Aqua-walking suit

Aqua-walking, also known as aquatic walking, is an activity that requires a neoprene suit when the water temperature is below 18°. Between 18° and 23°, you can lighten this equipment by choosing a neoprene shorty instead. A wetsuit is therefore essential in winter, autumn and spring, and even in summer if the water temperature is cold enough (in the middle of summer, the water temperature can sometimes drop to 17°C after a Mistral wind). The wetsuit also allows you to protect yourself against jellyfish in summer or spring and it is important to choose it well because it brings a good comfort in your practice provided you choose a quality wetsuit.

Criteria for choosing a wetsuit

There are hundreds of models of neoprene wetsuits but no manufacturer has yet designed a range dedicated to the practice of longe-côte. However, wetsuits for surfing, kite-surfing or windsurfing as well as wetsuits for swimming in the sea or snorkelling are very popular. Here are the criteria to take into account before choosing a wetsuit.

The position of the ZIP: front, back or without

The Back-Zip wetsuit (the zip is at the back) has the advantage of being easier to put on and take off. However, the zip is larger than the front zip and can be closed without help from a strap, and lets more water into the wetsuit, so it has less capacity to retain body heat. Also, the Back-Zip design causes the neoprene to "pull" on the shoulders when paddling. For the Front-Zip wetsuit, the zip is in the front, which allows a reduced water entry but is sometimes more difficult to remove without external help. It is often longer to put on but gives more comfort and the freedom of movement is much more important. Finally, Zipless suits (without zip) can be put on like a t-shirt. They are very comfortable even if they are sometimes more difficult to put on and take off. As a result, they are also more fragile as it is common to have to pull harder on the neoprene and the seams when putting on.

Thickness of the suit

There are several thicknesses of wetsuits on the market, knowing that the thicker the neoprene of the wetsuit, the more important it is to conserve heat. But as neoprene has a "floating" power, wetsuits that are too thick (5/6 mm for diving for example) will hinder the vertical position of the walker and reduce his freedom of movement. It is therefore a compromise to be found between protection against the cold and the mobility that one wants to have in the water. The different thicknesses of neoprene wetsuits suitable for lunging are as follows

1/2 mm used for the making of the Shorty or the neoprene tops, this thickness is the thinnest and allows to keep the most freedom of movement. To be used in tropical waters or in summer in waters between 20 and 25 degrees.
2/3 mm This is found on women's and men's longshore shorts and the thinnest wetsuits. In general, these wetsuits are designed with a greater thickness on the parts of the body that need to be protected from the cold (vital organs) but with a thinner thickness for the areas of the body that are in motion (arms and legs). These suits are suitable for waters between 17 and 22 degrees.
4/3 mm These are warmer wetsuits, sometimes with an internal lining to make them easier to put on and take off. To be used in early season or in winter in waters between 12 and 18 degrees.
5/4 mm This is the thickest wetsuit to use for longevity. It allows for a high level of warmth but limits freedom of movement. Some models have a flex part to keep a certain flexibility for walking.

Wetsuit developments for aquatic walking

Manufacturers have made improvements to improve the performance of neoprene and therefore of wetsuits for men and women. Some of these features bring a real plus to the practice of longe-cote, others are rather to be avoided (knee pads, water evacuation holes or polar linings). The most interesting features of wetsuits for long-distance diving are the sewn and glued seams, which guarantee the longevity of your wetsuit because in addition to being sewn, the seams are glued, and the key pocket, which is a secondary but useful option: a carabiner allows you to hang your keys and store them when you are in the water. However, beware that these key pockets are not waterproof (prefer a waterproof pocket).

Is it necessary to have wetsuits adapted for women and for men?

It is preferable if you have a regular practice. As in our everyday life when we practice sports, water walking is no exception to the rule of choosing wetsuits adapted to the morphology of women or men. The cuts and sizes being different, a man's suit will not allow the same comfort, the same calorific efficiency and the same freedom of movement for a woman. Thus, when it comes to women's shorty for the longe-cote, the selection of the cut is more important than for men.

Neoprene wetsuits are the first piece of equipment for longe-cote, which should be combined with other important accessories such as aqua-walking booties, hats, neoprene gloves and safety accessories. You will be able to practice your favorite activity in all seasons of the year.