What to Wear Surfing: Rash Guard vs Swimsuit vs Surf Suit

Ask ten women what they wear surfing and you'll get ten answers, most of which are a workaround rather than a choice. A bikini that needs retying after every wave. A men's rash guard two sizes too big. A wetsuit in 28°C water because nothing else stayed on.

There are three real options and they solve different problems. Here's the honest comparison, including where each one fails.

The Comparison

The short version: a rash guard solves sun and rash but not the bottoms problem. A swimsuit solves the bottoms problem but nothing else. A long sleeve surf suit solves all of it, which is why it has taken over women's surfing over the last decade.

Option 1: Rash Guard Plus Bikini or Shorts

What it does well. Protects your chest and stomach from board rash, which is the fastest way to ruin a week of surfing. Covers your shoulders and arms from sun. Cheap, and you probably already own one.

Where it fails. The bottom half is still exposed. Bikini bottoms shift in whitewater, ties come undone, and low-rise cuts slide when you're lying on the board. The rash guard itself rides up when you duck dive, so you get a strip of exposed stomach exactly where the wax is.

If you go this route: high-waisted bottoms, no ties, and a fitted rash guard rather than a loose one. Loose fabric drags in the water and bunches under your ribs on the paddle out. Our bikini collection has cuts with enough rise to stay put, and the spaghetti bikini bottom if you want a narrow side profile without the tie.

Best for: warm water, short sessions, longboarding, anyone still figuring out what they like.

Option 2: A One Piece Swimsuit

What it does well. Nothing to retie. No bottoms to adjust. You can surf, swim and then sit down for lunch in the same thing, which matters more on a trip than it sounds.

Where it fails. No sun protection on your back and shoulders, which is where you'll burn during two hours of paddling. And no protection from board rash on the chest, stomach and inner thighs. A plain one piece is a swimming garment that happens to work for surfing.

If you go this route: choose one with a high back and proper shoulder support, not a low back or thin straps. Straps that sit wide will shift when you pop up. Our one piece swimsuits are cut to stay put, and the turtle neck one piece adds neck coverage, which is the first place to burn.

Best for: very warm water, short sessions, when you're in and out of the water all day.

Option 3: A Long Sleeve Surf Suit

What it does well. All of it. UPF50+ coverage on the arms, shoulders, back and neck. Fabric between your skin and the wax on your chest, stomach and thighs. Nothing to retie, nothing to shift. Slight warmth in water that's warm but not tropical. And unlike a wetsuit, you can wear it out of the water without looking like you've come from a dive boat.

Where it fails. Costs more than a rash guard. Takes longer to dry than a bikini. In water above about 29°C it can feel warm on a long session.

If you go this route: fit matters more than with anything else. Too loose and it drags and chafes at the armpit. Too tight and your shoulders bind on the paddle. Test it by raising both arms overhead before you commit.

Our long sleeve swimwear is built for this: UPF50+, ECONYL® regenerated nylon, and cut to hug rather than compress. The Luna long sleeve is our most surfed piece. The G-Sleeve with zipper is easier to get in and out of if you're in and out all day.

Best for: anyone surfing more than twice a week, anyone in strong sun, anyone tired of adjusting their swimwear between sets.

What About a Wetsuit?

Different category. A wetsuit is for temperature, not for coverage.

• Above 24°C: no wetsuit. Surf suit, rash guard or swimwear.
• 20–24°C: shorty or spring suit, or a surf suit if the sun is strong and the water is mild.
• 17–20°C: 3/2mm full suit.
• 14–17°C: 4/3mm, plus booties.
• Below 14°C: 5/4mm, hood, gloves, booties.

A long sleeve surf suit layers well under neoprene and stops the neck and underarm chafe that wetsuits cause. That's a genuine use case even in cold water.

Board Rash: the thing nobody warns beginners about

Board rash is what happens when your skin meets a waxed board repeatedly. It shows up on the chest, ribs, stomach, inner thighs and knees, usually on day two of a trip, and it turns the rest of the week into a negotiation.

Beginners get it worst because they spend more time lying on the board and popping up. If you're learning, coverage on your torso and thighs is not a luxury, it's the difference between surfing for seven days and surfing for two.

Surf leggings solve the thigh and knee half of this. Our Milu surf leggings pair with any top.

The Mistakes Worth Avoiding

Triangle bikini tops. They come undone. This is not a joke about surfing, it's the single most common complaint we hear.

Anything cotton. Heavy, cold, slow, and it drags.

Loose men's rash guards. The extra fabric bunches under your ribs on every paddle.

Low-rise bottoms. They slide down in whitewater and ride up when you're lying on the board.

Board shorts over a swimsuit. They fill with water and drag.

New swimwear on a long session. Seam placement that's invisible in a shop announces itself at ninety minutes. Test on a short session first.

What to wear surfing by water temperature

Above 28°C (Bali, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Northern Australia). Long sleeve surf suit for sun, or rash guard plus high-waisted bottoms. Sun is the enemy here, not cold.

24–28°C (Portugal summer, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mediterranean). Long sleeve surf suit is the sweet spot. Enough warmth for dawn sessions, not too much at midday.

20–24°C (California summer, Southern Europe shoulder season). Surf suit, or a spring suit on cooler mornings.

Below 20°C. Wetsuit territory, with a long sleeve suit as a base layer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a rash guard and a swimsuit for surfing?
A rash guard is a top worn over swimwear to protect from sun and board rash. A swimsuit is the base garment. A rash guard doesn't solve the bottom half, which is where most shifting happens. A long sleeve one piece surf suit combines both.

Do I need a rash guard to surf?
Not strictly, but you'll get board rash on your chest and stomach without some form of torso coverage, especially as a beginner lying on the board. A rash guard or long sleeve suit prevents it.

Can you surf in a normal bikini?
You can, and plenty do in warm water. Expect to retie and readjust. Choose high-waisted bottoms with no ties and a top with a proper back band rather than thin straps.

What do professional women surfers wear?
Mostly long sleeve one pieces or surf suits in warm water and wetsuits in cold. The common factor is that nothing needs adjusting mid-heat.

Is a long sleeve swimsuit too hot for surfing?
In water above about 29°C it can feel warm on a two-hour session. Below that, the sun protection outweighs the warmth, and most surfers find it cooler than repeated sunburn.

What should a beginner wear surfing?
Full torso and thigh coverage. Beginners spend the most time lying on the board and get the worst board rash. A long sleeve suit plus surf leggings is the most comfortable learning setup.

What size should I buy for surfing?
Fit should be snug without restricting the shoulders. Raise both arms overhead: if it pulls at the chest or digs at the armpit, size up. Check the size chart against measurements, not your usual dress size.

The Short Answer

If you surf occasionally in warm water, a rash guard and high-waisted bottoms is enough.

If you surf regularly, or you're learning, or the sun is strong, a long sleeve surf suit is the right answer and everything else is a compromise.

If the water is below 20°C, you're choosing a wetsuit thickness, not an outfit.

Makara Wear is handmade in Bali from ECONYL® regenerated nylon, in small batches, and tested in real surf before anything goes into production. See the surf collection, or if you're heading somewhere warm, our guide to what to wear paddle boarding covers the flat-water version of this question.