One all-year wetsuit?

TheTubes

I've just started surfing recently and am looking to buy my first wetsuit soon.
I can't really afford to buy a winter and summer suit (I read one post here saying that a summer suit was good for only 8 weeks of the year?).
So i'm thinking about just getting one suit for all year round.
Should I just get a 5/3 wetsuit? will it be uncomfortably warm during the summer?
Would a 4/3 suit be better or would it be too light for winter?
in a 5/4/3 wetsuit, what parts are 4mm? how does it compare to a 5/3 suit?

3mm or 5mm boots for all year round?

I know a lot of this depends on the individuals tolerence for cold but I guess I'm just looking for a few different opinions based on your experiences

Thanks for the help!

promethius

TheTubes wrote: »

I've just started surfing recently and am looking to buy my first wetsuit soon.
I can't really afford to buy a winter and summer suit (I read one post here saying that a summer suit was good for only 8 weeks of the year?).
So i'm thinking about just getting one suit for all year round.
Should I just get a 5/3 wetsuit? will it be uncomfortably warm during the summer?
Would a 4/3 suit be better or would it be too light for winter?
in a 5/4/3 wetsuit, what parts are 4mm? how does it compare to a 5/3 suit?

3mm or 5mm boots for all year round?

I know a lot of this depends on the individuals tolerence for cold but I guess I'm just looking for a few different opinions based on your experiences

Thanks for the help!

That's an excellent question!

It's not so much that a 5/3 would be too hot it's more an issue of how flexible the suit is. You always want to have as thin as suit as possible for the reason of flexibility, much more tiring to paddle in a 5/3 than a 3/2 due to having to overcome the elasticity of the increased thickness of the suit.

The 5/3 may be a little too hot in summer but that's a relatively minor issue, let's place that aside for now, Irish water never gets too hot.

A good 3/2 (i have a toasty o'neill one) does me from may-october then it's to a 5/3 (rip curl not as good as the o'neill). The quality of the suits is really important for stretch you get what you pay for mostly.

In the really cold depths of february a 5/3 is ok (for me) but i wouldn't go any thinner than that to be honest. If you have a high tolerance to the cold you may get away with it in a 4/3. Thermal rash vests are something you could use to boost your suits warmth in the winter, i use one sometimes, they are rashvests with neoprene so they add insulation, again, you're trading off thickness for flexibility.

For the boots, i would have to say if you're only buying one pair for the year go 5mm. Your feet will get really cold in the winter sitting in the water for a couple of hours. 3mm would be very very cold (IMO)
Booties take away from your feel of the board so you'd like to go thin as possible but the good news is that you can ditch them altogether for the summer.' I use 3mm now but will be ditching them soon. The tighter they fit the better and they will stretch with time so buy them small.

You didn't mention gloves and head gear. These are essential for the winter and not too pricey. 3mm gloves will get you through the coldest parts of the year and a 3 or 5mm hoodie will be good. You might be able to get a suit with a built in hoodie.

Post up some suits you're thinking of and we can take a look. There are some great new technologies including wings to stop water getting down your back and even the battery heated h-bomb suit!!!!

Let us know how you get on for the benefit for anyone else with the same questions.
Good luck./

TheTubes

nice post! Thanks for all the info.
Hood and gloves were on my radar, was just putting them off till they had to be bought

Tbh i havnt really any suits to post yet, cos i wasnt sure what to get, will start looking for a 5mm now tho.

would there be much of a diff between a 5/3 and a 5/4/3 when it comes to warmth and/or flexibility?

Thanks again.

promethius

TheTubes wrote: »

nice post! Thanks for all the info.
Hood and gloves were on my radar, was just putting them off till they had to be bought

Tbh i havnt really any suits to post yet, cos i wasnt sure what to get, will start looking for a 5mm now tho.

would there be much of a diff between a 5/3 and a 5/4/3 when it comes to warmth and/or flexibility?

Thanks again.

I didn't know you could get a 543 to be honest, i'd say it's very close in warmth and flex to a 53. Best thing to do is go in and try some on, rotate your arms stretch etc and see how it feels, will give you some indication of what it would be like to surf in. try a 3/2 for the craic just so you know. Great time to buy a 5/3 now, shops will be getting in new winter range and will have sales on this years stock. Rip Curl are decent value not the best suit but nothing wrong with them. Try to get that stretch material at the shoulders, good luck.

