My Women’s Spring Suit Picks for 2014

The water finally warmed up here and it is time to put away my 3/2 full suit. I love being able to feel the water when I’m surfing, and the freedom of not being covered with neoprene. Plus, my legs finally get some time in the sun!

I’m a fan of black suits, with simple lines.  Most importantly,  I like suits that suits that are comfortable and stay in place in the water, which can be really hard to find.

Here are some of my picks for the best Spring suits this summer:

My Pick for Bikini Bottoms:

I love pretty much everything from Matuse, especially these bottoms.  I love that they have a drawstring for keeping them in place. They are also made of geoprene (better than neoprene because it is made of limestone, making it more eco-friendly, and also much more comfortable) so you could actually wear them over your bikini bottom if you wanted to. At $60.00, these are a great price because they are actually little wetsuit shorts rather than bikini bottoms.  Matuse is a California company too!

Bottom line: no bikini bottoms at the end of your leash, and no gawking old men in the lineup.

Find the Siren Short here


My Pick for Bikini Top:

I have been watching the Seea brand since it started up, and the direction of this brand makes me really excited. This is one of the only surf brands geared towards just ladies, and it definitely shows with their gorgeous, feminine designs. What made the Capitola bikini top my first choice was the back. I never wear halter tops in the water (ow my neck), and I love the unique back on this one even more than the criss-cross backs I usually wear. Yes, it is a pricey top at $65.00 but I know it won’t  be a one-summer suit. A big plus is that it is also made here in California.

Bottom Line: No aching neck, and cute design.  

Find the Seea Capitola Top here


My Pick for Spring Suit with Sleeves:

 If I’m not in a bikini I’m in one piece Spring suit. I hate wearing rash guards because they never stay in place.  I have a full suit from Patagonia, which I adore for it’s warmth and durability. You can’t beat the quality of Patagonia, and although this is on the pricier side for a spring suit at $189.00, I think it is totally worth it. Plus, I love the back zip on this suit. No need to worry about the girls popping out during a session with a broken front zipper (yes, that has happened to me and no, it wasn’t pretty).

Bottom Line: quality and warmth from Patagonia, perfect for cloudy summer days. 

Find the Patagonia Women’s R1 Long-sleeved wetsuit here


My Pick for Sleeveless Spring Suit:

I wore this suit in Nicaragua, and it stayed in place through some rough waves. I have the same suit with sleeves which I also love. This suit was nice for getting a tan on arms and back, and was perfect for really warm water. I also found that it had more coverage on the butt, which was nice for being a little more modest in a foreign country. I bought a size bigger than normal (I usually wear an 8), but found that it stretched a bit in the water, so definitely buy true to your size. For $79.99, it might seem a little expensive, but it is still cheaper than a nice one-piece bathing suit.

Bottom Line: Travel-friendly, tan friendly.

Find the Ripcurl G-bomb Spring Crossback here