A good wetsuit jacket shouldn’t hold you back from absolutely shredding. Photo: Ella Boyd//The Inertia
Ah, surfing in the tropics. For the vast majority of wave slaves across the globe who depend on wetsuits and springsuits, there’s nothing better than surfing in boardshorts. Except, for instance, when tropical trade winds begin howling during an otherwise glorious shoulder-season afternoon and you’re a bit dumbfounded to find yourself freezing in Hawai’i. Enter the wetsuit jacket, designed to give you just enough warmth to hang in that tropical (or subtropical) water when you’d otherwise be left shivering.
Wetsuit jackets are also a great way to get the protection of a wetsuit (think sunburns, reef cuts, and rashes) without overheating in a full-body wetsuit or springsuit during cool-water summers. And the versatility they provide is bar none when it comes to surfwear: pullovers, front-zips, back-zips, smoothskin, and a range of thicknesses. Let’s not forget style! At hip longboard spots like San Onofre, the front-zip wetsuit jacket is a staple in the water, often seen layered over a farmer john springsuit. If you want to be really hip, leave the jacket open while you soul-arch at the tip of your log. Trust us, it’s a head-turning look.
All jokes aside, any cool-to-warm-water surfer should have a wetsuit jacket in their wardrobe. But with so many options on the market, there is a surprising variety of design flaws. For a while, we didn’t think the ideal wetsuit jacket even existed, but we were unwilling to give up hope. So, for this 2024 update, we sent our O’ahu local lead tester fifteen promising jackets to give you our honest appraisals. Read on for the best wetsuit jackets of 2024, and for more information, check out our Buyer’s Guide, Ultimate Fit Guide, and Comparison Table. If you arrived here in search of a women’s wetsuit jacket, check out the Best Women’s Wetsuit Jackets.
The Best Wetsuit Jackets of 2024
Best Overall AND Most Sustainable Wetsuit Jacket: Billabong 1mm Revolution Natural
Warmest Wetsuit Jacket: Manera X10D Neo Top 2mm
Most Flexible Wetsuit Jacket: Florence Marine X 1.5mm FlatLock Wetsuit Jacket
Best Front-Zip Wetsuit Jacket: Patagonia Regulator Lite Front-Zip Long-Sleeved Wetsuit Top
Best Budget Wetsuit Jacket: Xcel Axis Long Sleeve Jacket 2mm
Best Value Wetsuit Jacket: O’Neill O’riginal 2/1mm Back Zip Jacket
Best Overall AND Most Sustainable Wetsuit Jacket
Billabong 1mm Revolution Natural Wetsuit Jacket ($150)
Pros: Amazing fit and flexibility, comfortable and warm lining, sustainable Yulex rubber
Cons: Expensive and only available in 1mm
Thickness: 1mm
Various small flaws can make wearing (or shopping for) a wetsuit jacket an exercise in frustration. Our Best Overall Wetsuit Jacket has none of them. The Billabong 1mm Revolution Natural Wetsuit Jacket is supremely comfortable, form-fitting, stretchy and flexible enough to be easy to get in and out of, effortless to paddle in, secured in place by a waist-cinch and rubberized waist hem, lined with toasty Graphene, and constructed from recycled Pro Stretch fabric and Yulex Pure Stretch Natural Rubber. It’s even biodegradable, thanks to CICLO enzyme-infused fibers in the lining. This top’s really got it all, including a high-end, but not exorbitant price.
As part of Billabong’s “Upcycler” program, this top also represents a shift towards sustainable practices for legacy wetsuit manufacturers. Patagonia’s influence on the market for sustainable materials is undeniable, but we’re stoked to see one of the good ol’ boys following suit. Xcel has also pledged to join in, and others will likely do so eventually, but in the meantime, Billabong continues to improve its already awesome Natural product line. In fact, we’re happy to share the love by also awarding this top our Most Sustainable award for 2024, thanks to Billabong’s use of natural rubber, 100% recycled/upcycled materials, and biodegradation-enhancing enzymes.
Yeah, it’s a little pricey, and it’s only available in 1mm. But Billabong’s Graphene fleece lining more than makes up for the thinness, making this jacket the best of the best for a reason: it offers the supple feel of a 1mm top and darn close to the warmth of a 2mm. The bottom line is that the Billabong Revolution Natural Wetsuit Jacket delivers everything you want from a surf top – comfort, warmth, and flexibility – without bunching up, choking you out, flushing from the neck or sleeves, or using nasty materials. Go buy one. Seriously, you can stop reading.
