What to wear before, during and after a surf session
Route notebook · Ocean
What to wear before, during and after a surf session
Starting point. Three moments, three different needs.
A surf session is about more than just your wetsuit. What you wear before and after matters just as much for staying comfortable from the car park to the wave, and then from the wave back home.
01 · Before the water
Stay warm without the bulk
A sweatshirt or fleece that is easy to pull on and off lets you wait for the right moment without shivering in the car park. Avoid laces and fiddly buttons: everything should come off quickly, often while your hands are still cold.
02 · In the water
The right wetsuit for the season
★depending on
the season
Wetsuit thickness depends directly on the water temperature: a light shorty is enough in summer when the water is above 20°C, while a 4/3 or 5/3 mm full suit becomes essential as soon as the water drops below 15°C, in autumn and winter on the south-west coast of France.
03 · Straight after
The changing poncho, the accessory everyone forgets
Getting out of the water and changing in the wind is often the coldest moment of the whole session. A changing poncho lets you take off your wetsuit under cover, without shivering in the car park in front of everyone.
04 · Heading home
Really warm up
Once you are dry, a warm, comfortable sweatshirt rounds off the session: it's the piece you keep on for the drive home and the coffee afterwards, one that feels just as good with wet hair as it does in town later in the day.
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear before a surf session?
A warm layer you can take off quickly (sweatshirt or fleece), to stay comfortable while you wait to get in the water.
What wetsuit thickness should I choose for each season?
A light shorty in summer when the water is above 20°C, and a 4/3 or 5/3 mm full suit as soon as the water drops below 15°C in autumn and winter.
What is a changing poncho for?
It lets you change sheltered from the wind and from prying eyes right after a session, just when your body cools down fastest.
One garment, one adventure memory. Before the wave and after.
Discover the collection →Sources · Hossegor Tourist Office
Information checked in September 2026.
