Hey Surfer! When it comes to surfing, good equipment is essential. And on top of the list is of course the wetsuit. Whether you're looking for a classic wetsuit, a special wetsuit for women, a short neoprene shorty for women or a high-end ION wetsuit - we at surfpirates.com have everything your water sports heart desires!
Ah, the shorty! Ideal for warmer temperatures and super stylish at the same time. But when is the right time to change the long wetsuit for a neoprene shorty ladies or men?
When it comes to wetsuits, the thickness of the neoprene is a crucial factor to ensure the appropriate thermal insulation in different water temperatures. The thickness of neoprene is usually expressed in millimeters (mm), and two numbers are often used, such as 4/3mm. The first number refers to the thickness of the neoprene on the body and the second on the arms and legs. We have summarized the different thicknesses in a degree table:
A suit in this thickness you choose best at temperatures of 20-25 degrees. Especially in the summer months, this neoprene thickness is very comfortable and offers a lot of flex!
The 4/3 mm neoprene is especially in northern Germany and Denmark a suit that you can wear well from June to September. It is noticeably warmer than the 3/2mm and still has very comfortable flex. Temperatures from 18-22 degrees are ideal!
The wetsuit that everyone should have in their quiver! Probably the best-selling neoprene thickness for all who want to get out on the water at the first rays of sunshine! With the high quality 5/3mm suits you can get into the water at 10 degrees. Up to 22 degrees this thickness is your ideal companion!
For you it's the season all year round? Then a suit with hood, so-called Neo Hoodies, may not be missing with you! Through an integrated hood comes significantly less water into the suit and a rinse cycle is much less unpleasant! Hooded wetsuits are available in 5/4mm and 6/5mm. With these suits you can from 0-15 degrees on the water!
The shorty is intended for high summer, or regions where it is often over 25 degrees. As a rule, shortys are 2mm thick and thus offer extreme flex and a very comfortable feel.
You follow the summer and choose your destination according to the best temperature? With the neoprene shirt you can from about 27 degrees on the water. On the bottom you just wear board shorts or bikini bottoms.
Fit is everything in a wetsuit! An ill-fitting suit will leave you cold and can also cause chafing. Here are some tips for choosing the perfect size:
Like a second skin! Especially for newbies this feeling is a bit uncomfortable at the beginning, but your suit should really fit skin tight. What many do not know, the suits usually widen after 5-10 times and are then about half a size larger!
You want to buy your own wetsuit and click through the different models and prices online? This is due to the different neoprene qualities, linings or even taped seams.
For example, there are 5/3mm wetsuits for a little more than 200 €, but also for almost 500 €! The suits for 200 € are enough for everyone who rather wants to go on the water in good weather and also can not go out several times a week. 5/3s for 300-500 € are much more flexible than those for 200 €, offer a higher wearing comfort and offer a longer durability! The expensive suits often also have a warm lining, which dries very quickly again and taped seams, which let less water into the suit!
Our impressive range of brands offers you the crème de la crème of the surf world. From up-and-coming insiders to established industry giants, you'll find a variety as colorful and dynamic as the oceans themselves. Dive into our assortment and find the perfect wetsuit that not only protects your body, but also your style.
Here is a small guide to the fit of the various manufacturers - Mystic, Rip Curl - Here you can choose the suit well one size larger than normal! ION, Soöruz, XCEL, Prolimit - These manufacturers fall relatively normal and you can choose your size as usual with eg T-shirts!
Whether you want to buy a wetsuit designed specifically for women, are looking for the ultimate wetsuit or the hottest ION wetsuit, we have the largest selection and the best prices. Don't forget our accessories and surf suit alternatives section. Jump into the adventure with the Surf Pirates and surf in style!
The harness is an important component of your equipment. If the harness is too small, it can put uncomfortable pressure on your ribs or hips and does not provide the necessary support for your lower back. If it is too big, it is very likely to ride up and quickly hang under your armpits. This happens very quickly, especially if you jump a lot when windsurfing!
All manufacturers such as ION, Prolimit and Ride Engine offer a size chart to match their harnesses!
The biggest difference is: seat or hip harness!