Check Price on AmazonBest Value Wetsuit Jacket
O’Neill O’riginal 2/1mm Back Zip Jacket ($100)
Pros: Easy entry, smoothskin, flexible arms/shoulders, great all-rounder
Cons: Too long in front, so occasionally bunches up even with boardshort tie
Thickness: 2/1mm
The O’Neill O’riginal has a thoughtful combination of features that work well together and come at a great price point, making it our Best Value Wetsuit Jacket of 2024. First off, it’s 2mm thick on the torso and 1mm on the arms and shoulders, pairing warmth where it matters most with maximum flexibility for unrestricted paddling. The torso also features a wind-proof smoothskin finish, so this top stays a bit warmer when those tradewinds kick in. It’s also one of the easiest jackets to get in and out of, thanks to the back zipper. Finally, it’s only $10 more than our Best Budget pick.
Overall, the O’riginal is stretchy, comfortable and fits well (form-fitting with lengthy sleeves). However, the front of the torso has an elongated flap that (like the Manera X10D but not as extreme) overlaps considerably past the boardshort tie. Also, because of the back zip, there’s no waist cinch. Combined with the longer torso, this leads to occasional bunching around the waist. Lastly, the lining is a basic, smooth jersey finish that doesn’t offer the added warmth of Billabong’s Graphene, Manera’s X10D jersey, or Rip Curl’s E-Bomb (see below).
It may not be as perfectly fitting and comfortable as the Billabong Revolution Natural, as flexible as the Florence FlatLock, or as warm as the Manera X10D, but it’s pretty good! Jack (O’Neill! Get it?) of all trades, master of none. At only a hundred bucks, it’s a great value.
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Best Budget Wetsuit Jacket
Xcel Axis Wetsuit Top ($90)
Pros: Limestone neoprene provides good warmth and paddle-ability
Cons: Not a standout in any particular category, short arms
Xcel’s Axis Wetsuit Top has been around for long enough for Xcel to figure out just what needs to go into a wetsuit jacket, and what doesn’t. The Axis has all of the features you’d expect, like flexible limestone neoprene, a comfortable enough lining, boardshort tie, and elastic at the hem, and still clocks in at a reasonable sub-$100 price point. You can even find some solid deals on Xcel’s website for past versions of the top.
The current version of the Axis has done away with the 2/1mm construction (2mm of neoprene on front and back, and 1mm on the arms and sides of the body) in favor of 2mm throughout. This means that, in comparison to the previous, it’ll edge toward warmth over flexibility, most noticeably in the arms. Those who would rather the 2/1mm version can still find it in limited availability online. We found the latest 2mm version to be a solid all-around performer, but, as with other Xcel wetsuit products, the sleeves run a bit shorter than most other manufacturers. Not an issue for most, but our lanky tester found himself wishing for a bit of extra wrist coverage. Quibbles aside, the Axis remains our Best Budget winner, and with good reason, delivering warmth and flexibility at a very reasonable price point.
Our favorite feature of this jacket is the use of different neoprene thicknesses – 2mm of neoprene cover the front, back, and upper arms, while 1mm is used on the lower arms and sides of the body for increased flexibility. While you won’t get quite as much warmth as a 2mm, or quite as much stretch as a 1mm, this is a happy medium.
The O’Neill O’riginal (see above) offers a bit of a lankier fit, longer arms, and more features for $10 extra bucks.
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Warmest Wetsuit Jacket
Manera X10D Neo Top 2mm ($175)
Pros: Ultra warm, fleece lined, form-fitting
Cons: Difficult to get in/out of, long in the torso, expensive
Thickness: 2mm
If you’re stubbornly, desperately trying to avoid a springsuit while pushing the lower limits of sane boardshort water temps, the Manera X10D 2mm Neo Top is your armor of choice. For anyone else, it may be overkill. Seriously, you’ll start sweating as soon as you squirm into this thing (take this with a grain of salt though, since we tested this in Hawai`i). This incendiary warmth is compliments of the 2mm of limestone neoprene molded into a second-skin fit, then lined with Manera’s X10D jersey, which includes a heart-warming fleece panel on the chest.
