How cold is too cold without a wet suit?

[Pnwrider]

If the water is below low 60s the heater top comes out. Otherwise I'm not a fan of wetsuits.

[ibelonginprison]

I have a "I've spent my entire life in the south and I don't like being cold" rule.

Air was 70, water was 77.

I was in a shorty. Not even ashamed.

[Slayer]

I have a "I've spent my entire life in the south and I don't like being cold" rule.

Air was 70, water was 77.

I was in a shorty. Not even ashamed.

You would have some serious adjusting to do up here. That's better than what most of our morning sets were like this season.

Edited October 12, 2015 by inlandlaker

[Afun]

Cold water means less chicks in bikinis

[oldjeep]

Cold water means less chicks in bikinis

Also helps the states with all the natural lakes from getting overrun with southerners moving here.

[ibelonginprison]

trust me, you have noooooooooooo threat of southerners wanting to move up there.

[Ronnie]

Our lake was 81, air ~90 yesterday. We braved it without a wetsuit.

Seriously, if we need more than a shorty, we don't go. But that's April - November. If we had that short of a season as you guys up North, we'd probably go a little colder too.

[coldwater-echelon]

We skied today, air was 76, water was 61. The sun was out and it was a great day. We all wore board shorts and a 2 mil longsleeve neo shirt.

[foiler1]

if the boys shrink up, its too cold

[Afun]

Also helps the states with all the natural lakes from getting overrun with southerners moving here.

If you are comparing natural beauty and bodies of water....TN will give MN a run for it's money...Com'on

[msuwaterski]

Sub 60 degrees I get out my wetsuit (1.5mm shortie with long sleeves). Sub 55 I wear the heater top under my shortie. Sub 50 and I am done. Very rarely the air temp will be above 75 with high 40's water in the spring and I'll ski in that, but that's only happened about 3 times in the 12 years I've lived on my lake.

My lake just dipped below 60 this last weekend and the weather forecast suggests we're on a crash course for low 50's pretty quickly. I fear I may only get 3 or 4 more days on the water if I am lucky. It been a great season though!

[Raimie]

Drysuitfor below 58F. Boardshorts and heater top below 64 unless it's 75+ air temp. Any warmer, I am good with just my life vest. Our water doesn't get warmer than 70, so my perspective may be different. In my 20's we didn't have wet or drysuits, so heater tops took us down to 51. That sucked really bad, I don't recommend it. It was very difficult to climb in the boat after a few pulls and sitting in that cold water waiting on the boat

[ahopkins22LSV]

You would have some serious adjusting to do up here. That's better than what most of our morning sets were like this season.

He would ride one, maybe two weekends a summer haha!

[h2oratJR]

Live in the Boston area was out behind boat on Easter totally ice locked in a shorty . Granted i started off platform & ended on dock . Knee board was all i had acess to. But usually if water drops below 80 im known to wear a full suit.

[Sixball]

I went dry this year at 62 water air Was 52.

The one thing to think about is not every time does all go as planed. Five years ago one of our crew had a bad spiral leg fracture. he ended up in the water for some time. We were in dry suits so all was good. Ended up having to disassemble his binding to get him out. Water was in the lower 50's

I am to old and hat being cold for hours. I am also cheep and don't have heaters in my boat.

I get a kick out of skiing in cold. Not much boat traffic and the looks you get when everyone is in winter coats and hats.

[Rednucleus]

In my youth I snickered at guys in wet suits. Skip to today and you will never see me without at least some neoprene shorts, and every season it seems the drysuit comes out a little earlier and goes away a little later.

[Chrisjjbrown]

I always rocked a heater top. Or shorty wet suit. Got a full wetsuit this year. I think it is actually very comfortable. I don't notice any lack of movement. Not sure why some of you don't like them.

[malibu03lxi]

Back in 2011 we got snow in southern pa on October 30th. We put the boat down off the lift the night before just in case the power went out so we could still go ride. Since there was still leaves on the trees the power did go out due to the heavy snow. 37 degree air, and 52 water temperature. Dry suit was worn along with an nice icecream headache. hahaha. well worth it though just to say we did it.

[saidainc]

Youre not going to impress your wife or gf much if lose your shorts from a rogue wave in those temps bro.....

[Arick]

Youre not going to impress your wife or gf much if lose your shorts from a rogue wave in those temps bro.....

lol, you're right. The helicopter wouldn't look nearly as impressive. Seriously though, who loses trunks these days???

[ryansgt]

In the low 70's and 60's with low air temp, I am n full suit with booties, sometimes a hood. I really hate cold and hope to leave this climate at some point.

[Arick]

In the low 70's and 60's with low air temp, I am n full suit with booties, sometimes a hood. I really hate cold and hope to leave this climate at some point.

Climate or IL in general???

[jwl019]

Our lake was 81, air ~90 yesterday. We braved it without a wetsuit.

Seriously, if we need more than a shorty, we don't go. But that's April - November. If we had that short of a season as you guys up North, we'd probably go a little colder too.

Same temps we had here in LA yesterday evening. On my first run I figured I would try the heater top, but not long into the run I got rather warm so the next two sets went without it. The water did feel a lot better floating in it with the heater top on though.

[Malibuzer]

Usually anything below 60 I will use a shorty. The rest of the time its just board shorts or a 2 mm heater top. One thing to remember is I have never seen our water temp above 76.

[Technicallyabu]

This discussion makes me hate where I live. Water temps around 45 in May at the start of our season. First year with a full length suit. It was glorious.