canIswim

What wetsuit do you need in Germany?

The one suit that covers most of the swimming season, for 15 coastal cities in Germany.

City Coldest Warmest One suit for the season
Bremerhaven 4.2°C Feb 19.7°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Wilhelmshaven 4.3°C Feb 19.6°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Universitäts- und Hansestadt Greifswald 2.6°C Feb 20.0°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Cuxhaven 3.9°C Feb 19.6°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Emden 4.1°C Feb 19.9°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Ribnitz-Damgarten 3.2°C Feb 18.6°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Brunsbüttel 3.7°C Feb 19.6°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Bergen auf Rügen 2.8°C Feb 19.8°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Fehmarn 3.3°C Feb 19.0°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Wolgast 2.6°C Feb 20.0°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Oldenburg in Holstein 3.3°C Feb 19.0°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Kappeln 3.2°C Feb 19.0°C Aug shorty, or skins if you are used to it
Niebüll 3.2°C Feb 19.1°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Borkum 4.9°C Feb 19.3°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest
Tönning 3.6°C Feb 19.3°C Aug nothing, or a rash vest

Thicknesses above are for swimming. Surfing the same water wants a step more — most of a session is spent sitting still in the wind rather than moving and immersed. Each city page gives both, along with when you need boots, gloves and a hood.

Boots below 14°C, gloves below 12°C, a hood below 10°C. Where the numbers come from