Regarding the fit: Lanksters rejoice! Manera’s 3D-designed wetsuit jackets feature the longest arms and torso of any tops we’ve tested – a medium would probably fit someone who’s 6’4” and 150 lbs. We appreciate the water-tight theory behind the extra-long torso, but in practice, the front overlaps a few inches past the boardshort tie, which often causes the waist to wrinkle and bunch up—not just from heavy beatdowns, but also from normal surfing movements. Plus, this was the most expensive top we tested. If you’re looking to stay warm, at this price point, you’re solidly in springsuit territory.
All considered though, if you’re after a high-end, form-fitting, and extremely warm top, Manera’s X10D 2mm Neo Top is our 2024 winner for Warmest Wetsuit Jacket. Those interested in other warmth-forward wetsuit tops should check out the Rip Curl E-Bomb, below.
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Most Flexible Wetsuit Jacket
Florence Marine X FlatLock 1.5 mm Jacket ($140)
Pros: Extremely stretchy and flexible, comfortable neck
Cons: No waist-cinch, roomy cut (runs large)
Thickness: 1.5mm
Our 2024 Most Flexible award goes to the Florence Marine X FlatLock 1.5mm Wetsuit Jacket, which is downright ridiculously stretchy and flexible. Its combination of Japanese Yamamoto neoprene with a lining made from 20% elastane makes for totally unrestricted paddling and the easiest entry and removal of any pullover wetsuit jacket we tested. The lowered neck makes for a great fit across the collarbones and minimizes flushing while duck diving, which, combined with chafe-free flatlock stitching throughout, makes this a warm, comfortable wetsuit jacket that delivers unmatched flexibility.
However, the roomy cut differs from that of a typical, form-fitting wetsuit jacket. Florence Marine X recommends sizing down “for a better fit,” but then you might run into issues with sleeve length (see our Ultimate Fit Guide below). The FlatLock also lacks a waist cinch. Combined with the ultra-stretchy material, this meant that, for our lanky/slim lead tester (size: medium), the sleeve cuffs (despite their rubberized gaskets) occasionally flushed and rolled up, and the waist, even with the boardshort tie in use, didn’t stay put all that well. Since these issues were mostly due to the fit, we still highly recommend this jacket — and surfers with an average or stocky build (who will definitely want to steer clear of the likes of Rip Curl’s E-Bomb and Quicksilver’s Everyday Sessions, below) will be hard pressed to find a better option.
Check Price on FlorenceBest Front-Zip Wetsuit Jacket
Patagonia Regulator Lite Front-Zip ($159)
Pros: New and improved natural Yulex rubber is warm and flexible, comfortable low-neck opening, available in no-zip pullover as well
Cons: Thick zipper bunches up while paddling, boardshort tie is on the left hip, expensive
Thickness: 2mm (or 1.5mm for pullover)
With the Fall 2023 update to their Yulex blend, Patagonia’s natural rubber wetsuits are now on par with neoprene in terms of warmth and flexibility. This means that their wetsuit jackets, like their 2024 Best Overall Springsuit, are among the best on the market. So if you’re looking for a sustainable, performance wetsuit (and you should be, as traditional neoprene is downright nasty), Patagonia remains an excellent option.
Our 2024 Best Front-Zip Jacket, the Regulator Lite Front-Zip, is a great blend of performance, versatility, and sustainability. A standout among front-zips, the jacket is form-fitting, comfortable, and has a well-padded, repairable, and replaceable Riri zipper. That said, we did find the zipper was noticeable while paddling a shortboard (this seems to be inevitable with front-zips, though). Also, there appears to be a (useless) boardshort tie inexplicably located on the left hip, so the waist didn’t stay put as well as we’d have liked (the no-zip version does have the boardshort tie located in what we consider to be the “proper” location.” But if you’ve got limited shoulder or neck mobility and don’t want to wrestle with a pull-over, or you’re a fan of the versatility (or style) of a front zip, look no further.
Patagonia also offers a wide variety of other wetsuit top styles: pull-over jackets (we also loved the no-zip Regulator Lite ($139)), vests, and more.
