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Wet Suit Advice


BlknYlwT22

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This is my first year of really wakeboarding consistently. I have become addicted and want to continue boarding into the colder weather. A friend of mine suggested a fully body 3/2 mm instead of a 4/3 mm due to the 4/3 being more restrictive. Is this true and where is a good place to find a good deal on a suit? Thanks!

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My advice, skip the full wetsuit and get a drysuit. It is probably a little colder up here in southern MN but in my experience if it is cold enough for a full wetsuit it is cold enough to want a drysuit.

Personally I have a shorty as well as the drysuit, but I only use it like twice a year when the air is colder than the water.

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My advice, skip the full wetsuit and get a drysuit. It is probably a little colder up here in southern MN but in my experience if it is cold enough for a full wetsuit it is cold enough to want a drysuit.

Personally I have a shorty as well as the drysuit, but I only use it like twice a year when the air is colder than the water.

I appreciate the suggestions. Where is a good place to pick up a drysuit?

Edited by 2004WakeSetterVLX
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Activewake.com, had 40% off last week. Not sure if they still do. I got an Oneil 4/3 for under $100.00. Now days 4/3 aren't very restrictive at all.

Totally agree. I bought a 4/3 Ripcurl that I've been very happy with. So far my record with it is 53 degree water. Still plenty warm for me. It's not like you spend hours swimming...you went to ride right? Whistling.gif

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Dry suits are pretty darn expensive. Being a poor college kid I'm not sure I can swing $420. The O'Neill Epic II 4/3 for $160 seems doable. It would be even better if I can get the 40% off.

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Dry suits are pretty darn expensive. Being a poor college kid I'm not sure I can swing $420. The O'Neill Epic II 4/3 for $160 seems doable. It would be even better if I can get the 40% off.

you dont have to spend that much Wileys

I know guys that ski in the dead of Minnesota winter with a drysuit. No way you are doing that with any wetsuit.

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you dont have to spend that much Wileys

I know guys that ski in the dead of Minnesota winter with a drysuit. No way you are doing that with any wetsuit.

That is definitely more affordable. Our boat will be out before Nov. 1st because they open the small dam and the lake level drops a few feet. In retrospect though I am in the wakeboarding club at school and they board late into the season. I will have to think this over. Thanks for sharing what my options are.

Edited by 2004WakeSetterVLX
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Or Adrenaline, similiar to the Wileys, this style is my favorite. I have an OS brand, nice, inexpensive but hard to find. I lived in WA for 2 years and lived in it. Now I just wear it in the spring and fall. Worth its weight in gold.

I would buy a drysuit before I had a wetsuit, nice neoprene vest, fancy equipment, etc. It really can extend the season.

Adrenaline

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wileys water ski in Seattle...ask for Darren

#1 for Wiley's. Been using one of their suits for almost 15 yrs now.

I ride in shorts & a neo rash guard till the water is in the mid/high 50s. Then go right to a drysuit. Just not worth the hassle (to me) to mess with a wetsuit.

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#1 for Wiley's. Been using one of their suits for almost 15 yrs now.

I ride in shorts & a neo rash guard till the water is in the mid/high 50s. Then go right to a drysuit. Just not worth the hassle (to me) to mess with a wetsuit.

Wow, you're the man.

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#1 for Wiley's. Been using one of their suits for almost 15 yrs now.

I ride in shorts & a neo rash guard till the water is in the mid/high 50s. Then go right to a drysuit. Just not worth the hassle (to me) to mess with a wetsuit.

Pretty much what we do too.

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go to steepandcheap.com and whiskeymilitia.com and sign up for desktop alerts. They are blowout sites that have crazy deals and a lot of wetsuits recently. I bought a 4/3 last year for dirt cheap like 50 bucks or something crazy like that.

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This is my first year of really wakeboarding consistently. I have become addicted and want to continue boarding into the colder weather. A friend of mine suggested a fully body 3/2 mm instead of a 4/3 mm due to the 4/3 being more restrictive. Is this true and where is a good place to find a good deal on a suit? Thanks!

Best dry suit out there. Easy to move in and easy to get in, Front ziper.

http://www.barefootcentral.com/eagledrysuit.aspx

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:plus1: On the Dry Suit. Some of the best water is when all the rest think its to cold! We start within the week ice go's out and ride into Nov. would stay in longer but go north for hunting and can not trust the boat on the lift. The big thing in Dry suits is the difference in seals.
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I already do, in a westuit...mid fifties in boardies? thats nuts

And a neo top. It's cold for a second & then not such a big deal if the air temps are in the high 60s or low 70s.

Getting in & out of the wetsuit is as much of a PITA as the drysuit. Actually getting out of the drysuit is way better..... warm & dry & all dressed already.

Aren't you in like WI? You guys get way colder than we do.

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And a neo top. It's cold for a second & then not such a big deal if the air temps are in the high 60s or low 70s.

I've been wearing shorts and a 2mm neo top this year when the water has been between 59-65 (Lake Whatcom, Kachess, etc.)

I'll be curious how long that setup will take me into the fall in Lake Washington when the air temps are likely to only get into the 60s on good days. BRRRRRR!!!

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All good advice here. I concur that a drysuit is the way to go. If looking to save a few bucks (<$300), there is no shortage of people that seem happy w/ their baggy suits from Wileys or Adrenaline.

If to spend a few more bucks ($300-$420).. Eagle, O'Neill Boost or O'Neill Assault (hybrid) would be the popular choices. I'm very happy w/ my Eagle...which has the benefit of front zip. The O'Neill has the benefit of a neoprene neck seal (a bit more comfy). I had some weird issues earlier this year buying a Boost for my daughter... the wrist seals were mis-sized for the suit...gave up after two suits, and got her an Eagle.

For those considering the Eagle (linked earlier thru the BarefootCentral website), you might want to consider the one year membership there. It saves you roughly 15% on purchases for year...the drysuit savings alone will offset the membership cost, and you save on anything else you purchase through there for the rest of the year. Oh, and they send you a hat.

If you invest in a drysuit, take good care of it...keep it out of sun. I think Adrenalinewatersports sells a nice "care package" for under $20 that includes a dry storage bag, silicone spray for seals, and zipper wax.

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All I can say is you've got good advice here. I have the exact suit you suggested for yourself the oneill epic II 4/3 (just make sure you get the 4/3 because they released both a 3/2 and a 4/3 under that model name. Up here in WI I can ride in the 40's water temp with that wetsuit but then I switch to the dry suit. I'm spoiled and bought myself everything. I have a wetsuit jacket for the beginning of cold season and cool mornings, a 4/3 wetsuit for when it gets chilly, and a dry suit for the super late / early season. If you're going to buy one thing get a dry suit. Yeah they're expensive, but its the best dang piece of gear you'll ever buy yourself. A brand new board doesn't add 50% of the time to your season but a dry suit does. I ride the oneill boost suit, but i'm sure the others posted here would work well.

I understand not having funds, but anyone in this sport buys gear. You can get a drysuit for the cost of less than a new board / bindings combo even if you snipe deals. Honestly I think I could ride most of the season in that 4/3 - but I have a lot of buddies who are more sensitive to cold. All I care about is riding so cold doesnt bother me as much, they don't ride their suits into the 40's like i do. If your water temps don't even dip below 50's in november just get the wetsuit.

My closing thought is this. If you get a drysuit, you can ride the day after the ice breaks up until the day the ice forms. To me it was worth 400 bucks to do that. You can even go snowboarding and wakeboarding in the same day :)

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