The Hawaiian South Shore Wet Rash: A Hybrid of a Wetsuit and a Rashguard
A little warmth for the mornings, evenings, and cooler days when a rashguard leaves you cold, but you do not want a wetsuit. A 1.5mm neoprene front keeps your core warm, and the arms stay light and free with UPF 50 sun protection. It comes in men's and women's, hooded or not — our number one seller for more than seven years.
Shop the Wet Rash
Quick Answer
The Hawaiian South Shore wet rash is a hybrid — the balance of a wetsuit and a rashguard — and it has been our number one seller for more than seven years. It's for the surfer who gets a little chilly in the morning, the evening, or the cooler months and wants more warmth than a rashguard, without a full wetsuit. The front and back are 1.5mm neoprene that keeps your core warm; the arms are light rashguard material with UPF 50 sun protection, so you can paddle for hours without overheating. It comes in men's and women's, hooded or not, in men's S–XXL and women's S–XL.
Key Takeaways
- What it is: the Hawaiian South Shore wet rash — a hybrid of a wetsuit and a rashguard, in men's and women's, hooded or not. Our number one seller for more than 7 years.
- Who it is for: surfers who get a little chilly in the morning, evening, or cooler months and want more warmth than a rashguard, without a full wetsuit.
- Warm where it counts: a 1.5mm neoprene front and back keeps your core warm; light rashguard arms keep you free and add UPF 50 sun cover.
- Built right: no underarm seam, raised pantyhose-thread seams that stretch and do not rub, half-length back zipper, and a zip back pocket with a key lanyard.
- Fit & care: snug fit, men's S–XXL and women's S–XL, 30-day guarantee; rinse in cold water and hang it like trousers so it lasts.
Why We Made the Wet Rash
A plain rashguard can actually make you colder. When it gets wet and the wind blows across it, it works like an air conditioner and pulls the heat right off you. On a chilly morning or an evening surf, that is enough to send you in early. But a lot of people do not want to put on a full wetsuit either.
So we solved it. Drawing on more than three decades in the surf industry, we combined ideas from a bunch of different products into one layer and called it the wet rash. It gives you a little warmth where a rashguard leaves you cold, without the weight of a wetsuit — and for more than seven years it has been our number one seller.
Here is the plain choice: a plain rashguard is light and cool but gives you no warmth on a chilly morning. A full wetsuit gives you the most warmth but is heavier to paddle in and easy to overheat in once the sun is up. The wet rash sits in between — 1.5mm warmth on your core, light rashguard freedom everywhere else. None of these is wrong; it depends on how cold you run and how long you plan to stay out.
What Is the Wet Rash?
It is a hybrid — a 1.5mm neoprene wetsuit panel on the front and back for warmth, and light rashguard material on the arms and sides for freedom. The neoprene front keeps your core warm. The arms let you paddle like you are wearing almost nothing, and the whole top is UPF 50, so you are covered from the sun through a long day out — some fair-skinned surfers pick it up for the sun protection as much as the warmth. It comes in men's and women's, and in a version with a hood, which we get into below.
Shop the Wet Rash — four ways
How Warm Is It, and What Does It Feel Like?
It is a little warmth where you feel the cold first, without cooking you when the sun is up. The 1.5mm neoprene sits over your chest and back and takes the edge off. Around here, guys who run cold wear it on summer mornings and evenings, when the water and the wind have a bite. Guys who run hot save it for winter, up in the country on the North Shore, where it actually gets cool.
The way it keeps you warm is simple, and a lot of people do not know it. The neoprene holds a layer of water against your skin, and your body heat warms that water. Instead of cold water flushing across you, you have a warm layer sitting there. That is also why the light arms matter — you get the warmth on your core without overheating once the sun comes up.
That is exactly how the people who wear it describe it. After a winter surf, Nick called it the perfect medium:
Cowen, who runs warm and overheats in other suits, said the same thing a different way: it keeps you warm and cool at the same time.
Real customer review: warmth without overheating.
What the Hood Is
One version of the wet rash comes with a hood — a hat sewn right into the top. We did not set out to make it; surfers and instructors kept asking us for a hat, so we built one in. It covers your neck and head, the spots that get the most sun and wind and almost never get sunscreen.
Here is how most people use it. Sitting outside waiting for a set, they pull the hood up to keep the sun off; when a wave comes, they push it back down and go. It is a hat you never have to hold or set down. Thomas, out on a cold, windy dawn, keeps his rolled up on his neck the whole surf for the warmth, and Chad calls it a must-have for tropical trips — enough stretch, he says, that it does not blow off your head when you go under a wave.
The Details That Keep It Comfortable for Hours
The things that ruin a top on a long surf are rubbing, riding up, and being a pain to get on and off — and we built around each one. There is no seam under the arms, so it does not saw at your skin while you paddle. The seams that are there sit higher than normal so they do not pinch, and they are sewn with pantyhose-grade stretch thread. Most rash guards, you can hear the seam ripping when they stretch — this one stretches with you and does not rub up a rash.
A few more things you notice once you have it on. The back zipper runs halfway up your back, not the usual quarter-length, so it is genuinely easy on and off. The boardshort connector in the front is beefed up more than most brands, so it stays down. The zip pocket in the back has a lanyard inside for your key — people also stash a stick of sunscreen in there, or tuck their booties in after they have paddled out over the reef. And there is a small hook in the back: if you wear your own surf hat, clip it there so you do not lose it in the water.
Brian Rudd has been surfing for fifty years and teaches lessons in Waikiki from early morning to evening, so his gear takes a beating. He is blunt about the two things that matter to him.