Check Price on PatagoniaBest of the Rest
Runner-Up Warmest Wetsuit Jacket
Rip Curl E-Bomb 1.5mm Long Sleeve Wetsuit Jacket ($140)
Pros: Warm, cozy lining
Cons: Could be too warm, depending on where you surf/how hot you run, less flexible due to the thick lining, difficult to get in/out of
Thickness: 1.5mm
If you’re looking for a warm, ultra-slim-fitting wetsuit jacket, the buck officially stops at Rip Curl’s E-Bomb Wetsuit Jacket. While 1.5mm of (old-school) neoprene doesn’t sound like anything special, the added E6 thermal lining makes a world of difference. Second only to the Manera X10D for warmth, this wetsuit jacket should get most folks through a Hawaiian winter, or the hot-blooded ones through a SoCal summer.
Even for someone below the recommended weight range (see Ultimate Fit Guide, below), the fit is tight, so you’ll have to wrestle to get into/out of this thing (though it wasn’t the hardest to get out of either: see Quiksilver’s jacket, below). Only you can decide whether that struggle is worth the easy-to-forget performance fit once you make it into the water. This time around, it wasn’t worth it for us – our award winners are all much more user-friendly. Struggle aside, the E-Bomb offers a great fit, and the front boardshorts-tie and elastic drawstring around the waist help keep the jacket from riding up.
Check Price on AmazonStay-Put Fit
Quiksilver Everyday Sessions ($125)
Pros: Thick waistband provides the best stay-put functionality of any jacket we tested
Cons: Insanely hard to get off
Thickness: 2mm
Quiksilver has been hitting the neoprene game hard for the past couple of years. And their Everyday Sessions Wetsuit Jacket is no exception. Made with Quik’s Stretchflight eco-conscious neoprene (the same neoprene used for their Highline Wetsuit, a top pick for our Best Wetsuits of 2023), the top is very flexible, despite being 2mm thick. The interior jersey lining is comfortable, without adding any extra bulk or warmth like the E-Bomb, above. Flexibility-wise, this one’s not quite on the level of our award winners though.
Where this jacket really shines is in the waistband – a tight-fitting panel with a grippy, rubberized interior adorns the bottom of this jacket, eliminating the need for a boardshort tie in all but the heaviest of conditions (the jacket does have a boardshort tie, just in case). The only downside to this feature is that the jacket is insanely hard to get on/off as a result. With dead arms after a long surf session, there’s a chance you’ll need to phone a friend to wrench this thing off your body. That said, the benefits of such a tight fit are plain to see. Again though, we’ve erred on the side of equally high-performing, but more user-friendly jackets for our award winners this year like the Billabong Revolution Natural and Florence Marine X FlatLock.
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Vissla Solid Sets Wetsuit Jacket ($120)
Pros: Good flexibility and fit, good style/color options
Cons: High zipper/neck, bulky zipper
Thickness: 2mm
Vissla has got a solid product with its 2mm Solid Sets wetsuit jacket. The jacket is well-made with 2mm of Vissla’s limestone-based neoprene, which will provide it with an added measure of durability over thinner neoprene jackets in the long run. However, the thicker neoprene is not restrictive, with plenty of flexibility, and a great fit. A small bit of velcro at the top of the zipper keeps the zipper from opening during high-output activities (like getting pounded by shore break) and a boardshort tie is included as a matter of course.
This time around, our lead tester felt the zipper on the Vissla was too high, occasionally almost choking him, and was much bulkier and prone to bunching up than on our Best Front Zip, Patagonia’s Regulator Lite While Vissla does deserve some sustainability credit for using less-impactful manufacturing processes like dope-dyed interior jerseys, water-based glue, and limestone neoprene, we also have to give the edge to Patagonia on this account.
Our only other gripe with this jacket (and the Patagonia, to be fair) would be the lack of smoothskin options. The added wind-protection of a smoothskin exterior significantly increases the warmth factor on blustery days, and is a feature that’s often included in front-zip jackets.
Check Price on AMAZONRunner-Up Most Flexible
Manera Seafarer 1mm Neoprene Top ($135)
Pros: Great fit and flexibility
Cons: Too long in the torso, pricey for 1mm
Thickness: 1mm
Manera’s got a worthy product here with their 1mm Seafarer Neo Top. The jacket is super flexible with the 1mm construction and benefits from Manera’s legendary 3D fit for total comfort and unencumbered paddling. The interior jersey is the same as in their classic Seafarer wetsuits: thin, light, and comfortable. But it doesn’t add much in the way of warmth if that’s what you’re looking for.
