What to Wear for Your First Fliteboard Experience

The Caribbean makes this easy. Water temperatures around Mayakoba stay warm all year, so no wetsuit is required and the entire question comes down to sun, comfort and a few small details that first-timers usually only learn the hard way.

The short version

• Swimwear that stays put when you fall — drawstrings tied, nothing loose.
• A long-sleeve rash guard. The single most useful item you can bring.
• Reef-safe sunscreen, applied at least twenty minutes before the session.
• A towel and dry clothes for afterwards.

Everything else — board, impact vest, instruction — is provided.

Why a rash guard matters more than you think

A first session involves a lot of time lying and kneeling on the board. That contact, repeated over an hour, is what causes discomfort — not the falls. A long-sleeve rash guard removes both the chafing and the majority of the sun exposure on your back and shoulders, which are pointed directly at the sky for most of the learning stages.

Light colours are cooler. A snug fit is better than a loose one; loose fabric catches water and drags.

The sun over the lagoon is stronger than it feels with a breeze on wet skin.

Sunscreen, properly

Use a reef-safe mineral formulation. We are riding in protected water, and what comes off your skin stays in the lagoon.

Apply it well before you arrive so it has bonded, and so your hands are completely dry when you take the hand controller. Greasy hands on a controller is the most common small annoyance of a first session, and it is entirely avoidable.

Eyewear

Polarised sunglasses genuinely improve your ability to read the water surface, which helps with balance. They will only survive the session with a retainer strap. Without one, plan on riding without them — several pairs are lost to the lagoon every season.

Contact lens wearers should bring a spare set. Prescription glasses are best left on the dock.

Footwear

Ride barefoot. It gives the best feel for the board and there is nothing on deck that needs protecting against. Bring sandals for the walk to and from the water.

Jewellery, watches and cameras

Leave rings and bracelets in your bag — cold water and repeated immersion loosen them. Dive watches are fine. If you want footage, tell us beforehand; a mounted camera is straightforward to arrange and far better than trying to hold anything yourself.

Hair and long styles

Tie it back. Long hair across your face at the moment you first stand up is a reliable way to end a promising attempt early.

Afterwards

Bring a proper towel and something dry to change into. Most guests are surprised how relaxed and pleasantly tired they feel after an hour on the water, and a comfortable set of clothes for the walk back to the resort is a small thing that improves the whole afternoon.

If you are unsure about anything on this list, message us before you arrive. It takes a minute and we would rather answer it in advance.