How to Put On a Wetsuit: Step-by-Step Guide Without the Struggle

Anyone putting on a wetsuit for the first time often ends up in a little wrestling match: the heel gets stuck in the cuff, the material clings to the skin, and by the time you reach the shoulders you’re out of breath. Yet the wetsuit isn’t your opponent – it’s a close-fitting garment with its own rules.

We at FlipSoc are regularly at the water ourselves and see the same scenes every season in the car park, on the beach and in the transition area. The good news: with the right preparation, a clear sequence and a clean grip technique, putting it on becomes routine.

In this guide you’ll get the complete instructions – for back zip and front zip models, with the most common mistakes and an honest look at helpful aids.

Why is a wetsuit so hard to put on?

A wetsuit is hard to put on because it is deliberately cut tight and the material grips the skin. Only a suit that fits like a second skin lets little water circulate – and that is exactly what keeps you warm.

Neoprene is a foamed rubber that stretches but resists. Most surfing, triathlon, swimming and diving suits are jersey-lined on the inside. This lining glides better than bare rubber, but there’s still a lot of friction at the heels, ankles and wrists, because that’s where the cuffs are tightest.

On top of that, damp or sweaty skin acts like a brake. If you change after warming up or in summer heat, you immediately notice that every centimetre takes more effort. The thicker the suit, the greater the resistance – a 5/4 mm winter suit demands considerably more patience than a thin shorty.

How do you prepare properly?

The best preparation is short fingernails, no jewellery and a clean, level spot to change. These three points do more to keep your suit intact than any technique.

Fingernails and jewellery

Most small tears in neoprene don’t happen in the water but while putting the suit on – caused by fingernails, rings or a watch clasp. Trim your nails before the season, take off rings, bracelets and your watch, and only put them back on once the suit is in place. In triathlon this also applies to the timing chip strap: it goes over the wetsuit, not under it.

The right surface

Sand, gravel and sharp stones are poison for booties, knees and leg openings. Lay out a mat, a large towel or a changing bag and stand on it. If you struggle with balance, sit on a bench, the edge of the car boot or a rock – putting on the legs is often more relaxed sitting down.

Get to know your suit

Check beforehand that the suit is the right way out and which side is the front. The knee pads go at the front, and the zip, depending on the model, on the back (back zip) or on the chest (front zip). A quick look saves you the frustration of taking it off again halfway through.

Putting on a wetsuit: step-by-step instructions

The following sequence works for almost all full suits, whether for surfing, swimming, triathlon or diving. You’ll find the differences between zip types in the next section.

1. Prepare the suit: Open the zip completely. Roll the legs outwards to just above ankle level so you can step straight into the opening.
2. Thread the first foot: Slip your foot into the leg until it comes out at the bottom. Don’t pull on the hem – push your foot through the cuff with your instep stretched.
3. Thread the second foot: Repeat on the other side. The cuffs should sit just above the ankle and not hang under the heel.
4. Work up the calves: Grip the neoprene with your fingertips, about a hand’s width above the ankle, and push it upwards in small sections. Work your way up alternating left and right.
5. Knees and thighs: Position the knee pads exactly on your knees. Then push the material further up until the crotch sits snugly. A crotch that sits too low is the most common reason the arms won’t reach later.
6. Hips and stomach: Pull the suit over your hips until the waistband sits at waist height. Smooth wrinkles on the thighs and bottom upwards.
7. Thread the first arm: Slip your hand into the sleeve, fingers together, and push it through the wrist cuff. Then work the material from the forearm towards the shoulder.
8. Thread the second arm: Same procedure. Then raise both arms above your head and circle your shoulders so the material spreads evenly across them.
9. Fine-tune: Tease excess material from your stomach and back up towards your shoulders. Especially with swim wetsuits, this step decides how freely you can move when doing front crawl.
10. Close up: Close the zip and adjust the neck seal and Velcro so that nothing chafes and you can breathe freely.

The first time, allow five to ten minutes. With practice you’ll be much faster – without the suit suffering.