What gave the Florence Marine X FlatLock the edge over the Seafarer Neo in our book was warmth and fit. First off, the FlatLock has the added warmth of a 1.5mm top that’s every bit as flexible as the Seafarer Neo. Second, the torso on the Manera Neo Top is longer than average, with a good bit of overlap over the waistband of one’s boardshorts – a feature that was nice until the surf got a bit heavier and it was time to activate the boardshort tie. With the tie in place, the extra length ended up a little bunched around the waist.
Check Price on ManeraUltralight Option
Florence Marine X Windshield Long Sleeve Hooded Rashguard ($100)
Pros: Ultralight, hooded, form-fitting, smoothskin blocks wind and absorbs sun to provide decent warmth
Cons: Delicate, difficult to remove, doesn’t offer any insulation against water temps
Thickness: 0mm
Maybe it’s not quite a wetsuit jacket, but it feels like something more than a rashguard. At any rate, we wanted to include this ultra-light option for managing windy, tropical conditions since, well, we’re doing our testing on the North Shore, and John John Florence and co. designed the Windshield Long Sleeve Hooded Rashguard specifically for these conditions.
Here’s what they came up with: an ultra-thin, hooded, 100+ UPF, poly/spandex top coated with a polyurethane smoothskin layer. The hood and vizor offer amazing sun protection during mid-day sessions and work great even while duck diving big sets, taking beatdowns, etc. The smoothskin repels the wind and absorbs enough sun to keep us surprisingly warm, although not as warm as any of the proper wetsuit jackets we tested. We found the compression fit true to size (without sizing up, as recommended by Florence—see Ultimate Fit Guide, below) and very comfortable, but it’s definitely tough to get in/out of, especially due to the thinness of the material. Florence offers special handling instructions: “Paws, not claws. Use your fingertips when pulling on your Windshield to avoid fingernail knicks in the smooth exterior.” Our tester actually found out the hard way about the delicacy of the material, with the top tearing up the front and down the back on a heavy wipeout while surfing a sizeable swell on Oahu. Florence replaced the top without question, and let us know they had never seen anything of the like before. We’re hoping this was just a fluke, and anyway, their solid warranty should mitigate any durability concerns. All in all, a pretty rad option for windy tropical surfs.
Check Price on FlorenceBest Wetsuit Jackets Comparison Table
| Wetsuit Jacket | Price | Entry | Thickness | Sustainable? | Notable Features |
| Billabong Revolution Natural | $150 | Pull-over | 1mm | High | Super sustainable |
| O’Neill O’riginal | $100 | Back Zip | 2/1mm | Low | Smoothskin exterior |
| Xcel Axis | $90 | Pull-over | 2/1mm | Med | 2/1mm construction |
| Manera X10D Neo | $175 | Pull-over | 2mm | Med | Very warm |
| Florence Marine X Flatlock | $140 | Pull-over | 1.5mm | Med | Roomy fit |
| Patagonia Regulator Lite | $159 | Front Zip | 2mm | High | Best front-zip |
| Rip Curl E-Bomb | $140 | Pull-over | 1.5mm | Low | Cozy lining |
| Quiksilver Everyday Sessions | $125 | Pull-over | 2mm | Med | Powerful waistband |
| Vissla Solid Sets | $120 | Front Zip | 2mm | Med | Comfortable front-zip |
| Manera Seafarer Neo | $135 | Pull-over | 1mm | Med | Longer torso |
| Florence Marine X Windshield | $100 | Pull-over | 0mm hooded | Low | thin wind protection |
The Manera X10D is warm – perfect for sunset surfs. Photo: Paul Ferrese//The Inertia
How We Tested The Best Wetsuit Jackets
We first published this guide in 2023 after realizing that there are enough good and bad wetsuit jackets out there to warrant a full-blown gear test. So, we scoured the internet and got our hands on the most promising options on the market to give ‘em a run for their money out in the surf. Our initial run featured a couple of California-based editors testing wetsuit jackets on a winter trip to O`ahu’s North Shore. For our 2024 update, our O`ahu local, lead tester, and wetsuit jacket aficionado Mike Bishop spent three months retesting the old crop, seeking out a dozen more jackets, and testing them (a.k.a. surfing in them) from sunup to sundown, in windy and cloudy conditions, full sun, and everything in between. Since he’s also our springsuit lead tester, and he recently suffered through a year of cold water in New Zealand, he’s got a good feel for when it’s time to layer on the rubber.
