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What's Tolerable in a Wetsuit?


ajive

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I have a 3/2 full leghth wetsuit that I got this year to hopefully get wet by May. Well, it's been an early spring in my corner of the NW and it's supposed to be pushing 75-80 tomorrow. I feel a maiden voyage on my new VTX coming, but would it be crazy to hop into some 45 degree water? I'm thinking yes, but thought I should at least ask :)

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Air temp is half as important as water temp. I was riding in 49 degree water with a 3/2 suite back in March when I picked up my boat. First crash took my breath away. By the second crash my hands where too numb to keep going. The 60 degree air felt like a sauna when I got out. So ride ride ride. Just bring gloves.

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Personal limits really.

But in water that cold be sure your driver knows to get back to you as fast as they possibly can if you fall. I also would dock start or shallow water start if I could to be in as little as possible.

Part of my senior spring break was going to a friend's house and skiing in similar conditions. A week after ice out. I told her that if I fell to get me out ASAP. I only had board shorts and a vest, I started standing in shallow water (lake bottom was cold and firm) and I fell after a few minutes. She slowed, turned, and idled slowly back to me talking to the others in the boat. By the time they did get there I needed help out of the water, my legs were no bueno. Laid in the sun on the dark colored dock for a good 15 minutes afterwards.

For me now it's dry suit or warm water only. Not into wetsuits anymore unless trying to foot.

Or don't fall. :biggrin:

Edited by jk13
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Personal limits is right.

75 - 80 & I'm in shorts & a rash guard..... down to like 75 - 60.

A 3/2 wet suit & I'll do 60 - 50 pretty easily. But I've gotten to the point where I don't bother, just go right to the dry suit & take on just about anything.

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It's all personal. Our lake never gets above 73, but by mid summer that feels great and we swim with nothing but suits. Have a body builder friend that turns blue if he's in for too long. We wear heater tops in the high 50s to to mid 60s, wet suit 50 to high 50, anything under 50 and it's dry suit. All depends on tolerance, want, body fat, and toughness. I personally have grown to hate cold water, so i tend to skip anything under 60

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Depends on how tough or dumb you are. I remember jumping into Lake Minnetonka in April a couple years ago with no wetsuit because I really wanted to ski. Water temp had to be in the high 30's low 40's. Didn't feel so bad when I got in, but when I dropped I thought I was going to die.

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43 is too cold for me in a 3/2.

Hope to be out in 53 water/70 air in a 4/3 with sealed seams this weekend.

Get up fast and don't fall is my motto.

My first couple of rides of the season are pretty low key anyhow due to how out of shape I am.

Hell, I'd dock start and stop if I could!

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Get a wetsuit hat. It makes a big difference with cold water and warm air.

I only run in a drysuit or shorty. If it was 75-80 air temp, I'd be tempted to ski in a shorty free skiing. If I was dropping on each end of a course, I'd stay in the drysuit.

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I've done 43F water w/ 60F air with a 4/3, it was cold and Xmas morning. For me my feet head and hands were the coldest and what stopped me before getting a cold body.

If there is no wind and its 80F-70F air it will be cold as hell when you jump in, but you should be fine until you fall. I'd put the wetsuit on, put my board on, get to the edge of the swim deck and start peeing. Half way through peeing jump in, should help stay warm for a few more seconds.

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It's all to what you can bare.....lol...no pun intended.

We're heading out to the lake this Saturday for our first dip of the season. Water is probably around 50 C. I have a 3/4 Barefoot suit I will wear under my full drysuit. Yup...I'm a woos.... but I'll be warm.

Enjoy your Maiden voyage!

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Thanks for the input :thumbup:

I'm a big wuss with cold water... we don't get much over 65 and unless it's 95+ outside I rock a shorty all summer! Hey, why not? It sounds like I could survive it but it may be less than desirable (as I thought). We'll see what happens, if I can get two tomorrow off that want join, I'll throw a board on the rack and see if I get the nerve.

Either way I'll have a big grin on my face all day... can't wait to get that darn thing on the water!!!

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I've been in low 50s in a 4/3; hands and feet were done long before my body got cold. Bring a wind proof coat, hat, warm socks and winter gloves for after you get out...

