We were thinking of taking our kid to the beach if the weather’s nice this autumn (now that Mrs Grips is recovering enough for walks and such) for rockpooling and beachcombing mainly, but I was wondering if we could get suitable wetsuits for paddling/swimming in the sea. I’m sure they are available for me but what about for a two year old? I have seen cheap ones in Tesco of all places but I’m sure they’re not good enough for cold ish water.

She’s in 4-5 clothes if that makes any difference in what’s available.

Try the wonder that is Decathlon, Mol. They do all sorts of things. I know they have tiny life-jackets we were going to get one for little Roisin so’s she could go on a boat but then she was too naughty. 😐

water is at its warmest right about now. no wetsuit needed if its a nice day.

water’s warmer at this time of year than June.

Those Tesco wetsuits are ok but getting something with sealed flat seams is a good idea as is some proper boots – it’s amazing how much longer they stay in the water with warm feet.

The whole purpose of a wetsuit is to keep the wearer warm by retaining water and not flush, while at the same time being unrestrictive. To produce a suit like this is prohibitively expensive for a small child – the best you can hope for is a neoprene boiler suit. By the time you get to youth sizes, wetsuits have sealed seams but there is not much demand for a welded/sealed suit that will be outgrown in a year

If you want one for yourself, try Xcel.

Splashabout do neoprene wetsuit tops and bottoms for a 2 year old. Only 3mm, but you probably don’t want to go into the sea if it’s a 5mm wetsuit day, and a 2 year old surely won’t.

Or alternatively, I think quite a few of the surf wetsuit companies make ones in silly small sizes too.

Oh, hang on, you said 4-5 yr old clothes – just go to any watersports shop (or decathlon as suggested above) and pick up a kids wetsuit, they’ll surely have them down to that sort of size?

I hate to think how much of a pain it will be to get a 2 year old into a wetsuit mind!

Joe

It seems like most beaches in Cornwall with a shop sell basic neoprene jobbies for the little’uns, as rocketman described. Bought one for ours when she was just ~2.5 for a bit under £20 last year. Just about grown out of it now, but wore it more than I expected. Obv, not “pro quality”, but then she’d only be in the water for an hour at a go at most, and it was thick enough that she could wander about the beach in it as well, staying relatively warm and not worry about falling in/getting clothes wet etc.

*imagines molgrips frollicking in the water wearing a badly-fitting wetsuit*

*cries*

Not sure we have a decathlon near us, will have to check.

Only 3mm, but you probably don’t want to go into the sea if it’s a 5mm wetsuit day, and a 2 year old surely won’t.

Know many 2 year olds? 🙂 Ours won’t care, plus she is a hot little bunny anyway so 3mm sounds good. Wondering about the availability of boots in a size.. 9 she is now.. 9G…

Decathlon is a safe bet, but also, if you’re not going to use them often try surf shops/hire centres. they’ll have all sizes and will flog tatty ones at the end of summer for next to nowt. I got my old spare (I hate putting wet, wetsuits on in the morning!) for about £20. 4mm, plenty of patches and a bit shabby, but perfectly servicable (and easier to get on than my good suit).

Decathlon had a HUGE waterstuff section when I was in the Reading one a month or so ago, particularly water stuffs for kiddies. Don’t they do online nowdays incase there isn’t a store nearby?

A cheap one from some place like tesco will be fine if you’re just splashing about. A close fit is the most important thing. Also thickness.. look for at least 3mm.

My kids have TWF Shorties.

http://www.twfshop.co.uk/kids-104-c.asp

The boy was in the sea off Tenby last week for about an hour without getting cold.

I know they have tiny life-jackets we were going to get one for little Roisin so’s she could go on a boat but then she was too naughty

So you made her get in without one? Wow! that could have been traumatic for her.

Another vote for TWF shorties – ISTR I picked up ours for ~£14 from ebay.

Can’t really buy online – fit is a nightmare even with normal clothes for her.

Will try the watersports shops, thanks folks. Maybe see if there are some surfery shops down the Gower or something.

So you made her get in without one? Wow! that could have been traumatic for her.

No I meant she was too naughty so we never went on the boat.

She’s too intimidating now. Imagine the little girl out of ‘Outnumbered’, but a lot cleverer and extremely manipulative. I love her to bits but she frightens most adults.

Roisin is six. 😐

check out Xcel`s range on the magicseaweed site. Great suits and the 2010 stuff will be discounted.Possibly the 2011 stuff too.