We tested a variety of no-zip (pull-over), front-zip, and back-zip wetsuit jackets, as well as a smoothskin hooded top. To compile our Ultimate Fit Guide (see below), everything was tested in size Medium. For your reference, the guide was composed based on a lead tester who is 5’10” tall, weighs 145 lbs., and has long arms (+4 ape index). Go measure your arms; doing so will help you dial in the perfect fit! Moving forward, we’ll continue to put these jackets to the test, keeping this article updated throughout the year with new products, additional notes on long-term durability, and more.
Ultimate Fit Guide
| Product | Size M: Height range (in feet) | Size M: Weight range (in lbs.) | Overall fit (tightest > roomiest) | Sleeve length | Torso length | Ease of entry/removal |
| Florence Windshield | 5’8” – 5’11” | 150 – 170 | Ultra slim (size up from your normal size) | Long | Average | Difficult |
| Quiksilver Everyday Sessions | 5’9” – 5’11” | 150 – 170 | Ultra slim | Long | Average | Insanely difficult |
| Rip Curl E-Bomb | 5’9” – 5’11” | 150 – 170 | Ultra slim | Long | Slightly long | Very difficult |
| Manera X10D | 5’5” – 6’ | 154 – 171 | Slim | Very long | Very long | Difficult |
| Manera Seafarer | 5’5” – 6’ | 154 – 171 | Slim | Very long | Very long | Moderate |
| Billabong Revolution Natural | 5’9” – 5’11” | 155 – 170 | Slim | Long | Slightly long | Easy |
| O’Neill O’riginal | 5’9” – 5’11” | 155 – 170 | Slim | Long | Long | Easy |
| Patagonia Regulator Lite | 5’9” – 5’11” | 150 – 170 | Average | Average | Average | Easy (front-zip), Moderate (pull-over) |
| Xcel Axis | 5’8” – 5’10” | 155 – 170 | Average | Short | Average | Moderate |
| Vissla Front Zip | 5’8” – 5’10” | 155 – 170 | Average | Short | Average | Easy |
| Florence Marine X Flatlock 1.5 | 5’8” – 5’11” | 150 – 170 | Roomy (size down) | Average | Average | Easy |
The Patagonia R1 Lite Wetsuit Jacket (pull-over) features a simple design and super sustainable materials. Photo: Ryan Foley//The Inertia
Buyer’s Guide
Wetsuit Jacket Styles
Much like any other type of wetsuit, there are a few different options for getting in and out of your wetsuit jacket: no-zip, front-zip, and back-zip, each with their respective pros and cons.
The no-zip jacket, or pull-over, is the most common and most comfortable type of wetsuit jacket. These are typically form-fitting and most feature an elastic cinch at the waist as well as a boardshort tie. This is the simplest design, but also the most difficult to get in/out of, especially when the cut is very form-fitting and the materials aren’t super stretchy. Where many failed to do so, our award winners all found the sweet spot of form-fitting yet stretchy material for ease of entry, especially the Billabong Revolution Natural and Florence Marine X Flatlock.
The Vissla Solid Sets wetsuit jacket benefits from a nicely padded front zipper. Photo: Ryan Foley//The Inertia
Front-zip jackets are great for ease of entry and layering potential, but having a thick zipper running down the middle of your chest can be uncomfortable when paddling, especially on a shortboard. Most wetsuit companies that make front-zip jackets have done a great job of adding extra padding around the zipper to reduce discomfort, but it still can’t compare to the form-fitting comfort of a no-zip wetsuit jacket while paddling. That said, the added stiffness of that front zipper can help keep things from riding up (see downsides of wetsuit jackets, below). This style of jacket is also more appropriate for smoothskin windproof finishes, which quickly degrade on pull-over models. Our favorite front-zip style is the Patagonia Regulator Lite.
Back-zip jackets aim for the middle way. These jackets are often far easier to get in and out of than most pull-overs, and they lack the paddling discomfort of a front-zip jacket. While they’re a great option for those with limited shoulder or neck mobility, going for the middle-of-the-road rarely ever gives you the best of both worlds. You still need to pull the thing over your head, so it doesn’t quite hit the same marks in ease of on/off as a front-zip. And the back zip design isn’t quite as form-fitting as a no-zip design, so it’s more prone to riding up, especially because they typically don’t feature an elastic waist cinch. Overall though, the back-zip presents a solid in-between option for those who want the comfort of a no-zip with a bit of an easier entry. Our favorite back-zip is the O’Neill O’riginal.