VThe seat harness offers advantages, especially for riders who are just starting out. Especially when kitesurfing, the lower seat of the harness gives you more depower and the pull from the kite is directed more towards the buttocks. The lower center of gravity gives you more control.
Even riders who often have back pain after a session can take a lot of weight off their back and stay on the water longer and without pain!
A seat harness is also ideal for windsurfers who want speed and the longest possible strokes.
As every body is a little different, we naturally have to offer a wide range of harness shapes. Here at Surfpirates.de you will definitely find a model that suits your body. Starting in the hip area, there are different widths. So you can choose the perfect harness for your back. The back plate is also available with a narrower or higher cut. A narrower cut is an advantage if you are looking for as much freedom of movement as possible. Higher back plates distribute the pressure more over the entire back and therefore offer more comfort!
A few years ago, brands such as Ride Engine and Mystic came onto the market with so-called hardshell harnesses. These harnesses have a fixed back plate made of either GRP or carbon. This back plate ensures that the harness deforms less and distributes the force exerted even more over the entire back. The harness with the fixed back plate is therefore a good way to combat back pain after a session.
Aber Achtung, es hat auch Nachteile:
If, for example, you are out in the waves with the kitewaveboard and often ride in the switch, the harness usually always rotates a little on your hips. This can cause the high part of the back plate to slide off the back and into the side of the ribs, restricting movement again!
The hook is not always the same either. The most noticeable difference here, for example, is in the kitesurfing and windsurfing harnesses!
The picture here clearly shows this:
There are also sliders in the kite sector, which are often a rope made from Dynema and are particularly useful for foiling and wave kiting! The slider allows you to turn in even further and thus place the pull more to one side. This leads to a freer ride and even more fun! Please note: Dynema ropes should be checked more frequently and replaced once a season if necessary. You can find these ropes here: https://www.surfpirates.de/search/?qs=Dynema
The Freeride Hook from Mystic is exactly the right choice for all those who don't want to unhook themselves, ride in the waves, but also like to jump!
Many manufacturers now sell windsurf harnesses without a hook plate. This gives you as a customer the opportunity to choose exactly the right width and the right hook/slider to suit your needs. As soon as you have selected the size and color of the harness, you will be offered a selection of hooks if no hook is included with the harness!
We have compiled the most important information for you here so that you are optimally equipped and satisfied with your equipment.
The harness, also known as a "harness", plays a crucial role in your equipment. If the harness is too small, it can press uncomfortably on your ribs or hips and not provide the necessary support for your lower back. If it is too big, there is a risk that it will slide up and quickly slide under your armpits. This can happen a lot, especially when kitesurfing if you do a lot of jumps!
All manufacturers such as ION, Prolimit and Ride Engine offer size charts for their kitesurf harnesses!
The biggest difference is between seat and hip harnesses!
A hip harness offers advantages, especially for kitesurfing beginners. The lower seat of the harness enables better depower and directs the pull from the kite more strongly onto the buttocks. The lower center of gravity gives you more control and can reduce back pain after sessions, allowing you to surf longer and pain-free. A hip harness is also a good choice for windsurfers who focus on speed and long strokes.
As every body is unique, we offer a variety of shapes and cuts for kite harnesses. At Surfpirates.de you are sure to find a model that fits your body shape perfectly. The variations range from different hip widths to different back plates, which can be cut narrower or higher. A narrower cut allows more freedom of movement, while higher back plates distribute the pressure more evenly over the entire back and therefore offer more comfort.
A few years ago, brands such as Ride Engine and Mystic came onto the market with so-called hardshell kitesurf harnesses. These harnesses have a fixed back plate made of either GRP or carbon. This back plate ensures less deformation of the harness and a more even distribution of the forces acting on the entire back. Hardshell harnesses can help to reduce back pain after surfing. However, it is important to note that they can also have disadvantages. For example, if you are kitesurfing in waves and frequently change direction, the harness can rotate on your hips. This can cause the upper part of the back plate to slide off your back onto your rib side and restrict your movement!
The type of hook plates can also vary, especially between kitesurf and windsurf harnesses!