Customers feel all this in the water. Obby, who bodyboards every day, says the tag tucks into his board shorts so the top does not keep creeping up the way other ones do — his stays nice and tight. Getting in and out is quick too: Tommy, who surfed Haleiwa before sunrise, likes that the back zip makes it easy on and easy off, instead of the tie strings that take forever. A lot of surfers also mention that the neoprene front adds a little cushion against the board, which takes the soreness out of paddling on your chest and ribs. And Reggie, two years in, keeps his key in that back pocket and says you just cannot beat it.
What Size Should You Get?
It is a snug, performance fit, so it sits close to your body — if you want it more relaxed, size up. The Super Stretch material also molds to you over time, so a snug one loosens a touch as you wear it. The best way to pick is to see what surfers close to your size are wearing, and if you are on the line between two sizes, message us your height and weight and we will help.
| Surfer | Height | Weight | Wears |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh | 5'2" | 125 lb | Small |
| Reggie | 5'4" | 160 lb | Medium |
| Thomas | 6'2" | 178 lb | Medium |
| Harry | 5'10" | ~190 lb | Large |
| Ezra | 6'1" | 214 lb | XL |
| Brian | 6'1" | 220 lb | XL |
Harry, at 5'10" and around 190 pounds, wears a Large and says it fits great and feels better than the top he had before. Brian goes with the XL over the XXL because the XXL runs a little loose on him. When you are between sizes, that is the call to make — snug now, and it gives a little as it breaks in.
Still not sure what size to get?
Send us your height, weight, where you surf, and whether you run hot or cold. We will point you to the right size before you buy.
Does It Hold Up?
Yes — the most common thing regulars tell us is that their last one lasted about three years of daily use. This is not a top you baby. People surf it every day, in summer and winter, and come back for another when they finally wear it out.
Ezra has had his for three seasons, and he passed along the one care tip that makes them last.
He is not the only one. One customer came in to buy his dad an updated one for Christmas because the dad was still surfing the same top three years later, every day. We even have pool swimmers who are in chlorinated water four times a week — and chlorine is hard on gear — who only replace theirs about once a year.
To make it last, rinse it in cold fresh water after you surf, then hang it like a pair of trousers — from the waist, not by the shoulders. Wet, it is heavy, so hanging it that way dries it faster and keeps it from stretching out the shoulders.
Across our wet/rash line, surfers rate these 4.9 out of 5 from 35 verified reviews. That, plus the 30-day money-back guarantee, is why it is an easy first one to try.
The Wet Rash Comes in Four
We make the wet rash in four, so you can get the one that fits how you surf. There is a men's with the hood, a men's without the hood in black and grey, and a women's. Same hybrid, same little bit of warmth without the weight. Not sure which one? Come in or message us and we will point you to the right one.
Quick Match
- Choose hooded if you want sun cover on your neck, ears, and head, or you surf early and windy sessions.
- Choose non-hooded if you want the same 1.5mm core warmth with less coverage around your head.
- Choose women's if you want the women-specific Wet Rash fit with the same warm-core, free-arm idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
When would I wear this instead of a full wetsuit?
When you want a little warmth and sun cover but not the full coverage of a wetsuit. Think cold mornings, evening surfs, the cooler months, or any time you run warm and just want to take the chill off. Some surfers prefer a full wetsuit for more warmth; this is the lighter in-between layer.
Is it just for surfing?
No. Customers wear it swimming, snorkeling, and bodyboarding too. Glen, a lap swimmer who does 45 minutes four times a week, says it is the best rash guard he has worn and it even holds up to pool chemicals. The warmth and sun cover work the same whatever you are doing in the water.
How warm is a 1.5mm wet/rash?
It is a warmth boost, not a cold-water wetsuit. The 1.5mm neoprene over your chest and back takes the edge off cold mornings, evening wind, and the cooler months. The sleeves are light rashguard material, so you do not overheat when the sun comes up.
Is the hood worth it, or is it a gimmick?
The hood covers your neck, ears, and head — the spots that get the most sun and wind and rarely get sunscreen. You pull it up for warmth or sun and roll it down when you do not need it. Surfers who burn easily, or do not have much hair up top, tend to be the ones who love it.
How should it fit, and how do I pick a size?
It fits snug for performance and molds to your body over time, so it loosens a touch as you wear it. If you want it relaxed from day one, size up. Look at what real surfers your size wear, and message us your height and weight if you are between two sizes.
Will it chafe or ride up?
There is no seam under the arms, so it does not rub, and a strap ties into your boardshorts so it does not ride up. Customers who surf it daily, including a fifty-year surf instructor, say they get no armpit rash and it does not roll up on them, even in bigger waves.
How long does it last, and how do I take care of it?
Regulars tell us their last one lasted about three years of daily use. Rinse it after you surf and drape it over a line to dry instead of hanging it by the shoulders, so the neoprene does not stretch out. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Where can I buy it?
Hawaiian South Shore makes it and carries it in men's sizes S through XXL and women's S through XL, online or at the shop at 320 Ward Avenue in Honolulu. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it on a cold morning and send it back if it is not for you.
Stay out longer on the cold ones
That's the whole idea — the mornings and evenings you'd normally cut short because a rashguard leaves you cold and a wetsuit feels like too much. Put on the wet rash instead, and stay out for the extra waves.
Backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, in men's and women's, hooded or not. Grab one online or come by the shop, and tell us your height and weight if you're not sure on size — we'll help you get it right.
Shop the Wet RashHawaiian South Shore · 320 Ward Avenue #112, Honolulu, HI 96814
Phone: (808) 597-9055 · Email: sales@hawaiiansouthshore.com · Instagram: @hawaiiansouthshore