Back-zip wetsuits like the O’Neill O’riginal aim for a middle ground between the ease-of-entry of a front-zip and the performance and comfort of a no-zip. Photo: Paul Ferrese//The Inertia
Downsides of Wetsuit Jackets
Wetsuit jackets are an incredible comfort against chillier-than-expected surf conditions, but they’re not without their drawbacks. In addition to overall fit, collar height, and sleeve lengths that are all over the place, a couple of issues that stand out are getting the jackets on and off, and the dreaded “riding up” when in the water.
Wetsuit jackets are made to fit tight. A loose wetsuit jacket is about as useful as a stucco bathtub — it won’t keep you warm, and you’ll spend most of the session trying to keep it from riding up to your armpits (more on that in a second). However, that tight fit, when paired with a no-zip entry, can be painfully difficult to get on and off. For the youngsters, that just means a bit of an awkward struggle, but for older surfers, or those with limited mobility or injuries, it might be enough of a hindrance to point you towards a zippered wetsuit jacket instead. For reference, we’ve included notes about the ease of entry/exit in our Ultimate Fit Guide. Also worth noting is that our lead tester has a litany of mobility issues and found several pull-over jackets that were very user-friendly (especially Billabong and Florence, but also Patagonia and Xcel).
Quiksilver’s wetsuit jacket has a thick waistband with a rubberized interior to keep things locked in place. Photo: Ryan Foley//The Inertia
The dreaded “riding up” is another drawback of wetsuit jackets. There’s nothing worse than getting thrashed in the shorebreak, and then having to take a couple of precious seconds to wrench your wetsuit top down out of your armpits before making your mad dash to get out the back before the next set comes (In case you couldn’t tell, we’re speaking from experience). This is more of a problem with no-zip wetsuit jackets, as the zipper often adds a bit of stiffness that can keep things in place, but most wetsuit jackets nowadays (and all the ones included here in this review, aside from the Patagonia Front-Zip), have a small loop at the front that can be attached to your boardshorts, mitigating this fatal flaw (Patagonia’s Front-Zip tragically has it on the left hip). Still, having a loose top yank your boardshorts around isn’t exactly comfortable, so dialing in the fit (see Ultimate Fit Guide) is critical to being happy with your wetsuit jacket as well.
Neoprene Thickness
Most wetsuit jackets traditionally come in three different thicknesses: 1mm, 1.5mm, and 2mm. Any thinner, and you’re basically talking about a rashguard, any thicker and you’ll have worse paddle-ability than a 3/2mm wetsuit.
1mm wetsuit jackets obviously provide the best flexibility, and the least warmth—unless they make up for their thinness with a cozy interior lining. For instance, the Billabong Revolution Natural top is incomparably warmer than Hurley’s (now discontinued and thus no longer included here) 1mm top.
However, when we get to 1.5mm and 2mm wetsuit jackets, things get more complicated, especially when you factor in the interior lining. For example, Rip Curl’s 1.5mm E-Bomb wetsuit jacket with a fuzzy interior lining was among the warmest we tested, and significantly warmer than some 2mm options that lacked a thermal lining. But with the somewhat stiffer thermal lining, Rip Curl’s jacket felt more like a 2mm than a 1.5… like we said, things get more complicated.
Note that the Billabong Revolution Natural, Manera X10D, and Rip Curl E-Bomb linings probably offer the warmth of at least an extra 0.5mm thickness—and the Billabong does so without sacrificing any flexibility whatsoever (again, it’s far and away our favorite here).
Features to Look For in a Wetsuit Jacket
Boardshort Tie
This feature is simply essential when it comes to wetsuit jackets. For good reason, all of the jackets included in this review feature a boardshort tie, well, except for the Patagonia Regulator Lite Front-Zip. This one’s got a loop on the left hip which is a bit of a mystery to all of us. However, having a front-zip means it will stay in place a bit better than a pull-over style, and may not be a concern for you depending on the type of surfing you’re doing. Torso length comes into play here too though: if the front of the jacket is too long, the waist will bunch up when tied to your boardies. The Manera X10D and the O’Neill O’riginal have room for improvement here or are simply better suited to surfers with long torsos or those who won’t be tying their jacket to their boardshorts.
