What are full suits?
Full suits are wetsuits that extend all the way to the ankles, unlike springsuits which are cut above the knees. These suits are worn in colder water and offer optimal warmth in the core as well as the lower legs, which spend the most time in the water. Full suits generally start at 2 mm thickness and go up from there.
What suits are considered full suits?
The following suits are considered full suits:
- 2/2 short sleeve full (short sleeves and long legs)
- 2/2 full (long arms and long legs)
- 3/2 (the rest of these suits have long arms and long legs)
- 4/3
- 5/4
- 6/4
When do you need a full suit on the east coast?
Depending on where you are located on the East Coast, you very well may be in a full suit of some sort all year long. For surfers in Maine, even during the summertime, a 3/2 is still needed in most cases.
Even if you are in Florida though, you are going to need a full suit if you plan on surfing year round. So, it really depends on the time of the year and how far north or south you are on the coast, but if your plan is to surf year round on the East Coast, a full suit is a necessity.