself once you know your local water — your board picks itself by the conditions.
I'm a surfer who got tired of bad gear advice — these are picks I'd send to a friend starting out. Every link goes to Amazon and helps keep SurfSeer free.
— Rodrigo, founder
First-time kit
Everything you need to start, in one place.
If you've never bought surf gear before, here's the minimum kit. One of each below and you're ready for your first session.
Total kit: about $275–600 on Amazon
Beginner board
$150–300
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Wetsuit
$100–250
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Leash
$20–40
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Wax
$5–10
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Most items ship free with Amazon Prime — usually arrives within 2 days. We're not Amazon and don't see your purchase, just earn a small commission if you buy.
Wetsuit by water temperature
Tropical
26°C+ / 78°F+Boardshorts / rashguard
No wetsuit needed. Rashguard if you're prone to rash, or for sun protection on long sessions. Bali, North Shore, Brazilian northeast, Maldives, Caribbean.
Surf for hours without overheating — UV-protected and quick-drying.
Trusted brands: Vissla, Quiksilver, Body Glove, Speedo
Warm
20–25°C / 68–77°F2 mm shorty or 3/2 spring suit
Spring/shorty for most days; long-sleeve top if the wind is up. Florida, Bahia, Sydney summer, Mediterranean summer.
Comfortable from sunrise dawnies to evening glass-offs.
Trusted brands: O'Neill, Rip Curl, Hyperflex, Body Glove
Cool
14–20°C / 57–68°F3/2 fullsuit, 4/3 on the cooler end
3/2 is the workhorse — versatile across most temperate zones. Step up to 4/3 once water drops near 15°C. Most of California, Florianópolis, Portugal, US East Coast spring/fall.
Stay surfing through fall and spring — when waves get the cleanest.
Trusted brands: O'Neill, Rip Curl, Xcel, Hyperflex, Hurley
Cold
Below 14°C / 57°F5/4 hooded + boots + gloves
Hooded 5/4 (or 5/4/3) plus 5–7 mm boots and gloves. Lock the cuffs to keep flush-out to a minimum. Northern Europe, Pacific Northwest, Tasmania winter, US East Coast winter.
Surf year-round even in 50°F water without losing feeling in your hands.
Trusted brands: O'Neill Psycho, Xcel Drylock, Rip Curl Flashbomb
Board by conditions
Match the stick to the surf.
Essentials
The stuff you actually need.
The kit no surfer goes without — leash, wax, fins, sunscreen. Replace as needed.
Why buy through SurfSeer
No surprises, no upsells.
Curated, not random
We pick the gear types real surfers ride — not the highest-commission products. Every link points to a search, so you see real reviews and pick what's right for you.
SurfSeer stays free
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Built by an indie surfer
SurfSeer is a one-person side project built by an independent surfer-developer. Buying through these links is the easiest way to say thanks and keep new spots and features coming.
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Cross-check on the spot page
Every spot page shows the right wetsuit automatically — based on the local water temperature wherever you're surfing. Use this guide as a baseline; the spot page is the ground truth.
See a spot's wetsuit setup →