The picture here clearly shows this:
In the kite sector, there are also sliders, which are often made of Dynema rope and are particularly advantageous for foiling and wave kiting. The slider enables a further turn and shifts the pull more to the side, which leads to more fun and freedom when surfing. However, please note that Dynema ropes should be checked regularly and replaced once a season if necessary. You can find these ropes here: https://www.surfpirates.de/search/?qs=Dynema
The Freeride Hook from Mystic is the ideal choice for those who don't want to unhook themselves and want to ride waves as well as jump!
Many manufacturers now offer kitesurf harnesses without hook plates. This allows you as a customer to choose the right width and the right hook or slider for your needs. Once you have selected the size and color of the harness from us, you will be offered various hook options if the harness is supplied without hooks!
Hey and welcome to our Surfpirates online store Foilguide!
The selection of foils in our Surfpirates store is huge! Every well-known manufacturer has its own line of foils, and some offer an impressively diverse range of foils and accessories. No wonder it's easy to lose track.
In recent years, the sport of foiling has experienced a real boom thanks to wings! As technical development has also progressed enormously, we want to give you an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of different foils in our Foil Guide.
Are you looking for a simple introduction to the world of foils? Then be sure to check out our wing foil guide for beginners.
Below, we delve a little deeper into the world of foils, highlighting the technical differences as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various foil concepts.
Wir kategorisieren Foils nach der sogenannten Aspect Ratio (AR), was auf deutsch so viel wie Seitenverhältnis bedeutet. Unter Aspect Ratio versteht man das Verhältnis des Quadrats der Flügelspannweite zur Flügelfläche, oder der Spannweite zur mittleren Flügeltiefe.
Foils can generally be technically divided into three different categories. But beware, this distinction is not entirely clear-cut, but rather fluid. The classification within the foil sport is roughly as follows.
Here's a comparison for you: In aircraft construction, values of approx. 2-20 are common. In foiling, as can be seen above, we tend to move in a range between 3-12.
A higher aspect ratio is hydrodynamically more efficient, as additional drag occurs in the area of the wing tips due to end vortices. The higher the aspect ratio, the lower this drag. Winglets have a similar end vortex drag-reducing effect.
However, the elongation also increases the inertia around the roll axis (longitudinal axis). In addition, thin, elongated surfaces create greater technical challenges in terms of structural stability.
Low aspect foils are well suited for beginners as the wings, which usually have a thick profile, produce a lot of lift even at very low speeds. Beginners will also appreciate the low overall speed.
If you build smaller wings for advanced riders with low-aspect geometry, the result is very maneuverable wings that can be ridden very agilely in small, slow waves. The disadvantage of this is low efficiency when pumping and general performance. For this reason, wings are also less common in advanced freeriding. Freestylers never actually use low-aspect foils, as the achievable jump height is too low due to the low basic speed.
Mid Aspect foils are now the most common type of foil in wings in general. From beginners to advanced freeriders, everyone will find what they are looking for here, as the mixture of stability, maneuverability and performance is not too much for anyone and is still sporty enough for most riders.
The range of use of Mid-Aspect Wings really does extend from freeriding to waves and freestyling. Every skill level will find suitable wings.
As the basic level of users has risen, the High-Aspect Wings have continued to develop in recent years. And here too, the range of applications is diverse!
Coupled with a profile that is not too radical, even the sporty intermediate will find a suitable new toy here.
Large representatives of this group (1500+ cm²) are excellent light wind wings or dock launch wings.
The medium sizes (1000-1500 cm²) are suitable for almost every area of use. Sporty freeriding, moderate wave riding and freestyle maneuvers can be coaxed out of these wing foils.
In the smallest class (500-1000 cm²) you will find the most radical and fastest wings on the market.
Even the sporty advanced rider will quickly get to grips with them and anyone up to the absolute professional can find a suitable wing here. The range of use covers speed/slalom as well as medium/large waves, the most radical freestyle maneuvers and even a sporty freeride range for light riders.
As a rule, beginners should get on best with masts of 60-80 cm. Some surf schools also use shorter models - but these are only really useful for a short time, so you shouldn't buy a mast that is too short at the beginning. Very short masts are also occasionally used in extremely shallow areas.
