Snorkelling wetsuits

What thickness wetsuit do snorkellers need 

Snorkelling is a surface activity. Snorkellers spend most of their time face down at the surface rather than at depth, which changes the thermal calculation. You need enough neoprene to stay warm during long surface time, but not the chest-restrictive thickness a scuba diver wears at twenty metres. 

For Sydney waters, a rough rule: 

• Summer (December to March, water 21 to 24 degrees Celsius): a 2mm or 2.5mm shortie suits most people for a one-to-two hour snorkel. Sensitive-to-cold snorkellers may want a full-length 3mm. 
• Autumn and spring (water 17 to 21 degrees Celsius): a 3mm or 5mm full-length wetsuit. The longer the session, the thicker the suit. 
• Winter (June to August, water 15 to 18 degrees Celsius): a 5mm full-length, or step into the scuba wetsuit range if you want something warmer. 

A stinger suit is a different category again. Lycra and thin neoprene, full-length, light and breathable, designed for tropical Australian waters from October to May when marine stingers (Irukandji, box jellyfish) are present in northern reef regions. Stinger suits also work as sun protection, which matters on a long snorkel in shallow water. 

Kids' snorkelling wetsuits size differently and are covered separately on the kids' snorkelling gear page. 

For deeper background on Sydney water temperature and wetsuit choice across the year, see our wetsuit thickness for Sydney diving guide. If you are not sure between two thicknesses, come into the Gladesville shop and try both on; sizing on a snorkelling wetsuit is harder to judge from a sizing chart than from the mirror.