Tango 3:2 Womens Surf Wetsuit

The Orca Tango 3:2 Women's Surf Wetsuit is a front-zip full suit made from 100% Yamamoto neoprene, with 3 mm in the torso and 2 mm panels. Taped GBS seams and Smoothskin seals at the neck and wrists help keep water out, and Shield+ panels reinforce the knees against board and sand wear.

Who it's for

Women who surf through the cooler months and want one suit that paddles freely for a long session. The Tango 3:2 is a surf suit first: the front zip seals high at the neck, the shoulders stay soft for paddling, and the knees are reinforced for popping up on a board over and over. It is the suit for winter mornings at Snapper and Currumbin, and for spring and autumn on the south coast of New South Wales.

Buoyancy and flexibility

Orca build every panel from Japanese Yamamoto neoprene. The torso uses 3 mm Yamamoto backed with a compressive Power Fit lining, for a close fit in the chest and back that helps stop water flowing inside the suit. The shoulders and back use Yamamoto 40 neoprene with an Infinity Skin 2 lining that contains bamboo fibre, which keeps the paddling zone supple and resists odour between sessions. The outer face is DuraSkin, a fast-drying fabric that is very resistant to abrasion from equipment such as your surfboard.

Keeping the water out

• Front YKK zip: seals the neck without restricting your shoulders.
• GBS seams: glued and blind-stitched, then taped on the inside.
• Smoothskin seals: at the neck and wrists, clinging to the skin so water cannot flush in.
• Shield+ knees: abrasion and impact-resistant fabric combined with high-stretch neoprene.

Getting the size right

A good surf suit fits snug from shoulder to crotch with no folds across the lower back, and should feel firm when you first pull it on dry. The upper body of the Tango stretches to suit different shapes, but the thickness of the leg panels sets the lower-body fit, so if the size guide suggests going up a size, let your weight count for more than your chest or height. We'd always rather you try it on and move around in it before your first surf.

Water temperature range

A 3:2 full suit is the everyday winter suit in South East Queensland and northern New South Wales, and the shoulder-season suit further south. Once the water turns properly cold in Victoria and Tasmania, most surfers step up to a 4:3.

Looking after neoprene

Rinse the suit thoroughly in fresh water after every surf; a little neutral pH soap is fine. Dry it in the shade, never in direct sun, and never leave it in a hot car. Store it hung over a wide hanger at the waist, not by the shoulders, and avoid crushing or folding it at the seams in transit.