Go smaller!
Ok, I have to disagree with every other review here. Buy a size smaller than you think! If you don't feel like a stuffed sausage when you put it on, it's too big. I will never forget the first couple times I bought a Roxy rash guard at an actual surf shop. It always went the same way. What size am I? I have no idea. Surfer dude looks at me....mmmm.... medium, maybe a small, I'd go small. Are you high? I am an adult woman, this looks child size! Can I at least try this on? Well, I mean, I guess you can but, trust me, this is the size you want. After 10 minutes of trying to wrestle my way thru it I come out, feeling like a giant sausage, is this too tight? Oh right on, yeah, that's perfect. Trust me, once you're in the water, you don't want it loose! Well, surfer dude is never wrong. Once the shirt gets wet, if it's too loose it will create major drag in the water and limit your movement. I gained a little weight but started swimming and wanted a rash guard for chilly mornings, and peak UV hours. The thought of putting on an old rash guard was terrifying. So I decided to buy a couple generic zipper front ones. I listened to all the reviews about being too tight and purchased a few generic ones. Sure, they were all very cute, very flattering. But once I got in the water, it was literally impossible to swim because there was just way way way too much drag. Ugh, surfer dudes are right. You have get crazy small. To try to guess what size, I tried on an old roxy medium one without a zipper. It looked terrible, but I did get it on. I'm a 34DDD, 150 lbs, 5'8" and carry all my weight in my upper body. I purchased the black medium zip up. Low key terrifying. It fit perfectly. Crazy tight in the arms, because you simply cannot swim or paddle out with any excess drag. Super tight everywhere else but super easy to get on and off with the zipper. Plus, when you're not in the water, you can unzip the top a little and.... instant sexy bond girl vibes. Trust me, nobody will think you look like a stuffed sausage. I guess if you're only purchasing this for kayaking or something here you're not trying to move your body thru water, than larger would be ok. But in that case you might be better served with a different style. I'm not sure if this would be ideal for surfing as the zipper against the board is going to suck and screw up your wax. But would be great for paddleboard. I'm wearing it for swimming laps and it's ideal. The zipper isn't a problem. Tight enough that I can still use my arms, doesn't cause a ton of drag slowing me down. Easy off and on, don't have to worry about accidentally pulling off my bikini top with it. I thought i would HATE it, but I actually really like how it feels in the water. My arms easily get a friction rash, but as the name suggests, this totally prevents it. I know it's in my head, that it can't be protecting me from chlorine, that bare skin can't get friction from just moving thru water... but something about it just feels cushiony and protective even in the areas where skin isnt rubbing together. Obviously, it also feels great not wondering if I missed a spot of sunscreen! If you're actually going to be in the water and not just near the water, and especially if you want to actually move, snorkel, swim, float around... go smaller. Forget the body shame. Yeah, it's going to be tight, there might be rolls.... but you deserve to feel comfortable in the water as much as anyone else!!!! And besides, get the zipper one, and unzip it a little, done. Read more
