Attention Cold(er) Water Surfers!

[bwerb]

Do any of you use the same wetsuit for cold water surfing as for mid-temperature diving? What are you using and what are the main differences you see between the two types of suits...I mean hey...they are both just strips of neoprene rubber sewn together right...

 

[simbrooks]

I used to windsurf and sail in a 3mm, shorty in the summer, full suit in winter on the UK coast, also used to go swimming for around a 30 min mile in just shorts in summer, water temp about 60F summer and 45F winter. I wouldnt however go diving in a 3mm full suit in less than 60F and i have just bought my 1mm suit for marine protection rather than warmth when the water warms up to around 80F in the summer.

As for difference, i was only in the water for a limited time sailing and windsurfing, but there was always the sun on my back to keep me warm. Underwater is all around heat sink, i could dive in a thinner wetsuit in cooler waters, but would perfer to be a little warmer.

 

[bwerb]

I'm thinking along the lines of...I can comfortably surf in cold water (PNW) in a 4/3/2 mm surf suit (with gloves, boots and a hood) because I'm not totally submerged and the air temp is reasonable. I'm assuming I could also dive in more...say...tropical climes in the same suit (upper 70's at depth) in terms of the neoprene thickness. I'm questioning more the physical cut/feature differences of a "surf" wetsuit vs. a "dive" wetsuit. Companies like O'neill make sports specific suits but I'm curious about using one for both...and I like the mobility a surf suit provides.

For PNW diving...that's what a drysuit is for...

 

[jonnythan]

Does anyone surf in a drysuit?

 

[bwerb]

I tried surfing in a drysuit...I slid right off the board with my trilam...way too slippery on the deck. And the inflator is really in a bad place for paddling...it smacks right into the board when you are paddling. The p-valve also can take a real gouge out of the board...all in all...drysuits are not good for surfing.

 

[CALI68]

.....don't go out in a line up in a Dry Suit...you will be deemed a "kook" and catch crap from to cool for you young surfers. For Surfing winters in Santa Cruz, CA the max is a 5 mm for winter Surfing. In the summer maybe a 3 but generally people stay in the 5mm all year. O'neil is generally the standard up here. Hoods are rare but booties are almost always used. The seems in the suits are set in such a manner that they inhance the movements needed for surfing...or so they say. Iv'e always used O'neils for surfing and they are pretty great. I would think a suit like a henderson hyperstretch would be awesome for surfing myself.