TheTubes

I tried on a few 5mm wetsuits and found them very stiff.
I had been using a 3mm at my lessons and even found it tough enough to paddle out back in that.
My upper body strength isn't great and I think I would have struggled too much in the 5mm.
So, against all financial reason, I went off and bought a 3mm.

Will deal with the winter wetsuit issue when it comes around

promethius

Good call man.
Once the bug bites you hard you will find a way to get that suit for the winter. A thermal rashie will keep you going a bit longer into winter with your new suit but i'd bite the bullet when the time comes and get a 5mm. Happy surfing in it!

Gumby

I wouldnt buy gloves. your hands can get used to the cold.

I find they fill with water and tire you quicker. also when you get out of the water i find my hands warm quicker and my dexterity returns quicker than if i had been wearing gloves... maybe its just me but that said im from warmer waters so if i can cope without them all year round, then so can you!

i wouldnt buy a suit with a fixed hood. i made this mistake with my last suit and regret it. sure it stop the flushes but its a pain whern you dont want it and the rash i get is a royal pain in the tits.

id recomend an excel infiniti 5/3 without a hood. and buy a hood seperate. the oneil mutant has a detachable hood so that could be a good option or if you have plenty to spend, an oneill pyscho 2 propbably the best suit on the market.

with respect to other forum users, id stay away from rip curl suits. if you are going to be surfing any more than once a week you will notice the wear an tear quicker than oneills / excels.

that said the rip curl Ebombs were great value for money at 260-280 euro if you are only going to be surfing every now and then. and i think they have a hood that you can buy that clips into batwing in the suit.

conman78

Have a 5 3 for over 2 years. Used it all winter with a vest, loose hood and gloves..Must have good gloves myself cos always found them great..no interference with paddling etc.

Get some Vaseline to keep in your bag and rub a good lump around your neck before putting suit on = no rash or chaffing!!

Used it in summer too no bother without vest..but still no compromise to getting out in shorts and vest..off to France soon but weather is minging there apparently so no joy on that I reckon..a hired 3mm will have to do!!

DaveR321

Man you need a 5.3 at least for winter most of my friends use a 6.4 in winter and a 3.2 in summer.

Kell

I have a gul 5/3 with 3mm boots. In summer its perfect with no vest, and winter, just add the thermal vest for warmth. Gloves and headgear suck, but then again, I like the cold. I got a really really tiht fitting one, and while everyone around is freezing, I am toasty. I dont find any problems with mobility either.

Thinking of buying a 3mm short suit, but the weather here never really gets good enough for one of those. Anyone any comments?

Thanks,

K-

moosejoose

Gumby wrote: »

I wouldnt buy gloves. your hands can get used to the cold.

I find they fill with water and tire you quicker. also when you get out of the water i find my hands warm quicker and my dexterity returns quicker than if i had been wearing gloves... maybe its just me but that said im from warmer waters so if i can cope without them all year round, then so can you!

i wouldnt buy a suit with a fixed hood. i made this mistake with my last suit and regret it. sure it stop the flushes but its a pain whern you dont want it and the rash i get is a royal pain in the tits.

id recomend an excel infiniti 5/3 without a hood. and buy a hood seperate. the oneil mutant has a detachable hood so that could be a good option or if you have plenty to spend, an oneill pyscho 2 propbably the best suit on the market.

with respect to other forum users, id stay away from rip curl suits. if you are going to be surfing any more than once a week you will notice the wear an tear quicker than oneills / excels.

that said the rip curl Ebombs were great value for money at 260-280 euro if you are only going to be surfing every now and then. and i think they have a hood that you can buy that clips into batwing in the suit.

Id agree totaly with this guy, no gloves, they are twice the hindrece as they are a help, fixed hoods bad idea also, they act as funnels when up and grab loads of water when down and chafe(spelling) the bejesus of a ya.

CantGetNoSleep

I use a 5/4/3, it's certainly not too warm in summer, but a summer suit would allow for slightly easier paddling. But it's not too much of a hindrance.

In winter, it is cold, but I use a hood, boots and gloves, and from November to February I choose to have shorter surfs

topper75

5/4/3 does me all year round to be honest.

i got a nice billabong (solution platinum) for around 320E.
http://www.hsssurf.com/billabong-302-solution-platinum-wetsuit-8731.html#

If you spend a few bucks you get good technology and new stretchy neoprene which goes some way to mitigate the flexibility problem with the trad winter suits.

It has a built in hood and I use 3mm booties and 3mm gloves.

Not saying I can stay in for 6 hours at a time in winter! but it does the job if you want to use just one suit.