help with wetsuit selection

Aeolus · Thu Jul 31, 14 6:52 am

Worth quoting Shivers one more time cause it's priority number one. Trying the suit on is worth the effort.

OG · Since 07 Jun 2011 534 Posts Addicted

i just saw some wetsuits on sale for good prices on theclymb.com. check'em out

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1726 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

well it makes sense to stop by this shop if you're on the coast
josh and cleanline have a huge selection on coastal suits and every other condition.
anyhow I'll second the importance of fitting into a suit before buying one.
been using mostly 4/3 for the north coast.

http://www.cleanlinesurf.com/wetsuits

ShiverMeTimbers · Since 26 Feb 2013 381 Posts Gig Harbor Obsessed

I've found that O'neill and Patagonia have a similar fit (at least the men's Large Tall). If you can find the Patagonia suits on sale, they're pretty nice and have a great warranty.

scottm · Since 12 Jun 2006 108 Posts Stoked

I spend a lot of time in the waves, and have owned and tried a lot of wetsuits.

By far my favorite and top recommendation for an all-around coast suit is the Rip Curl E-Bomb 4.5mm hoody. If you run cold, the 5.5mm hoody is super toasty on the frigid days.

http://www.oregonsurfshop.com/rip-curl-e-bomb-4-5-3-5-hooded-wetsuit/

Second recommendation would be any super-stretchy surfing suit with a hood. The hood makes a huge difference in warmth, and can be pulled down on the warmish days.

I prefer stretchy suits over rubber-chest/back suits, because the additional stretch, durability, and lower cost outweigh the slight warmth disadvantage.

I was not impressed with my Patagonia R3 hoody, it leaked a lot at the wrists/ankles/hood and was not stretchy.

With a warm enough suit, 3mm booties are sufficient and give better board feel than 5mm or 7mm booties. I love the warmth, board feel, and durability of the Patagonia R3 booties.

blancoh2o · Since 15 Mar 2005 1153 Posts Oregon Phishy

I own a O'Neil Mutant 5/4. This thing is old but doesnt want to die. It has a hood that zips off and can be repalced with a collar. It takes a few times to learn how to put it on and off but it does get easier with time. I will layer it with a Rip curl 1mm wind shirt for extra warmth from the wind when I am at the coast or on real cold days in the Gorge. I hate being cold and this suit has done it's job for the last 5+ years. I am finally going to replace it soon but will keep it as a back up just in case. I am pretty average build height and width wise so most suits fit me just fine.
There are a lot of good suits on the market....Look for sealed seams, double blind stitched, wind resistant rubber, chafe pads on the knees, stretchy resiliant rubber amongst some of the highlights and you should be good to go.

fredf · Since 10 Jan 2009 80 Posts Eugene. Or

Thanks everbody for the great suggestions.
Now to sort thru the choices.

Kmun · Since 05 Jul 2009 250 Posts Obsessed

Evaporative cooling. This is huge source of heat loss for wind sports. My first purchase & test of a fabric laminated neoprene was shocking. The first windsurfing reach from a beach start on a fifty degree day got one thigh we. I experienced a stupid amount of evaporative cooling from that area of wet fabric covered neoprene. The area of wet textile covering was so cold I had to look down to see if I had not ripped my suit and was exposing bare skin. I ditched that textile exterior suit and returned to an exterior that was “raw sealed neoprene A.K.A. skin/mesh”.

Skin suits are lighter (when wet) because they don’t retain water. They dry much faster as the exterior does not retain water so; simply turn them inside out to dry under Sunlight. UV light should kill smell producing bacteria that otherwise thrive in dark wet conditions.

Compensating for evaporative cooling of a textile exterior requires more R value/thicker neoprene, more air cells (less dense neoprene rubber) or less cold water flushing (better seals or close fit).

New lighter weight, supple, super elastic neoprene is much less tear resistant. It is easy to cut the surface with finger nails & fins. Manufactures are forced to protect the delicate “rubber” with textile.

The raw sealed neoprene called Skin, Mesh etc. are becoming rare due to manufactures and retailers not wanting to deal with warranty returns.

I am happy with this Xcel Surf Hood with bill and double Neck Dam skin exterior. - I believe the thinner 2mm material is warmer than thicker because is more malleable increasing neck mobility, has a raw neoprene exterior (low evaporative cooling), has low cold water intrusion greater elastic fit, raw neoprene face seal & a double neck cuff.

I’ve been wearing high 3mm ankle split toes for years. Ankle wraps work well. O’Neil’s Superfreak w/ Firewall lining insulation has nice loft as well as allows easy (dry) foot entry.

If you are very careful and willing to accept wind warmth trade-off with the occasional skin ding repair; go with skin/mesh from Neil Pryde (NPX/NP) or Promotion. Promotions skins are more tear resistant while Nell Pryde's (NPX/NP) base neoprene seem more elastic but less tear resistant. Ankle straps and neoprene repair adhesive is available at Promotion in Hood River.

Mrlaroo · Since 02 Jan 2007 181 Posts Bend Stoked

Do you guys think the Patagonia R4 is overkill for the coast? I was looking at the R3 and did not know if the R4 is to bulky for kiting. Aloha

macgruber · Since 06 Dec 2011 490 Posts SE PDX volcano Obsessed

I tried a friend's Exoskin long-sleeved top over my traditional back zip wetsuit and it essentially made it a dry suit. I didn't get wet at all on top and it should block evaporation, though I was wearing an impact vest over it, which also adds some warmth.

gorgeperformance · Since 30 Nov 2010 67 Posts

Fit is key. Go to your local shop and find what fits best and that you are comfortable in getting in and out. Back zip and front zip have there own quirks. If you can't get it on that could be a problem. 5/4 would be best and works for prone surfing as well.
We do have 20% off on 2014 suits and still a great selection.

jerp · Since 22 Feb 2013 450 Posts Obsessed