Dry Suit??? Ocean Rodeo???

[yugi]

^ if you take the top off, do the pants by themselves have a waterproof seal?

In otherwords if it's hot/sunny can you paddle w the top off and slap it on when it becoes breezy/cold?

[Eagle]

yugi - has the same as the neoprene neck seal.  Basically you could sit down on the board and not get wet - but would def let in water if submerged.  So you could wear it separate like that - but probs not my choice.

The Surge is really the perfect item for my specific cold water use though.  But when it warms up - probs will wear my Hydrus dry pants instead with a very light shell top to keep 100% dry and cool.  The GTX does keep a slight micro climate with its protective PU layer - so would be perfect for cold water Squamish DW runs as well. 

[yugi]

I've done DWers in my drysuit but now above a light downbreezer I wear a wetsuit. I dress light under the drysuit so it wouldn't keep me warm if ever I was in the water any length of time.

[Eagle]

The problem with a wetsuit is you are always boiling and soaking wet under high exertion.  Every time.  Taking off the Surge after 2 mile DW sprints - and being bone dry - is just simply amazing.  As noted it does need to be cold out though.  5C is much too warm for GTX.   

[yugi]

^ don’t get me wrong, I agree. Maybe I should have said it differently.

I wear a wetsuit when I’ll be falling in plenty. I wear a drysuit when I won’t be falling in much.

Downwinders for me are 20 or 30 km, a few km offshore. They also tend to get hairier towards the end. So I prefer to be equipped for the worse.

I also fall a lot, to be honest. Maybe a bit less now, but I’ll be fixing that with a narrower board.

[Eagle]

^ don’t get me wrong, I agree. Maybe I should have said it differently.....

.....I also fall a lot, to be honest. Maybe a bit less now, but I’ll be fixing that with a narrower board.

My guess is that you are right about falling in less.  Fell in a few times the first couple of weeks testing the 23 in cross chop and slop -> and now nada.  Have been close a few times though while slowly pushing the envelope bigger and bigger.

But with the Surge have been able to go out in conditions I would have stayed at home before.  And that has helped confidence the most.  Weird.  Plus my technique has changed a lot as well.  Much more centered with very even balanced power distribution.  Which interestingly makes my other boards super stable now.  Def a very big noticeable difference when you are perfectly centered and powered up.  Really cleans up any imperfections in your stance position and paddle technique -> fast.

So would recommend you drop down to a 25 or maybe 24 or 23 to get your balance down tight -> so when you hop on the 26.5 Rail you will feel rock solid.  The new designs out are a lot more stable than something like the old discontinued Race 14x25.  That board was major tippy tippy canoe vs my AS23.

[Eagle]

Here are a couple of pics for those not familiar.  First -> the Race with zero hard edges vs Second -> the AS with a lot more hard edges.  The 25AS was crazy stable for a 25 with just a bit of initial roll until you hit the side concave.  Only a touch less stable than our 27.5 Dom - so had to go down to the 23 to make it worthwhile.  Took some effort at first - but is now a crazy stable board for a 23.

[Bean]

I also fall a lot, to be honest. Maybe a bit less now, but I’ll be fixing that with a narrower board.

That's the spirit Yugi!