Wetsuit vs Drysuit for cold weather paddling?

[BWilliam]

So we've had some chilly mornings recently and it's got me thinking again about cold weather gear to keep flat water paddling through the New England winter.  For those of you that do paddle when it gets cold out, what is your preference?

And for you taller/bigger than average folks, what brands carry wetsuits/drysuits for us big guys?



Thanks!

Will

[esskay1000]

I paddle all through winter in Washington DC. not quite as cold as NE but it gets colder than most think.  I've fallen in love with the NRS HydroSkin G3 stuff.  I find that a wetsuits, even thinner ones, generally get too warm, esp for flatwater paddling when your not going in the water.  Wetsuits are designed to work when your in the water and wet.  When I'm pushing it and paddling hard to get a workout in, I sweat to death in a wetsuit, even when temps are at freezing or in the high 20s.  I don't own a drysuit so can't comment there, I'd like one but the cost is a bit prohibitive.

The NRS HydroSkin stuff is "wetsuit-like" but for whatever reason I don't sweat in it.  It's something called terraprene (Sp?) layered with another material.  Also, it's not too expensive, I have the jacket and pants and got them combined for about $110.  Oh and btw I'm 6'4" and their stuff fits fine

[addapost]

I have both a dry suit and a winter wet suit. He's my philosophy on the two: if I plan on being wet, i.e. surfing, I wear the wet suit. If I plan on staying dry, i.e. going for a flat water touring or fitness paddle, I wear the dry suit. The dry suit is warmer and more comfortable. It is also easier to get dressed and undressed. Plus there isn't that two minutes of standing, wet, in the freezing cold as you take off the wetsuit to change into dry clothes. I would probably surf in the dry suit except I think there is a bit more than acceptable risk of tearing the thing on a fin. 

[PonoBill]

I"m with Addapost. Drysuits kind of suck for surfing, for that you need the minimal wetsuit you can live with. But if you're doing flatwater, then drysuits are the bees knees. When I was doing a lot of training on the Willamette I wore my street clothes under my drysuit and after a few hours of paddling, I could go about my business as long as I wasn't going to be in close contact with anyone. You don't boil like you would in a wetsuit, and you don't freeze if you fall in. Perfect. The ocean rodea stuff looks even better than the Koketat suit I have. If I needed to replace mine, that's what I'd get.

[Off-Shore]

Or you could do the combination that I use which is farmer john wetsuit, a fleece and a semi dry top... I like it, but for others I know it is the worst of both worlds. Great for the occasional dip but not for immersion.

[breakbad]

The NRS HydroSkin stuff is "wetsuit-like" but for whatever reason I don't sweat in it.  It's something called terraprene (Sp?) layered with another material.  Also, it's not too expensive, I have the jacket and pants and got them combined for about $110.  Oh and btw I'm 6'4" and their stuff fits fine

Currently looking at acquiring a wet and dry suit for surf and rec here in FL. Water gets down to high 50's up on the panhandle. For surf do you prefer a farmer john or full length? Also, are the NRS wetsuits good? I'm 6'2/185 and inbetween a L and XL. Wasn't sure if I should go snug or allow a little for layering.

[J-Bird]

Drysuits kind of suck for surfing,

Gotta disagree heartily with you Pono, the hybrid drysuit/wetsuit I got from O'neill (Assault) is perfect for paddlesurfing in New England winters.  I use it  all winter and I am never too hot or cold with it, like I am if I use my 5/4 wettie.  And anyone who says you will drown in them if they rip a hole in it while surfing is plain wrong.  I've been surfing it for like the past 6 years and never ripped a hole in it, but I have gone out accidentally with the entire zipper open and no, I did not sink. Think about it, saltwater on the inside and saltwater on the outside, even with a massive opening the suit is neutrally buoyant.  You might have a cold paddle in with a tear, but you won't sink.

[BWilliam]

Thank you for the replies and information everyone! At least it's giving me avenues to look into. Kind of hard to figure sizing for my height/size.

Or you could do the combination that I use which is farmer john wetsuit, a fleece and a semi dry top... I like it, but for others I know it is the worst of both worlds. Great for the occasional dip but not for immersion.

I saw the NRS Grizzly (Farmer) John version that would likely fit and figured if I went that route doing something like you mention. I'm hoping to keep costs down but I will have to balance that with finding something that fits.


How does a semi dry suit differ?






