Author Topic: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?  (Read 10083 times)

WhatsSUP

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 983
    • View Profile
3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« on: March 05, 2015, 11:08:59 AM »
All:  Various wetsuit water temp graphs typically reflect 3/2 sealed suits for surfing water temp at 60 degrees (F), or so.  I know some of the northeast guys here wear 3/2 in significantly colder water temps, but curious if one could wear a decent 3/2 suit fairly comfortably in colder water temps and if so what temps?  down to 58? 55? or even cooler?

(assume for the sake of argument little/no wind and 50 degree air temps or warmer).

Thoughts? 
Jimmy Lewis B&B Flat nose 10'1"
Sunova Creek 9'4" 
TAVA 11'2"
NSP Element 11'
KeNalu Wiki paddle
Kialoa Insanity paddle
Misc other paddles

WhatsSUP

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 983
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2015, 11:12:54 AM »
.......without freezing to the bone!
Jimmy Lewis B&B Flat nose 10'1"
Sunova Creek 9'4" 
TAVA 11'2"
NSP Element 11'
KeNalu Wiki paddle
Kialoa Insanity paddle
Misc other paddles

Subber

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 872
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2015, 11:18:24 AM »
Those wetsuit temperature graphs are probably for prone surfers in the water.

On a SUP you are mostly out of the water.
How warm a wetsuit you need and if you even need one as a SUPper is dependent
upon a lot of things.

Are you flat paddling or surfing.
How often do you fall in.
Is it a point break where you only fall in a couple of times an hour (and you can easily get around or over the whitewater),
or is it a beach break where you fall in quite a bit.

Also, is it sunny.
Is it windy.

For example, for me, if it is 60 degree air, sunny, and not windy at a point break where I rarely fall,
I won't be wearing a wetsuit even down to 50 degree water temp
(I just hope I don't fall in for the first ten minutes before my body is warmed up -
- sometimes I do (at a short period swell break) cause my legs aren't warmed up).
« Last Edit: March 05, 2015, 11:21:36 AM by Subber »
Jimmy Lewis Black & Blue Noserider 10'1"x31"x4.25," 164 liters, 24 lbs, 1 box
Pearson Laird Surftech Longboard 10'6"x23"x29.75"x18"x4.375," 154 liters, 24 lbs, 3 boxes
Takayama Ali'i II Surftech 11'x21.375”x28.5”x17.25”x 4.25,” 162 liters, 26 lbs, 3 boxes

Bean

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4211
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2015, 11:22:55 AM »
For SUP surfing I use the 100 F degree rule. Just add air and water temp, if the result is 100 F degrees or more I use my 3/2. 

My 50 F degree rule is the same but for a hooded 4/3 suit.  The 14 F air and 35 F water last Saturday was a good test for this rule.

WhatsSUP

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 983
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2015, 11:26:09 AM »
For SUP surfing I use the 100 F degree rule. Just add air and water temp, if the result is 100 F degrees or more I use my 3/2. 

My 50 F degree rule is the same but for a hooded 4/3 suit.  The 14 F air and 35 F water last Saturday was a good test for this rule.


VERY helpful and easy to remember!!!!


Jimmy Lewis B&B Flat nose 10'1"
Sunova Creek 9'4" 
TAVA 11'2"
NSP Element 11'
KeNalu Wiki paddle
Kialoa Insanity paddle
Misc other paddles

standuped

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 417
  • Zapotocky family values
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2015, 12:24:27 PM »
O'Neil has a new (sort of ) material called Techno-butter.  You can read up on it at the O'Neil site. It is so effective,  it allows you to go down a size in thickness easily.  I use a 3/2 Phsyco-one in Oregon and can go a little below the 100 degree rule no problem. 
Florida gear.. Bic 12'x31"~207L.. JP Fusion 10'8"x34"~190L..Angulo custom 9'6"x33"~160L.. SIC Fish 9'5"x29.6"~145L..Epic gear elite paddle~7"x75"..Oregon gear..JP Fusion#2..Foote Triton 10'4"x34"~174L.. Surftec Generator 10'6"x32.3"~167L..Kialoa Pipes 6 3/8"x75"...Me 6'1" 220 lbs circa 1959

SUP Sports ®

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 3216
  • Stoked For Life ®
    • View Profile
    • SUP Sports ®
    • Email
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2015, 12:56:25 PM »
Material density matters...one company's 3/2 can be considerably warmer than another's 3/2...quality of seam taping matters as well...and, smooth skin generally sheds H20 better...with less wind penetration...

