Advice sought on wetsuit for bodysurfing
Feigel
Since I can't board surf anymore, I'd like to be able to bodysurf
year-round. But last time I tried to use a wetsuit to bodysurf in cold
water, both my O'Neil wetsuits (winter & spring) took in water at the
neck, filled up with water and made bodysurfing impossible.
So ... any recommendations for winter and spring wetsuits that can be
used for bodysurfing. I asked at the local surf shop, but the child
taking refuge behind the counter looked at me like bodysurfing was an
exotic disease and that I was a carrier.
Seasonal water temps at our local are similar to SoCal.
--
"One thing I like about surfing, you don't have to win to be a winner." - Terry "Tubesteak" Tracey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in on Surfing's Golden Years: http://www.surfwriter.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mike Sullivan
"Feigel" <b...@surfwriter.net.not> wrote in message
news:7m0v9qF...@mid.individual.net...
>
> Since I can't board surf anymore, I'd like to be able to bodysurf
> year-round. But last time I tried to use a wetsuit to bodysurf in cold
> water, both my O'Neil wetsuits (winter & spring) took in water at the
> neck, filled up with water and made bodysurfing impossible.
>
> So ... any recommendations for winter and spring wetsuits that can be
> used for bodysurfing. I asked at the local surf shop, but the child
> taking refuge behind the counter looked at me like bodysurfing was an
> exotic disease and that I was a carrier.
Hmm, my daughter's O'Neill suits work just fine for her, she bodysurfs
and lifeguards all the time in them, they are lightweight and very
comfortable, she uses a 4/3
in Santa Cruz over winters. I don't know the model, it's not the highest
end,
somewhere in the middle. Cheap dad!
I use a Hotline 4/3, the zipperless kind where a head panel pulls over and
zips across.
I never have had problems with water in the neck, but sometimes my sleeve
will
catch on a big drop and give me a cold armpit wash.
For a hood I really like the 1 mm poly fabric hoods. They are warm enough
even
at 50 degrees, but I can still hear, I hate being deaf. I have the option
of
adding a swim cap underneath for another layer, but haven't used it.
turby
> Since I can't board surf anymore, I'd like to be able to bodysurf
> year-round. But last time I tried to use a wetsuit to bodysurf in cold
> water, both my O'Neil wetsuits (winter & spring) took in water at the
> neck, filled up with water and made bodysurfing impossible.
>
> So ... any recommendations for winter and spring wetsuits that can be
> used for bodysurfing. I asked at the local surf shop, but the child
> taking refuge behind the counter looked at me like bodysurfing was an
> exotic disease and that I was a carrier.
>
> Seasonal water temps at our local are similar to SoCal.
I have a springsuit I bought at Costco a few years ago. It cost ~$45
and has given good service. I also have a 4/3 fullsuit that is ancient
- at least 5 or 6 years. The rubber is gone from the armpits, and
there are holes at the bottom of the zipper and various places where
mussels and barnacles have cut through. I'm ready for a new suit, but
temps haven't dropped enough to make it mandatory yet. (We're still in
the low 60's.) I wore my springsuit last week for an hour session and
it wasn't too cold.
For BSing, a high neck is valuable, but they're hard to find nowadays.
A rash guard helps. It sounds like your suits are too loose. Water is
_supposed_ to get in, but that shouldn't affect bodysurfing. The suit
just needs to fit snug enough to keep you warm, but be flexible enough
to swim in.
doc
Ahmmm - I will confess that I'm rarely a bodysurfer, but....
If you'll fit in a medium-tall I have an older Hurley 3/2 similar to
what Sully's describing that I'll gladly send ya. I've got enough
suits and this one might as well get used.
Similar to http://www.wetsuitwearhouse.com/page/WW/PROD/MZFSFR with
velcro instead of zipper closure, has a kinda cobby quick and dirty
repair on one sleeve, worn with a hood like Sully's talking about or
any of the 'dickey' type hoods it should be fine.
And if it doesn't work for you, just pass it on.
hope that's of use
doc...
Feigel
[Default] On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:22:07 -0800 (PST), doc
<water...@hotmail.com> made a point of writing:
>If you'll fit in a medium-tall I have an older Hurley 3/2 similar to
>what Sully's describing that I'll gladly send ya. I've got enough
>suits and this one might as well get used.
Many thanks for the offer, Doc. But I think six-three/195lbs might be
a tight squeeze.
However, I was at a party over the weekend ... mentioned it to one of
the surfer's I know, and he's given me the contact info on a guy who
makes custom wetsuits. I'm going in to discuss it with him on Friday.
Cheers, b
doc
> [Default] On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:22:07 -0800 (PST), doc
>
> >If you'll fit in a medium-tall ...
>
> Many thanks for the offer, Doc. But I think six-three/195lbs might be
> a tight squeeze.
Uh huh - I remember, one winter, wearing a relatively tight suit with
a vest under it, and it was more than a little spooky. You're kinda
slipping between the standard sizes there.
>
> However, I was at a party over the weekend ... mentioned it to one of
> the surfer's I know, and he's given me the contact info on a guy who
> makes custom wetsuits. I'm going in to discuss it with him on Friday.
>
> Cheers, b
Real good. And if that doesn't pan out, Hotline might be worth looking
into ( http://www.hotlineonline.com/) . Back when I was selling 'em
they had a custom shop in Santa Cruz that'd do alterations, etc. I'll
also note that my old 6/5/4 hooded Hotline has the only comfortable
hood I've used.
hope that's of use
doc.... .
Feigel
[Default] On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:38:27 -0800 (PST), doc
<water...@hotmail.com> made a point of writing:
Thanks again. The "Buyer's Guide" has been very useful, especially
when combined with the "Coastal Water Temperature Table." I now know
that 3/2 will be perfect and that a rashguard will also come in handy
as the water warms up.
doc
> [Default] On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:38:27 -0800 (PST), doc
>
>
>
>
>
> >On Nov 16, 5:30 pm, Feigel <b...@surfwriter.net.not> wrote:
> >> [Default] On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:22:07 -0800 (PST), doc
> >> <waterman...@hotmail.com> made a point of writing:
>
> >> >If you'll fit in a medium-tall ...
>
> >> Many thanks for the offer, Doc. But I think six-three/195lbs might be
> >> a tight squeeze.
>
> >Uh huh - I remember, one winter, wearing a relatively tight suit with
> >a vest under it, and it was more than a little spooky. You're kinda
> >slipping between the standard sizes there.
>
> >> However, I was at a party over the weekend ... mentioned it to one of
> >> the surfer's I know, and he's given me the contact info on a guy who
> >> makes custom wetsuits. I'm going in to discuss it with him on Friday.
>
> >> Cheers, b
>
> >Real good. And if that doesn't pan out, Hotline might be worth looking
> >they had a custom shop in Santa Cruz that'd do alterations, etc. I'll
> >also note that my old 6/5/4 hooded Hotline has the only comfortable
> >hood I've used.
>
> >hope that's of use
>
> Thanks again. The "Buyer's Guide" has been very useful, especially
> when combined with the "Coastal Water Temperature Table." I now know
> that 3/2 will be perfect and that a rashguard will also come in handy
> as the water warms up.
>
> Cheers, b
>
> --
>
> "One thing I like about surfing, you don't have to win to be a winner." - Terry "Tubesteak" Tracey
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Wax-up and drop-in on Surfing's Golden Years:http://www.surfwriter.net
>
> - Show quoted text -
Real good. Though there's a coupla things to keep in mind:
The thing is that one's circulation isn't too likely to improve as one
gets past the 20s ( which is pretty much what the 'Buyers Guide' is
using as reference age), plus most wetsuits are figured for somebody
who isn't immersed most of the time.
So, going up a bit, say a 4/3 versus a 3/2, it won't hurt. Nor will a
little extra buoyancy from slightly thicker rubber.
Shame they don't still make the original O'Neill Supersuits. They came
with a small inflator tube, and you could blow in a little air when
you wanted to bodysurf in to the beach in the pre-leash era.
hope that's of use
doc...
Feigel
[Default] On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:12:55 -0800 (PST), doc
<water...@hotmail.com> made a point of writing:
>On Nov 17, 2:15�pm, Feigel <b...@surfwriter.net.not> wrote:
>> [Default] On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:38:27 -0800 (PST), doc
>> <waterman...@hotmail.com> made a point of writing:
>>
>> Thanks again. The "Buyer's Guide" has been very useful, especially
>> when combined with the "Coastal Water Temperature Table." I now know
>> that 3/2 will be perfect and that a rashguard will also come in handy
>> as the water warms up.
>>
>> Cheers, b
>>
>Real good. Though there's a coupla things to keep in mind:
>
>The thing is that one's circulation isn't too likely to improve as one
>gets past the 20s ( which is pretty much what the 'Buyers Guide' is
>using as reference age), plus most wetsuits are figured for somebody
>who isn't immersed most of the time.
>
>So, going up a bit, say a 4/3 versus a 3/2, it won't hurt. Nor will a
>little extra buoyancy from slightly thicker rubber.
>
>Shame they don't still make the original O'Neill Supersuits. They came
>with a small inflator tube, and you could blow in a little air when
>you wanted to bodysurf in to the beach in the pre-leash era.
>
>hope that's of use
>
>doc...
Thanks, I didn't think about the immersion factor. I'll discuss that
issue with he wetsuit guy tomorrow.
And to think I didn't even wear a wetsuit for the first few winters I
surfed. Youth aside it was probably because wetsuits for surfing
hadn't been invented yet and the diver's tops were too stiff to paddle
in (I tried one or two) ... although a wool sweater with the sleeves
cut off helped a bit in cold offshore sessions. My mom was not well
pleased.
doc
> [Default] On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:12:55 -0800 (PST), doc
>
> - Show quoted text -
(Chuckling) I'm with ya there. Before there were any real surf suits
(let alone rash guards) I used a 1/4" diver's suit for a couple of
winters. Water temps around the 30s, Wore a t-shirt under it, to
prevent the dreaded 'burger pits' and sometimes it worked, sometimes
it didn't...and I have some damned odd scars from the latter.
After that - well, a longjohn and sleeves were more comfortable, but
punching through a wave would give quite a rush and a temporary change
to falsetto...
doc...
alt.surfing
repairs. I just sent off my suit to them (about an hour agao) since
a lot of the taping has come loose Last year, they put on a new front
panel, patched up the holes at the elbows and worked on the taping.
I'm just too hard on wetsuits I guess.
ggcarroll
On Nov 17, 3:38 am, doc <waterman...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Nov 16, 5:30 pm, Feigel <b...@surfwriter.net.not> wrote:
>
> > [Default] On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:22:07 -0800 (PST), doc
> > <waterman...@hotmail.com> made a point of writing:
>
> > >If you'll fit in a medium-tall ...
>
> > Many thanks for the offer, Doc. But I think six-three/195lbs might be
> > a tight squeeze.
>
> Uh huh - I remember, one winter, wearing a relatively tight suit with
> a vest under it, and it was more than a little spooky. You're kinda
> slipping between the standard sizes there.
>
>
>
> > However, I was at a party over the weekend ... mentioned it to one of
> > the surfer's I know, and he's given me the contact info on a guy who
> > makes custom wetsuits. I'm going in to discuss it with him on Friday.
>
> > Cheers, b
>
> Real good. And if that doesn't pan out, Hotline might be worth looking
> into (http://www.hotlineonline.com/) . Back when I was selling 'em
turby
> Hotline still does repairs. In fact, they are great when it comes to
> repairs. I just sent off my suit to them (about an hour agao) since
> a lot of the taping has come loose Last year, they put on a new front
> panel, patched up the holes at the elbows and worked on the taping.
>
> I'm just too hard on wetsuits I guess.
>
> ggcarroll
Hey, lady! Howzit? Good to see you're still around. Teddy says hi.
I just got a new 4/3 XCel Xzip. I spent 2.75 hours in it today, having
a blast. It ain't freezing here, but it is chilly. It's amazing how
comfy you can stay if there aren't a mesh of holes letting the ice in.
alt.surfing
nights it has been around 29-30 degrees. My lemon tree wants to move
south. I have an excuse for not surfing at the moment, since my
wetsuit is in transit to Santa Cruz for repairs.
glenda
rodndtube
Glenda, I like your new profile, "alt.surfing." Does this mean you
have wrestled the mantle of AS from lemmings?
alt.surfing
> have wrestled the mantle of AS from lemmings?"
I don't wrestle. He can have it.
ggc