Prices tend to be essentially the same from one surf shop to another. Dive shops and sporting goods stores do frequently advertise cheap wetsuits, but these suits are typically fashioned with overlock stitching, minimal paneling, and are usually poor suits to wear when surfing.

    You can usually get a good deal on a winter wetsuit towards the end of the summer. At around that time the 'new year' of wetsuits typically starts to arrive, and shops are eager to push 'last years' models out the door. Unlike the automobile industry, there is often little difference between the two 'model years'.

    Used wetsuits can also be a good buy. Be sure to check for cracks and tears. Feel the neoprene to make sure it hasn't degraded when looking at a double-lined suit.