Waist Cinch
Some of the wetsuit jackets here have an elastic waist cinch in addition to the all-necessary boardshort tie. It’s a helpful feature, but not essential. However, some kind of something around the waist is nice – Quiksilver’s Everyday Sessions, instead of a cinch, has a separate (tighter) panel around the waist with a grippy interior that provides the best stay-put functionality out of any wetsuit jackets we tested. The Billabong Revolution Natural has both a cinch and a rubberized hem and stays put very well. The Florence FlatLock doesn’t have either, so, thanks to the roomy fit and flexible material, we had issues with bunching up, even when we used the boardshort tie.
One of the highest collars we found, compared to the lowest. Left, the Picture Organic Floats (now discontinued so not included in this review), and the Quiksilver Everyday Sessions. Photo: Ryan Foley//The Inertia
Collar
Nit-picky, but worth taking a look at. The collar can be a pain point – too low and you’re constantly getting flushed, too high and you’ll feel like you’re being choked. This is a personal preference decision, but worth considering, and perhaps even worth trying your new wetsuit jacket on at the shop or at home before hopping in the water with it. Although it’s highly dependent on fit, especially with front-zips, but we’ve done our best to only include jackets that didn’t have any issues with the collar.
Wetsuit Jacket Materials and Sustainability
Like many things in the surf industry, the neoprene in wetsuit jackets isn’t the easiest on the environment. Classic neoprene is derived from, you guessed it, fossil fuels, namely oil. Classic neoprene provides some of the best stretch out there, but it comes at a cost to our planet.
Limestone neoprene (top-tier limestone neo is also referred to as Yamamoto neoprene), prized for its lightness and flexibility, has a reduced environmental impact, using calcium carbonate from limestone instead of crude oil, but it still needs to be extracted from the earth and requires a lot of energy to be transformed into neoprene.
Billabong’s Furnace Natural wetsuit jacket makes use of upcycled materials and Yulex instead of neoprene, making it extremely sustainable. Photo: Paul Ferrese//The Inertia
Yulex neoprene, popularized by Patagonia and derived from natural rubber, used to be the lowest-performing option, with much less stretch than other types of neoprene. However, in the Fall of 2023, Patagonia released a new line of wetsuits that have wildly increased stretch over previous editions, bringing Yulex wetsuits up to par with all but the stretchiest neoprene. The search for the perfect combination of flexibility, comfort, warmth, and durability now tilts towards Patagonia’s Yulex blend, especially when accounting for sustainability. Other companies are taking note. Manera, Billabong, and Quiksilver recently announced their own Yulex wetsuit lines and Xcel has committed to going neoprene-free within the next couple of years—all of which signals an industry-wide shift towards environmentally friendly materials. To wit, recycled linings, dope-dyed yarn, and water-based glue have been so widely adopted that they’re no longer noteworthy.
Additionally, more and more wetsuit manufacturers are turning to recycled blends to create their neoprene—with material from scrap tires, pulverized oyster shells, and other recycled bits blended with (in most cases) limestone neoprene. Performance-wise, we’ve been super impressed with these recycled neoprene blends, particularly those from Xcel, Vissla, and Picture Organic in their most recent springsuits. For natural rubber, based on our recent testing, Billabong and Patagonia are the runaway winners in fully sustainable performance.
Photo: Paul Ferrese
Final Thoughts
While you can’t go wrong with any of the wetsuit jackets we’ve listed above, we do stand by our award winners, particularly the Billabong Revolution Natural 1mm. For almost all users, this is going to be the best wetsuit jacket, hands down. It’s also the most sustainable product we’ve encountered on the market. If you need a super warm wetsuit jacket, Manera’s X10D is a worthy investment. Want a roomier wetsuit jacket that’s incredibly supple and flexible? Check out Florence’s FlatLock. If you’re a front-zip fan, go for the Patagonia Regulator Lite (whose pullover is also excellent). For a good budget or value option, the Xcel Axis or O’Neill O’riginal are great calls. Revisit the Ultimate Fit Guide, buy the perfect wetsuit jacket for you, and go get salty.
Editor’s Note: For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.
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