What wetsuit do you need in United Kingdom?
The one suit that covers most of the swimming season, for 28 coastal cities in United Kingdom.
| City | Coldest | Warmest | One suit for the season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | 6.5°C Feb | 14.7°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Liverpool | 6.7°C Feb | 17.9°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Bristol | 7.1°C Jan | 19.4°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Cardiff | 7.4°C Jan | 19.2°C Aug | nothing, or a rash vest |
| Swansea | 8.0°C Feb | 18.5°C Aug | 4/3 mm full suit |
| Brighton | 9.1°C Mar | 18.0°C Aug | shorty, or skins if you are used to it |
| Plymouth | 9.9°C Feb | 17.3°C Aug | 4/3 mm full suit |
| Portsmouth | 8.4°C Feb | 18.8°C Aug | shorty, or skins if you are used to it |
| Aberdeen | 6.8°C Mar | 13.8°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Sunderland | 6.9°C Feb | 14.6°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Bournemouth | 8.8°C Feb | 18.3°C Aug | shorty, or skins if you are used to it |
| Dundee | 6.6°C Feb | 14.4°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Blackpool | 6.5°C Feb | 17.8°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Middlesbrough | 6.9°C Feb | 15.0°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Exeter | 9.5°C Mar | 17.5°C Aug | 4/3 mm full suit |
| Hastings | 8.8°C Feb | 18.1°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Dunfermline | 6.5°C Feb | 14.7°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Lancaster | 6.4°C Feb | 18.0°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Dover | 8.5°C Feb | 18.5°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Chichester | 8.6°C Feb | 18.6°C Aug | shorty, or skins if you are used to it |
| Peterlee | 6.9°C Feb | 14.5°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Bangor | 8.0°C Feb | 16.3°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Porthcawl | 8.1°C Feb | 18.6°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Abergele | 7.4°C Feb | 17.1°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Kirkwall | 7.5°C Feb | 13.3°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Lerwick | 7.5°C Mar | 13.1°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Neyland | 8.9°C Feb | 17.2°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
| Barmouth | 7.9°C Feb | 18.0°C Aug | 5/4 mm full suit |
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.
Sea temperature and swimming season in United Kingdom →
Boots below 14°C, gloves below 12°C, a hood below 10°C. Where the numbers come from