Will

[PonoBill]

Drysuits kind of suck for surfing,

Gotta disagree heartily with you Pono, the hybrid drysuit/wetsuit I got from O'neill (Assault) is perfect for paddlesurfing in New England winters.  I use it  all winter and I am never too hot or cold with it, like I am if I use my 5/4 wettie.  And anyone who says you will drown in them if they rip a hole in it while surfing is plain wrong.  I've been surfing it for like the past 6 years and never ripped a hole in it, but I have gone out accidentally with the entire zipper open and no, I did not sink. Think about it, saltwater on the inside and saltwater on the outside, even with a massive opening the suit is neutrally buoyant.  You might have a cold paddle in with a tear, but you won't sink.

As inflexible as I am, I don't need any help being clumsy. I find drysuits to be a bit constricting, and when you fall in the water it's a bit clumsier getting back on the board. All doable, but my preference is for minimal interference surfing.

I've been using drysuits for one thing or another for twenty years--windsurfing, diving, surfing, SUP, even some nasty mid-winter fishing trips on whitewater rivers. I don't believe the bull, but dealing with the random buoyancy and cling from wrinkles or trapped fabric is a pain.

You won't sink with a holed or leaking wetsuit, but getting back out of the water can be a real challenge. When you try to get on your board or up onto a boat you can be carrying a hundred pounds or more of water. You might be able to burp it out if you have leg cuffs, but you might have to do what my old pal had to do to his Koketat to get back into the drift boat in the eddy below Rattlesnake--two expensive cuts at the ankles.

Drysuits for diving require special certification. You can get in big trouble with one. Some of the issues are unique to diving, but getting a big air bubble trapped in your feet can kill you dead if you don't know how to deal with it. In the early years of drysuit diving there were more than a few divers found floating feet up. Yes, they get better all the time, but it's not smart to just stick one on and go surfing without some practice and perhaps some training. You don't need that with a wetsuit.

[PonoBill]

All that said, the O'Neill Assult looks pretty cool. so does the Ocean Rodeo stuff. But 99 percent of my surfing is in boardies.

[Off-Shore]

Thank you for the replies and information everyone! At least it's giving me avenues to look into. Kind of hard to figure sizing for my height/size.

Or you could do the combination that I use which is farmer john wetsuit, a fleece and a semi dry top... I like it, but for others I know it is the worst of both worlds. Great for the occasional dip but not for immersion.

How does a semi dry suit differ?

Will

Here is a link below from a sister sport blog on the difference between dry and semi dry suits. The key thing on mine is the neck seal which is neoprene and lets in small amounts of water when immersed.  However with a semi dry top it is the waist that lets in the most water when paired with the farmer john wetsuit as there is no real way to create a seal between the semi dry top and the wetsuit no matter how tight the Velcro is. They are not designed to go together. That's why I don't recommend this combination for immersion. It's good for a quick dip and in cold conditions I amaze myself how quickly I get back on my board.

http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=468562

[PonoBill]

You obviously have never seen me get back on my board after a spring dip in the 50 degree Columbia wearing boardshorts. Those kids that leap out of the water into a standing position have nothing on me. After my first fall I generally will do anything--including pulling every muscle in my body, to stay on the board. Remarkable the difference in balance between 50 degree and 85 degree water

[NoSaltSuper]

I love my Ocean Rodeo Soul Drysuit. I paddle Lake Michigan and it's cold, all the time. I've used it surfing and flat water paddling, it's great for both.

It looks and feels like my snowboard gear, very easy to move around in and not bulky at all. I've gone surfing, stopped by 7/11 to pick up beer, all still wearing my suit. It's that comfortable and you can't tell it's a Drysuit.

[mrbig]

From the archives-Check out thread "Do I really need to wear a wetsuit?" started November 17, 2013 by DelawhwereSup.

Dry, semi-dry, 6/5/4 are all discussed from many points of view.

+1 Assault, Boost, Excel 6/5/4.

Winter in NE is fricken cold..

[BWilliam]

From the archives-Check out thread "Do I really need to wear a wetsuit?" started November 17, 2013 by DelawhwereSup.

Dry, semi-dry, 6/5/4 are all discussed from many points of view.

+1 Assault, Boost, Excel 6/5/4.

Winter in NE is fricken cold..

Nice, thanks for the tip!

http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,22548.0.html

Browsing now!






William