Back zip or front zip: what’s different when putting it on?

Back zip suits are usually easier to put on; front zip suits are often more watertight around the torso but require more mobility to get into. Up to the hips the procedure is identical – the difference lies in the upper body.

Back zip: zip on the back

A back zip wetsuit has a long zip running along the spine and a pull cord. The large opening makes getting in easy. Once both arms are in, lean forward slightly so your back stretches and the two sides of the zip come together. Then grab the pull cord and pull it slowly and straight upwards.

If the zip jams, don’t force it. Instead, briefly draw your shoulders back, pull the material on your back up a little and try again. Finally, close the collar Velcro and stow the pull cord so it doesn’t flap around.

Front zip: entry through the chest

With a front zip wetsuit, you get in through a smaller opening at the chest and neck. Once your arms are in the sleeves, you pull the back panel with the neck piece over your head like a hood. Then you close the short zip across the chest.

This design requires more shoulder mobility. If you find it difficult, it helps to stretch the back panel open a little with both hands beforehand and tilt your head slightly forward. Stiff shoulders? Then a back zip is the more relaxed choice.

Zipless and shorty

A zipless suit has no zip at all and a very stretchy neck opening. It is particularly watertight but takes the most effort to put on and take off. A shorty – a suit with short arms and legs – is the easiest, on the other hand, because there are no tight cuffs at the ankles and wrists.

Type	Putting on	Typical use	Tip
Back zip	easy	Surfing, swimming, triathlon, beginners	Lean forward, pull the cord straight up
Front zip	medium	Surfing in cooler water	Stretch the back panel beforehand
Zipless	hard	Advanced surfers	Only put on dry and without rushing
Shorty	very easy	Warm water, summer	Still push up in sections

Which mistakes does almost everyone make when putting it on?

The most common mistake is pulling on edges and hems, followed by too little material in the crotch and fingernails that are too long. These three points cause most tears and most frustration.

• Yanking on the hem or cuff: Edges and seams are the most delicate spots. Always grip the material with your whole hand, a hand’s width away from the edge.
• Gripping with your fingernails: Even a small scratch can turn into a tear. Work with your fingertips and the flat of your hand.
• Too far, too fast: Anyone who yanks the legs up in one go ends up with the crotch too low. Then it pulls at the shoulders and arms.
• Forgetting the knee pads: If the pads sit too high or too low, the suit chafes and the material distorts over time.
• Fighting with wet skin: Damp skin increases friction considerably. Dry yourself off or use a gliding aid.
• Standing on sand and stones: Dirt gets rubbed into the material and damages booties and leg openings.
• Forcing the pull cord: Zips pulled at an angle or in jerks get stuck and can tear out.
• Reaching for unsuitable products: Washing-up liquid, hair conditioner, oil or Vaseline do make things slippery, but they can attack neoprene, seams and glue. Keep away from them.

Which aids make putting it on easier?

What helps most are things that form a smooth gliding layer between skin and neoprene – at the feet and hands, where the cuffs are tightest. Classic helpers are a plastic bag, a thin sock or a Lycra shirt.

Plastic bag

The classic: you pull a thin bag over your foot, slip into the leg and pull the bag back out at the bottom. It works surprisingly well. The drawbacks: bags tear quickly, like to blow away on the beach and end up in the bin as single-use waste.

Thin sock and Lycra

A thin sock over your foot also reduces friction, but quickly becomes a brake when wet. A Lycra shirt or rash guard under the suit helps on the upper body and also protects against chafing on the neck. On the hands, however, it does little.

Nylon dressing aid

A reusable dressing aid does the job of the bag, only more robust and purpose-built. More on this in the next section.

How FlipSoc helps you put it on

We developed FlipSoc in Erding precisely for those tight cuffs. FlipSoc is a dressing aid made of ripstop nylon that you pull over your foot or hand. The neoprene glides over the smooth nylon through the cuff instead of sticking to your skin.

