A wetsuit is designed to keep your body warm in cold water. In really chilly conditions however, a wetsuit alone isn’t enough. This is because the parts of your body that aren’t covered in neoprene – your head, feet and hands – will get cold too. For this reason, O’Neill and other surf brands produce various wetsuit accessories. In this blog article we will explain which accessories there are and when you need them.
1. Wetsuit accessories to keep your head and ears warm
The head is one of the areas of the body where most body heat is lost. It also has a huge influence on your overall perception of temperature. To keep your head comfortable when the water is freezing, you can choose from two wetsuit accessories: a wetsuit hood or a wetsuit cap. Because both of these accessories cover your ears, they also help to prevent surfer’s ears, a condition that often occurs among cold water surfers.
Read more more on the differences between a wetsuit cap and hood below.
Wetsuit cap
A wetsuit cap usually covers just the top of your head and ears. A cap is often attached with a chin strap or simply worn on top of your head like a beanie. Because your neck remains free, you maintain a lot of freedom to move in the water.