Wetsuits For Hire

Wetsuits For Hire: UK-wide rental of triathlon, swimming and surf gear

Wetsuits For Hire is a British rental service that supplies wetsuits and related equipment for triathlon, open-water swimming, surfing and other water sports. The company presents itself as a UK-wide operation, stating that it provides hire from London to Scotland with delivery to the customer's address. Its base is in Bournemouth, according to the site, and it also offers the option of collecting gear locally.

The catalogue is organised around several categories: men's and women's swimming and triathlon wetsuits, men's and women's surfing wetsuits, kids' wetsuits, drysuits, accessories and surf hire. The hire range includes high-quality swim and triathlon suits from Orca, Zone3, Speedo and Bluesmooth, multipurpose wetsuits from O'Neill, C-Skins and Outdoor Adventure, and drysuits from Gul and Typhoon. The site also lists 2XU among the triathlon brands available.

Triathlon and swimming wetsuit hire

Triathlon wetsuit hire is offered from as little as £25 per week, according to the information on the site. The rental stock includes specific models such as the Men's Orca Hi Vis Open Water Swimming Wetsuit, the Men's Orca TRN Core Openwater Swim Wetsuit, the Men's Orca RS1 Open Water Thermal Swimming Wetsuit and the Men's Zone3 Advance Open Water Swim Wetsuit. The company positions these suits for occasional triathlon or swimming events, trips or holidays, arguing that hiring makes sense when a quality wetsuit purchase would be expensive.

Surf hire and accessories

Beyond wetsuits, the service covers surf hire: surfboards, surf-specific wetsuits, surfboard bags and accessories such as travel bags and changing robes. Surf wetsuits are described as available in thicknesses from 5mm winter suits to 3mm summer suits. Customers can also add items such as a Dryrobe, hat, safety buoy, dry bag and changing mat to complete their hire.

Drysuit rental for surface and underwater activities

Drysuit hire is aimed at surface water sports such as kayaking or sailing, as well as diving, filming or marine maintenance. The site states that drysuits can be hired with next-day delivery.

How the hire process works

The rental process begins with selecting a suit and size, then choosing the required dates. The company delivers the equipment by courier on the first working day before the chargeable period and emails the customer to specify the delivery hour; a signature is required. The minimum hire period is one week, which the company says allows time to change the suit if the size is wrong and to dry and return it by a cheaper postal service. Customers cover the cost of returning the suit, and the company recommends a second-class signed-for service. If the suit does not fit, the company says it can send the next size up or down in time for the swim.

Deposits, late returns and damage charges

A refundable security deposit is taken at checkout and is only exercised if the suit is not returned or is significantly damaged beyond use. The charge varies by item and is quoted at checkout; smaller items such as gloves carry no charge. The site lists typical charges: £10 per day for late returns after a three-day grace period, £10 for repair of significant nail damage, £30 for replacement of a damaged panel that cannot be repaired, £40 for zip replacement, and the full deposit if the suit is not returned or is damaged so badly it cannot be repaired.

Buying after hire

Customers who rent an item and wish to keep it can contact customer support to convert the rental into a purchase. In most cases, a portion of the rental fees can be applied toward the purchase price, subject to the item's availability for purchase.