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depends on the seams and quality of the wetsuit. Sealed seams makes a huge difference... flatlock is junk.

Down to about 55degs can be pleasant in a 3/2 under that, your torso can stay warm.... but your extremities take a beating, hurt and go numb.

I surfed 53degs last weekend for about 90 mins.... a little rough.

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As some on here have implicitly suggested, go drysuit and don't look back. No matter how nice a ripcurl 3/2 you might have, range of motion is night and day between a drysuit and westsuit that thick. Personally I prefer the full baggy drysuits not the hybrids with neopreme legs. Booties are a nice addition as is a dive hood if you're doing anything at speed.

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As some on here have implicitly suggested, go drysuit and don't look back. No matter how nice a ripcurl 3/2 you might have, range of motion is night and day between a drysuit and westsuit that thick. Personally I prefer the full baggy drysuits not the hybrids with neopreme legs. Booties are a nice addition as is a dive hood if you're doing anything at speed.

What don't u like about the hybrid? I just got one but have no experience with it other than trying it on. Have a bag but hate getting it on and off and trying to get the seals over my feet (no problems with my wrists or neck), so am ditching for the hybrid. Maybe a mistake - I don't know.

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range of motion, its just not natural. If all you're doing is surfing, prolly not a big deal but anything else and its just weird compared to totally natural movement in a drysuit. Why are you having probs putting your feet on? sit down, use two hands, open it up, slide your foot through....its way easier than getting in a hybrid IMO...and definitely getting it off.

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Barefootin run for sure this wknd in a shorty. Start shallow on a kick off, and when done butt slide into shallow water. My SHORTY suit will BARE-ly be wet. Then if the feet aren't too cold I'll go for a slalom. And finally a little surfing. As long as the driver blasts me out quick on the slalom, my head won't get wet.

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What don't u like about the hybrid? I just got one but have no experience with it other than trying it on. Have a bag but hate getting it on and off and trying to get the seals over my feet (no problems with my wrists or neck), so am ditching for the hybrid. Maybe a mistake - I don't know.

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Its a personal thing I am a hybrid lover. I don't like the lose legs in the ski spray. I also find getting in and out of baggies much harder.

and hate the seals. But a good hybrid is getting hard to find. I agree baggies do feel like they are less restrictive but I do not not ski better in a bag over the hybrid. I also use no warm clothing under the hybrid swim suit and a tee.

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range of motion, its just not natural. If all you're doing is surfing, prolly not a big deal but anything else and its just weird compared to totally natural movement in a drysuit. Why are you having probs putting your feet on? sit down, use two hands, open it up, slide your foot through....its way easier than getting in a hybrid IMO...and definitely getting it off.

Troubles getting the seals over my heals - and I don't have large feet. Just real tight leg seals I guess

Will give the oneill hybrid a try. Didn't seem to restrict movement standing in the shop. Snugger for sure. Use it for slalom predominantly. I guess we'll see.

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Get a wetsuit hat. It makes a big difference with cold water and warm air.

I only run in a drysuit or shorty. If it was 75-80 air temp, I'd be tempted to ski in a shorty free skiing. If I was dropping on each end of a course, I'd stay in the drysuit.

It's funny you mention a hat. For those of us Kojak wannabes, a hat is an absolute necessity!

I've been wearing a helmet for years... whether it be for riding Skyskis, snowskis or motorcycles, I have helmets for every occasion. A helmet by itself is pretty warm. Some time ago one of my Skyski buddies showed me a rubber swim cap worn under the helmet when it gets really cold (under 40F). This year I found a neoprene helmet liner made for kayakers. I tell you what, this thing is the bomb diggity for cold weather skiing.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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I hope I don't turn into a bunch of wussies like you guys, HAHA! Just man up and be happy you are out boating and boarding is my motto. Board shorts + Life jacket is all I wear anytime I go out, doesn't matter of the temperature. My BOL on the otherside is one of you guys and needs a wetsuit for almost every occasion. We usually get out on may long when there is still ice on the lake so I'm use to the cold temperatures as long as the air temp is nice.

Heres us out going for a quick session last summer. I screwed up on the title information saying 51ºC rather than F haha.

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