What to Wear Kitesurfing and Wakeboarding: 5 Swimwear Rules for Women

The best thing to wear kitesurfing or wakeboarding in warm water is a secure, full-coverage swimsuit with UPF 50+ protection, ideally a long sleeve one piece, or a crop rashguard with high-waisted bottoms and surf leggings. Both sports hit the water at speed, so a regular bikini will shift, ride up or come off in your first big fall. A harness or life vest also rubs bare skin, and you are out in full sun for hours with nowhere to hide. In tropical spots like Bali, where the water sits around 25 to 30°C, you rarely need a full wetsuit. What you need is swimwear that stays on, protects your skin and lets you move freely. Here are the five rules we follow, and the pieces that pass them.

In this article

• Rule 1: Choose a fit that survives a high-speed fall
• Rule 2: Cover the skin your harness or vest touches
• Rule 3: Make sun protection part of the outfit
• Rule 4: Protect your legs on the board
• Rule 5: Pick fabric that lasts
• Kitesurfing vs wakeboarding: what changes?
• FAQ

Rule 1: Why does your swimsuit need to survive a high-speed fall?

Whether you catch an edge behind the boat or get dragged by a gust, you will hit the water hard and fast. That impact pulls at every strap and seam. Swimwear for kite and wake needs:

• A secure, close fit that does not gape at the chest or hips.
• Wide, supportive straps or sleeves instead of thin ties.
• Full-seat bottoms that will not ride up when you are dragged through the water.
• Compression so the fabric moves with you instead of filling with water.

A long sleeve one piece solves all four at once. The sleeves anchor the suit at the shoulders, so it cannot slip down even when you go over the bars. It is the same reason so many women surf in them. We explain the full logic in swimwear that stays on.

Our best seller

Long Sleeve Swimsuit: Sulawesi Nautical

Holds through paddle-outs, duck dives and wipeouts, with UPF 50+ from shoulder to wrist.

$230 AUD Shop the Sulawesi →

Rule 2: Why cover the skin your harness or vest touches?

A kite harness sits around your waist or hips and shifts every time you load the kite. An impact vest or life jacket for wakeboarding rubs at the underarms and ribs. Over a few hours that friction, plus salt and sand, can leave raw, chafed skin.

• For kitesurfing: choose a one piece or a rashguard long enough to sit under your harness, so the harness never touches bare skin.
• For wakeboarding: a long sleeve layer under your vest protects your arms and underarms, and the smooth fabric stops the vest grabbing.
• Avoid hardware: rings, clasps and thick ties can dig in under a harness. Seamless, smooth finishes are kinder.

Rule 3: How much sun protection do you need for kite and wake?

More than you think. Kite and wake sessions happen in open water, often in the middle of the day when the wind fills in, and the water reflects UV back up at you. Sunscreen washes off with every crash.

A UPF 50 fabric blocks 98% of UV radiation, and unlike sunscreen it does not wash off when you crash. Covering your shoulders, back and arms with fabric means you only need to reapply sunscreen on your face, hands and legs. Our UPF 50+ explainer breaks down what the rating means, and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency explains how UPF ratings work.

Prefer a two piece?

Long Sleeve Crop Rashguard: The Sumba

UPF 50+ sleeves with thumbholes that stay put. Pair it with the Sumba High Waisted Bottoms.

$120 AUD Shop the Sumba →

Rule 4: Should you cover your legs for kitesurfing and wakeboarding?

If you ride for more than an hour, yes. Your thighs and shins take the most sun, and they are the hardest place to keep sunscreen on. Leggings also add a layer between you and the board, the bindings or straps, and the odd brush with reef in shallow kite lagoons like Sanur.

Look for surf leggings with UPF 50+ fabric and an adjustable waist, so they stay up when you are dragged through the water.

Full leg coverage

Surf Leggings: The Flores

UPF 50+, a back waist tie to lock the fit, and a hidden key pocket for your car or villa key.

$120 AUD Shop the Flores →

Rule 5: What fabric lasts for kite and wake?

Hours of sun, salt and harness friction destroy cheap swimwear fast. It thins, bags and fades within a season. Choose dense, chlorine and salt-resistant fabric that holds its compression.

Every Ocean Soul piece is made from Italian ECONYL®, a regenerated nylon made from recycled ocean and landfill waste. It feels buttery soft, keeps its shape and colour, and is built to be worn season after season, which is better for you and for the ocean you ride on. Read more in why we use ECONYL®.

Freedom for your arms

One Piece Swimsuit: Mentawai Midnight

Sleeveless, sculpting and secure for riders who want unrestricted shoulders. Layer the Sumba over it on long days.

$200 AUD Shop the Mentawai →

Kitesurfing vs wakeboarding: what should you wear for each?

Heading to Bali to ride? The most reliable kitesurfing winds blow from about May to September, with Sanur's flat-water lagoon the go-to spot for lessons. Outside those months the wind is far less predictable, so book flexibly.

Frequently asked questions

What do women wear kitesurfing in warm water?

Most women wear a secure one piece swimsuit, often long sleeve, or a rashguard with high-waisted bottoms. Many add surf leggings for sun protection and to stop harness or strap rub.

Can you wear a bikini wakeboarding?

You can, but a standard bikini often shifts or comes off in a hard fall. If you prefer two pieces, choose a crop rashguard or secure crop top with full-seat, high-waisted bottoms.

Do you need a wetsuit for kitesurfing in Bali?

Usually not. The water around Bali is warm year round, so a UPF 50+ swimsuit or a thin spring suit is enough for most riders.

How do you stop a kite harness from chafing?

Wear a layer under the harness, such as a one piece swimsuit or a rashguard long enough to sit beneath it, so the harness never sits on bare skin. Smooth, seamless fabric reduces rubbing further.

When is kitesurfing season in Bali?

Roughly May to September, during the dry season trade winds. June, July and August are typically the most consistent months.