makeshift ways of keeping warm?

irish-anabel

Going for my first surf in ages next weekend and I want to make the most of it because I almost never get to go out. I have a suit but not a winter one, have a hood but HATE wearing it, and can get my hands on some booties probably. I know its gonna be freezing and I do get cold easily, any tips on stayin warm? anything I can do without buying expensive stuff? does wearing a good thermal under the suit help of make it worse?
Thanks

gerk86

yea, thermal vest under is great for windchill. Wear your hood, most of your body heat is lost through the head. Dry your wetsuit beforehand, change in the car annnnnnd use the natural radiator as much as humanly possible.

frag420

Natures radiator..............drink loads b4 you get in the water and then lets it go.......................snug!!!

Woden

just stumbled across this my understanding is that no more body heat is lost through you head then anything else which is exposed

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/26/health/26real.html?_r=1

irish-anabel

Ok I'll brave the hood, I'm scared it will smother me or something!
Does it matter if the booties don't fit me perfectly, I'll prob be wearing someone elses! And this is probably a really stupid question but anyway to keep my hands warm? they tend to go numb!

The-Ry-Man06

Go for booties that feel too small rather than slightly loose. And just splash the 25-35 quid for a proper pair of gloves the water is COLD!! If your sitting out the back keep the limbs moving. good luck.

gerk86

Woden wrote: »

just stumbled across this my understanding is that no more body heat is lost through you head then anything else which is exposed

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/26/health/26real.html?_r=1

ha, thanks for that. Hoods do stop those icecream headaches though!

unluckyforsome

When you're getting changed after, leave your booties on as long as long as possible ie. dry and cloth your upper body first. Then when your changed and your hands are gone blue stick'em into the booties... and Voila!! instant warm hands.

Trust me this works a treat when you need to tie boards onto a roof but you can't move your fingers with the cold.

aongo

ha - good in theory, but believe me - you own and wear a pair of boots for couple of months, you won't be wanting to put your hands into them...

in the water - buy a good suit that fits, doesn't have to be top of the line, just has to fit your body well
wear thick, tight winter booties - at least 4-6mm... keep the 3mm for the summer reef/rocky sessions
wear a hood / hat... there are many different types to try until you find one that's comfortable - jockey caps good if you find hood claustrophobic...

gloves are matter of personnel preference - but if you sorted with good gear as above, then you might be warm enough without them... my advise is ignore "the ultimate in 1mm stretch technology-type" gloves - after a couple of weeks they stetch to the point of becoming water-balloons
go for thicker ones, they'll be warm and while they may feel like weights now, your fitness will improve and when they come off in spring, you'll be able to paddle to iceland

don't pee in your wetsuit - fine now and again if you're stuck - but bad for it and you longterm, and booties stink bad enough without adding urine to the mix...

before your surf - keep your feet warm before getting into your suit, don't stand barefoot on cold ground, you'll leech the heat right out of yourself and be cold for the session...

after your surf - dry yourself with a rough towel, not a soft one - rough is good, kicks the circulation again and feels instantly warmer...

some people have 7-up bottle filled with hot water from home, when surfing leave your towel wrapped around it, then when changing, dump the water into your wetsuit bucket to warm the feet up

get a good wetsuit bucket - big enough to stand in and take warm water mentioned above... woodies sell colourful, round, bendy ones that are great - big, don't shatter into a million pieces if you accidently drop it, and bendy so you can carry it one-handed by the handles, and squeeze it into the car even if you can't open the boot / door fully

by some heat-pack in lidl, they appear there every so often - keep them in the glovebox and crack them as needed they are great

and lastly - make friends with someone with a campervan - the mobile shower / tea / choclate digestives factory - makes moot points of all of above years worth of carefully gathered winter surfing techniques!

spaceHopper

aongo wrote: »

and lastly - make friends with someone with a campervan - the mobile shower / tea / choclate digestives factory - makes moot points of all of above years worth of carefully gathered winter surfing techniques!

If you rock up to my van without siad chocolate digestives you'll be told where to go with size 10 up the hol.....

Oh and sorry the shower is an out door shower but it's heated and has live web streaming

lizgal

unluckyforsome wrote: »

When you're getting changed after, leave your booties on as long as long as possible ie. dry and cloth your upper body first. Then when your changed and your hands are gone blue stick'em into the booties... and Voila!! instant warm hands.

Trust me this works a treat when you need to tie boards onto a roof but you can't move your fingers with the cold.

How do you take your wetsuit off over your booties??

spaceHopper

Fine if you live close to the beach an can get changed at home the cover the car seat so you can drive home and get chagned in a warm shower. If you are surfing Strandhill see if you can get changed in the surf club, they have showes. If you are driving from Dublin adding cost of accomodation, fuel and everything else - skip this secession save the money and buy a winter suit and booties.