For advanced riders, masts between 70-90 cm are the standard. Masts around 70-80 cm are the efficient choice for dock launching.
It is very rare to find masts under 85 cm among very good riders. Lengths of up to 110 cm are also not uncommon in the speed range.
A beginner's foil layer should not be too short, usually 65-80 cm depending on the other settings of the foil. This makes the foil more stable and slower in its reactions and therefore easier to control.
In this group, the most common fuselage lengths are between 60 and 70 cm.
In some cases, very short fuselages of around 50 cm are used here, which facilitates fast, radical maneuvers and pumping.
In general, it can be said that the stabilizer must fit the front wing and the overall foil. Larger front wings usually have larger stabilizers with thicker profiles. By swapping a stabilizer for a thinner, smaller stabilizer, you can get some extra speed and manoeuvrability out of a rather sluggish, larger wing foil.
Chims or similar options can often be used to adjust the performance of foils on the stabilizer.
Wil je het geluid van de golven van dichtbij voelen en je laten meevoeren door de kracht van de wind? Dan ben je bij Surfpirates aan het juiste adres! Surfpirates is jouw kiteshop die je voorziet van de beste kites voor jouw kitesurfavontuur. Ons assortiment omvat een breed scala aan kites die je zullen inspireren, zowel als beginner als ervaren kitesurfer.
Kites zijn verkrijgbaar in verschillende varianten, die variëren afhankelijk van het ontwerp en het beoogde gebruik. In onze online shop bij surfpirates.de vind je een grote selectie vliegers die je kitesurfervaring naar een hoger niveau tillen. Er zijn de volgende kitesoorten:
Afhankelijk van je gewicht en de wind heb je een andere kite nodig. Hoe meer kites (in verschillende maten) je hebt, hoe meer tijd je op het water kunt doorbrengen bij verschillende windkrachten.
Wil je je kitesurfset uitbreiden en heb je vragen over het kiezen van je kites? Neem dan nu contact met ons op en krijg gedetailleerd advies van onze experts.
Naast een professioneel kiteboard moet je als beginner vooral aandacht besteden aan het kiezen van de juiste kites. Heb je je kitesurfcursus met succes afgerond en wil je nu je eigen kites kopen? Dan moet je op bepaalde punten letten.
Voor beginners is het belangrijker dat de kite gemakkelijk uit het water lanceert (relaunch) en een goed depower vermogen biedt om de trekkracht bij harde wind te verminderen. Evenwichtig stuurgedrag dat niet te gevoelig reageert op stuurimpulsen is ook ideaal. Een betrouwbaar veiligheidssysteem met een effectieve quick release is ook belangrijk voor beginners.
In het algemeen kan gezegd worden dat beginners moeten beginnen met een allround kite die veelzijdig is en hun ontwikkeling niet beperkt.
Je hebt ook een geschikte kite pump en kite bar nodig om de kites te kunnen gebruiken.
Als je al vertrouwd bent met je nieuwe kite, is het de moeite waard om uit te kijken naar andere kites.
Tip: Lees meer over kitesurfen en de verschillende kites in onze kite guide.
Ben je klaar om met je kites naar ongekende hoogten te zweven? Aarzel dan niet langer! Ontdek de fascinerende selectie vliegers in onze online shop die gemaakt zijn voor avonturiers zoals jij.
Tip: Of je nu op zoek bent naar core kites, kites van Naish of Ozone: snuffel in onze tweedehands kitesurfmarkt en ontdek een grote selectie gebruikte kites, bars en kiteboards.
Wij zijn je betrouwbare partner die je niet alleen kites van hoge kwaliteit levert, maar je ook advies en ondersteuning biedt bij het kiezen van de juiste kite voor jouw kunnen. Waar wacht je nog op? De golven roepen je en je kites wachten op je bij Surfpirates.de - de ultieme kiteshop voor kite piraten zoals jij!
Vind nu je kites en de juiste uitrusting voor je kitesurfervaring in onze Surfpirates online shop! Shop online en begin met kitesurfen!