Even the same company's suits can change year to year...within same model...they change factories...or, they can succumb to bean counter pressure and cheapen it out...etc...

Last...but, not least...there is a science in layering which can extend a 3/2 into much colder conditions...especially, when paired with head and feet protection...
« Last Edit: March 05, 2015, 12:58:28 PM by SUPsports »
Mahalos...{:~)

WARDOG ®
Owner/CEO  StandUp Paddle Sports®  &   SurfingSports®.com, Inc.

(805)962-SUPS (7877) store
(888)805-9978 toll free

Retail Store:
Standup Paddle Sports, LLC
121 Santa Barbara St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

stoneaxe

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 12084
    • View Profile
    • Cape Cod Bay Challenge
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2015, 01:32:44 PM »
I'm finding a 3/2 or 4/3/2 coupled with a hooded vest and good gloves and boots covers me for the whole winter season. 3/2 alone in fall and late spring, add the gloves and boots as it gets colder and then the hooded vest for the coldest days.
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

Bean

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4211
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2015, 03:12:05 PM »
Anybody else find that their hands get significantly colder holding a paddle as opposed to prone surfing? 

The irony for me is that my hands used to get cold skiing (aluminum poles) but now that I've converted to 100% snowboard, my hands are never cold.

mrbig

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2465
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2015, 03:28:49 PM »
Bean - Yep. Water is what keeps you warm in a wetsuit. Much less water in the gloves standing up.

This is why I wear snowboard gloves winter flatwater paddling. My hands froze even with 7  mil  mitts.

Currently using Quicksilver "lobster claw" mittens 7 mil to sup surf in NE. Water now 34.
Let it come to you..
SMIK 9'2" Hipster Mini Mal
SMIK 8'8" Short Mac Freo Rainbow Bridge
SMIK 8'4" Hipster Twin
King's 8'2" Accelerator SharkBoy

Zooport

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 3533
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2015, 04:43:58 PM »
O'Neil has a new (sort of ) material called Techno-butter.  You can read up on it at the O'Neil site. It is so effective,  it allows you to go down a size in thickness easily.  I use a 3/2 Phsyco-one in Oregon and can go a little below the 100 degree rule no problem. 

I have a 3/2 Oniel Psycho and can not wear it SUP surfing even in our coldest temps in SoCal.  I get too freaking hot.  Our water temp is about 58 or 59 right now and I'm wearing a short sleeve 2mm Foil wetsuit.  If I was proning, I would be freezing, but it is about right SUPing.  A little chilly for the first 10min right a dawn until I warm up, then it's perfect.
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

Bean

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4211
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2015, 05:26:20 PM »
Bean - Yep. Water is what keeps you warm in a wetsuit. Much less water in the gloves standing up.

I'm going to have to try the bring your own hot water trick next surf. 

jumpfrom13k

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 219
    • View Profile
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2015, 06:26:31 PM »
i mean it is all about personal preference, ya?

zoo wears 2mm. and i wear 4/3 in the exact same condition.

I never felt cold, EVER when I surf. I hate being cold. I had to endure coldness for my work for the past 10 years. fuck that.

Zooport

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 3533
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2015, 07:40:57 PM »
Bean - Yep. Water is what keeps you warm in a wetsuit. Much less water in the gloves standing up.

I'm going to have to try the bring your own hot water trick next surf. 

Oh yeah, hot water down the suit immediately before you get in.  It's the bomb.  I've done that for years.
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

stoneaxe

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 12084
    • View Profile
    • Cape Cod Bay Challenge
Re: 3/2 Full Suit: Lower Water Temp Comfort?
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2015, 07:51:09 PM »
Yup....like pretty much everything else. Very personal. I'm getting to the point in my life that I hate the cold.....shit starts to ache... :P. Can't wait to be a snow bird to someplace warm.

On the other side, I hate rubber. I make a point of going as long as I can without it and getting out of it as early as possible. Around here that means October at one end and April at the other. At least a few days are usually warm enough.  In the early days I drew strange looks from the proners when I was in boardshorts in October.....at least the shorts were partly to blame...maybe.

Hot water is def the bomb. If its really cold bring enough for before during and after....you almost can't have too much. As good as it feels before it's even better at the end.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2015, 07:55:13 PM by stoneaxe »
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal