On the Wilda side: a Q&A with founder Caitlin Paton

While many open water wetsuits are muted blacks and greys, Wilda has created a suit that embraces the joy, vibrancy and individuality of open water swimming. In the run up to the launch of The Dart wetsuit, we spoke to Wilda founder Caitlin Paton

Why did you decide to launch Wilda?

We launched Wilda after seeing a gap in the market for high quality open water swimming wetsuits that celebrate individuality, colour and joy. As an open water swimmer myself I was frustrated at having to cover up my bold, colourful swimsuits with a simple black wetsuit, and wanted to inject some colour into the industry. We wanted to create a brand that celebrates the joy and fun of swimming outdoors in nature and encourages as many people as possible to get into the water whether you’re a complete beginner, or on your 10th marathon swim.

What inspired you to create something so vibrant?

The Dart is all about bringing fun and joy to outdoor swims, without compromising on function and comfort. It is bold and unapologetically colourful. The Dart is designed for the female form, with lower buoyancy in the legs and a broad size range available including tall options. The idea came to me while training for the Level Water Dart 10k, and once I had the idea, I couldn’t unsee the sea of black suits and wanted to inject colour and fun into every swim start line. Named after the beautiful Dart river where the idea was born, the wetsuit reflects the beauty of open water and swimming outdoors.

What kind of swimmer is The Dart designed for?

The Dart is designed for the swimmer who swims for the love of it. It has been designed to suit swimming longer distances in front crawl as well as breaststroke on those gentler swim days, and has been crafted to suit the female form. It is perfect for the swimmer who loves to express themselves, feel confident in what they are wearing, but values gear that is functional, comfortable and long-lasting.

Please can you tell us about the technical makeup of the wetsuit and how it works for different strokes?

The Dart uses a combination of neoprene thicknesses strategically placed to balance buoyancy, warmth, and flexibility. Yamamoto 39 Limestone neoprene has been used for the majority of the suit. The upper body is 3mm with a 4mm chest panel, and the legs are 3mm. This allows for a slightly reduced buoyancy in the legs, suited to the female physique, and to a more comfortable breaststroke position. The arms are made with ultra flexible Yamamoto 40 and 2.5mm thickness for extra flexibility and range of movement while swimming front crawl. Yamamoto limestone neoprene is beautifully insulating without being restrictive, and its durability means a well looked after suit should last season upon season. 

Can you tell us more about the cut and fit of the suit and why you made these decisions?


We know that women come in all shapes and sizes, and our bodies change and adapt as we move through different seasons of life. We wanted to create a wetsuit that felt flattering on all body shapes and allowed for stretch and movement to fit a range of body types. Our goal was to make a suit that feels like a second skin in the water, is relatively easy to get on and take off, and that suits swimming for leisure.

How did you reduce the environmental impact of the suit? 

Our core values are ‘Celebrate’, ‘Honesty’, ‘Environment’ and ‘Purpose’ and so it is crucial to us that we minimise our impact on the planet. Every part of the suit from linings to the zip puller has been carefully considered to balance environmental impact with function and durability. We chose Yamamoto neoprene because it is made from limestone rather than petrochemicals, which significantly reduces its carbon footprint. The limestone neoprene is incredibly durable and flexible resulting in better performance and a longer life – after all the most sustainable wetsuit is always going to be the one that lasts the longest. All polyester in the suit is recycled and the inner lining is partly plant-based. All of our packaging is recyclable or compostable at home and we ship from our manufacturer by sea to reduce our environmental impact. 

How’s the launch going?

The response has been amazing. From our initial prototype tests at Clevedon Marine Lake to displaying the Dart at the National Outdoor Expo, it’s been so great to have such positive feedback from swimmers who love the look and feel of the Dart. We have spoken to so many swimmers who are finally excited to wear a wetsuit and take on more outdoor swims! It has been really affirming to have such positive reviews from our early pre-orders and we can’t wait to see more colour on the start lines of events over the 2025 swimming season.

What’s the plan for this year and how can we follow your journey?

With the launch of our first wetsuit this month we are focussed on expanding our reach and building the Wilda community this year. We will be at Keswick Mountain Festival this month and supporting Bristol Harbour Swims monthly with free wetsuit hire. We hope to inspire more people to get swimming this year through sharing stories, experiences and embracing colour and joy! Follow us on Instagram @wildaswim and visit us at wilda-swim.com. 

WILDA The Dart (£265) launches 31 May. Read our review of The Dart wetsuit in our round up of the best open water wetsuits.