canIswim

What wetsuit do you need in Sweden?

The one suit that covers most of the swimming season, for 17 coastal cities in Sweden.

City Coldest Warmest One suit for the season
Gothenburg 2.1°C Feb 18.3°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Malmö 3.1°C Feb 18.2°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Umeå 0.1°C Feb 16.1°C Jul 5/4 mm, and not alone
Helsingborg 3.0°C Feb 18.3°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Lund 3.1°C Feb 18.5°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Luleå 0.0°C Mar 17.2°C Jul 5/4 mm, and not alone
Gävle 0.6°C Feb 16.5°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Halmstad 2.1°C Feb 18.9°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Karlskrona 3.1°C Feb 16.9°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Sundsvall 0.9°C Feb 16.1°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Nyköping 2.3°C Feb 16.9°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Kalmar 2.7°C Feb 17.1°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Skellefteå 0.1°C Feb 15.4°C Jul 5/4 mm, and not alone
Örnsköldsvik 0.7°C Feb 16.4°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Härnösand 0.9°C Feb 16.3°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Visby 3.1°C Feb 18.5°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone
Saltsjöbaden 2.2°C Feb 17.4°C Aug 5/4 mm, and not alone

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