Here’s how it works according to our instructions:

1. Fold the loose ends of the FlipSoc inwards by about a third.
2. Pull FlipSoc over your foot or hand.
3. Slip into the leg or sleeve of the wetsuit.
4. Pull FlipSoc out and repeat on the other side.

The advantage over a bag: the nylon is robust, reusable and works wet or dry. At around 100 g and a packed size of approx. 15 × 10.7 × 2.7 cm, FlipSoc fits in any sports bag. It is suitable for all suit thicknesses and sizes – for women, men and children.

To be honest, there is a limit: FlipSoc is made for classic wetsuits with a fabric-lined interior, i.e. the vast majority of surfing, triathlon, swimming and diving suits. It is not suitable for smoothskin or open-cell suits – where the inside is bare, rubbery neoprene that sticks to the skin – as commonly used in freediving or spearfishing. With some special interior coatings it may work only to a limited extent.

What if the wetsuit still doesn’t fit?

If the wetsuit won’t go over your shoulders or chest despite good technique, it is probably too small. A suit should fit tightly, but your breathing must not be restricted.

A well-fitting wetsuit sits like a second skin, has no large wrinkles or water pockets (a bit of material under the armpits is normal), and the cuffs at the neck, hands and feet seal well. New suits are often a little stiff at first and give slightly over time. But a suit that takes your breath away won’t end up fitting.

If you want to learn more about materials and designs in general, you’ll find the basics in our article on neoprene and wetsuits. And to make your suit last, take a look at our tips on wetsuit care.

Putting on a wetsuit by sport

The basic technique stays the same, but each sport comes with its own circumstances. A few differences are worth knowing.

Surfing

On the beach or in the car park, there’s often no clean surface. Bring a mat or a changing bag and change in the shelter of your car if possible. You’ll find more practical tips around the board in our article on surfing in a wetsuit.

Triathlon and open water swimming

Swim wetsuits are particularly thin and stretchy and very flexible at the shoulders. That’s exactly why they are sensitive to fingernails. Put your wetsuit on calmly before the start, not at the last minute. Make sure to pull the material well up so your shoulders are free for front crawl.

Diving

Diving suits are often thicker and come with booties, gloves or a hood as accessories. Put on the suit first and the accessories last. When it’s hot on shore, it’s worth closing the upper body only shortly before entering the water to avoid overheating.

Frequently asked questions about putting on a wetsuit

Should I put on my wetsuit wet or dry?

In most cases it’s easier dry, because wet or sweaty skin increases friction. A completely wet suit sometimes glides a little better, but a half-damp state is usually the hardest. With a gliding aid like FlipSoc, both work.

How long does it take to put on a wetsuit?

The first time, you should allow five to ten minutes. With practice, short nails and good technique it goes much faster. Rushing, on the other hand, almost always leads to tears or a badly fitting suit.

What do I wear under my wetsuit?

Many people wear swim shorts, a swimsuit or a tri suit under the wetsuit. A thin Lycra shirt can help prevent chafing on the neck. Thick cotton clothing is unsuitable because it soaks up water and creases.

Can I use washing-up liquid or Vaseline as a lubricant?

We advise against it. Washing-up liquid, hair conditioner, oil or Vaseline can attack neoprene, seams and glue and shorten the life of your suit. Dry skin and a smooth, reusable gliding aid are better.

How do I close a back zip on my own?

Lean forward slightly so your back is stretched, and pull the cord slowly and straight upwards. If the zip jams, briefly draw your shoulders back and start again. With a little practice you’ll manage it easily without a partner.

Conclusion

Putting on a wetsuit isn’t a question of strength but of technique. Short nails, no jewellery, a clean surface and the bottom-up sequence are the foundation. Push the material up in small sections with your fingertips, position knees and crotch carefully and only work in the arms after that.

Whether back zip, front zip or shorty: taking your time protects your suit, your back and your nerves. And at the tight cuffs, a smooth gliding layer helps more than any feat of strength.

If you want to spare yourself the tugging at heels and wrists from now on, try our reusable dressing aid: find FlipSoc here – with free shipping and free returns within 14 days.