Geomy

3 Euro for shower and locker facilities in Lahinch sea world...

I dont know

Took the girlfriend surfing on Saturday. She took a hot water bottle and wrapped her towel around it so she had a warm towel when she got out and a hot water bottle to hug.
She also had a pair of Uggs. Says they're great for after a surf, they look terrible tho!

xxyyzz

A good hot cup of man the f*ck up never fails.

spaceHopper

Geomy wrote: »

3 Euro for shower and locker facilities in Lahinch sea world...

Cheers I'll remember that one, how much for a swim? Nice way to warm up after a long cold surf. Would need to pack togs though !

Low Pockets

xxyyzz wrote: »

A good hot cup of man the f*ck up never fails.

Yup, can't recommend this one enough

(In saying that, picking up my first heated rashie this week and can't wait! What can I say, old age has softened me:) )

dubbrin

two cups of MTFU if there's a bit of a trek/climb back to the car. As soon as I've my hood over my head the cap is on, as soon as I've wriggled out of the top of the suit the geansai and jacket are on and legs off asap. A simple rubber doormat from the pound shop will keep your feet off the ground which is important. A warmed towel will lose it's heat faster than a speeding bonzer when held out to a breeze and I've found hot water down the suit to only give a quick blast that's gone in less than a minute.

get used to taking your suit off with gimpy paws and doing it quickly. If you've a tight/good fitting suit don't jerk it around too much to stress the joints, I find rolling it to work best for me.

@Lowpockets, lets get a review of that rashie man, hopefully should keep you snapping for longer!

Geomy

spaceHopper wrote: »

Cheers I'll remember that one, how much for a swim? Nice way to warm up after a long cold surf. Would need to pack togs though !

5 Euro for the whole package,including swim,sauna,steam room lockers showers et etc

You can leave the locker key in at reception,just don't forget your no lol

xxyyzz

Low Pockets wrote: »

Yup, can't recommend this one enough

(In saying that, picking up my first heated rashie this week and can't wait! What can I say, old age has softened me:) )

I already have one, worn twice in 2 years.

Some things I picked up over the years -

Try to park your car facing into the wind, that way on cold/wet days when the boot is open, you'll be sheltered from the wind and rain (estates and hatchbacks only)

In woodies hardware store you can buy these blue unbreakable plastic boxes made by curver. They are great for standing in as a changing mat and when you get home just point the hose at it and you can soak the wetsuit in it.

dermo909

I'm surprised nobody mentioned that you can keep warm by paddling

Apart from that, get the thickest boots/gloves and hood that you can afford.

promethius

piss in your suit like it's on fire, job's a good un......


in an unrelated topic i've a 5/3 for sale if anyone's interested pm me.

Low Pockets

xxyyzz wrote: »

I already have one, worn twice in 2 years.

Some things I picked up over the years -

Try to park your car facing into the wind, that way on cold/wet days when the boot is open, you'll be sheltered from the wind and rain (estates and hatchbacks only)

In woodies hardware store you can buy these blue unbreakable plastic boxes made by curver. They are great for standing in as a changing mat and when you get home just point the hose at it and you can soak the wetsuit in it.

Well, I hauled ass to get to the beah tonight after picking it up to go for a swim and try it out. Hardly a foot there.

I aint a happy bunny.

xxyyzz

Low Pockets wrote: »

Well, I hauled ass to get to the beah tonight after picking it up to go for a swim and try it out. Hardly a foot there.

I aint a happy bunny.

Shoulda come to the kingdom ;-)

lizgal

slightly off topic but can anyone recommend a good pair of gloves?.. warm ones?

Low Pockets

xxyyzz wrote: »

Shoulda come to the kingdom ;-)

Was working there all day. Passwd through one area that stung, felt i shoukda taken the day off. Really thought there'd be waves where I was headed. It was more in the name of photos then anything else I was hoping for tonight but there you go.

keryl

As of yesterday the hat, boots and gloves were off praise the lord. Lets hope they stay off.

Keeping warm, I always think hot water or gadgets are futile as your just kidding yourself.
A warm drink and dry clothing are the only means.

Two towels? Keep as much wet away from the skin as possible and as someone said ensure the feet are not contacting the cold ground.

Geomy

lizgal wrote: »

slightly off topic but can anyone recommend a good pair of gloves?.. warm ones?

Excel drylock are supposed to be good warm gloves,magicseaweed are selling them...

Mickeroo

keryl wrote: »

As of yesterday the hat, boots and gloves were off praise the lord. Lets hope they stay off.

.

Was out yesterday evening myself was the total opposite for me, water was baltic!

Geomy

Mickeroo wrote: »

Was out yesterday evening myself was the total opposite for me, water was baltic!

It was nice in Lahinch

keryl

Not sure Mick, I just took the plunge then again I was going around last September with a wetsuit showing my chest..... :P