Living in the middle of Birmingham I was shocked today to find an outlet selling off surf equipment. They have board bags, shorts & T-shirts and wetsuits. I am just getting into surfing (actually I've never done it before), have borrowed my cousins board (a 6'6 Thruster) and am going to Borth next weekend to get a lesson and have a go with my pals. Now to my question: What thickness of wetsuit should I buy? The ones on sale are RIP CURL ULTIMATE ELASTO SLICKSKIN Back Zip Batwing 3/2 and are reduced from £209 to £80! Will this be warm enough or will I need to get a CORE Hooded Sleevless Hotskin which they also have? I am completely new to this game, as are my mates and although I know it's a great deal, don't know if I'm buying the right stuff yet! Any help with this dilemma would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Micky

2 things:

1- Yes a 3/2 will be warm enough to see you through most of the year. Probably March - November. Unless you plan on surfing absolutely all year and are very serious I would say a 3/2 will - particularly a Rip-Curl Slick Skin!

2 - Where is this shop, cos I need a new suit and I want one of those!!

BUT.... The best surf usually comes along in the winter (November - March), when a 3/2mm suit won't be enough. If you plan on surfing all year round, then go for a 5/3mm suit. I can assure you you'll need it in February, along with boots, gloves and a hood.

Most people have 2 or 3 suits, a nice thick warm one for the winter, a thinner convertible suit for autumn and spring and a shortie for those rare warm sunny summer days.. As you are getting into surfing at this time of year and I presume you'll want to get in the water as often as possible in the coming months, then I'd go for a 5/3mm suit as your first one.

I'm about to buy a new 5/3mm suit as my Gul Extreme has worn out completely now, so if you come across any good bargains let me know, and I'll do the same if I find anything any good.

Al.

Thanks Al,

But I went after work and purchased the RIP CURL ULTIMATE ELASTO SLICKSKIN Back Zip Batwing 3/2 for £80 and a LONG SLEEVE HOT SKIN for £20, so hopefully this will do as I don't know how much winter surfing we'll get in anyway, but thanks for the advice. To anyone interested (I know SinistaPenguin is, we chatted earlier) here's the address of the shop. They've got 50+ suits left in all sizes and all other sorts of stuff:

International Stock Distributors

1a Silver Street
Kings Heath
Birmingham,
West Midlands
B14 7QX

0121 443 3232

Hope this helps some of you out

Micky

No worries.... The 3/2mm suit that you've got is a real good bargain anyway, and should keep you comfortable throughout all but the depths of winter.

See you next weekend.

Al.

Sounds like you got yourself a bargain Micky.. I take it the long sleeve 'Hot Skin' is a form of thin neoprene vest that you can wear under the suit. That will give you some extra warmth and allow you to get in the water a little more into winter.

I tend to use a 3/2mm suit all year round, except between about the end of november and the end of march, when I use a 5/3mm suit. Somtimes I'm still in that come April May though!! The between December and the end of Feb, I usually wear a neoprene vest with integral hood under the 5/3mm suit, boots and gloves... It can get bloody cold in February!!

Joner.

I agree with both Al and Joner. I thought the 3/2 was a bargain though and not to be missed. If you can find a bargain winter suit, then you'll have 2 suits effectively for the price of 1.

Also Al is right, the best surf does happen in the winter, but 6ft freezing conditions with a ton of whitewater to deal with are fairly uninspiring learning conditions!

Unfortunately as we're going into winter all the winter suits tend to hold their value until spring. That said, Fistral Surf Company in Newquay are currently selling their 2002 winter suits for £100 a go. They have an online store too. Worth checking out!

www.fistralsurf.com

Mickey - Thanks for the tip off, went down to International stock on Sat and bought me a suit too. In fact, they were such a good deal I got one for my wife and one for my sister too!!

The women's Rip Curl Classic 3/2 was only £35.99!!

Apparently most of the good stuff had gone by Sat afternoon!!

You might also like to know that I was watching Extreme Sports this morning and at the Huntington Beach Phillips Pro at least 2 of the world's top surfing pros were wearing that exact same suit!

Cool,

I also couldn't pass up the chance of the deals there and bought my girlfreind and her mate the £35.99 womens suits. If you bought the same one as me and Ash, the Ultimate Elasto Slickskin, then that is this season's suit according to Rip Curls europe web site.

I do love a bargain!

Micky

Boots; Split Toe or Rounded?

In the above outlet, they have Rip Curl boots for £12.50. After reading other people talk about the need for these in winter, I'm going to buy some, seeing as they're half price. Is there a difference in performance between split toe or round toe or is it just personal preference?

They also have Rip Curl Change Mats 'As seen on their web site, demonstrated by Hodei Collazo'. Are these a useful tool, or just a gimmicky rip off at £5 a piece?

Cheers Guy's

Micky

Micky - Boots are a good idea and I don't think the split toe will make any significant difference - I have the normal rounded kind.

As for the change mats, I looked at those and although they seem like quite a good idea, they are a bit of a gimmick. Since you're supposed to rinse your suit after each use then what does it matter if it gets covered in sand. That said, if you're away for the weekend and can't rinse your suit, maybe it's worth it.

I personally use a bin liner!! - an altogether cheaper option!!

I use normal boots too, but quite a few of the local surfers swear by the split-toe variety as they stop your fooot rolling so much. I haven't used them myself, but people who do swear by them.

Al.

And they also make it easier to find the footstraps - oops , wrong forum

I'd agree with that I really like my split toe summer boots for windsurfing, not noticed any difference surfing though, will probably get a pair of split toe winter boots when the current ones die.

Still you do look really odd walking around in them....

I think the changing mats are a good idea (from a girlf at home who has to deal with the mess angle!) Less sand in the washing machine and all over EVERYTHING has to be good.

I got one for Al last Christmas (see I'm such a generous girlf) and he does use it so it can't be such a bad idea.

My only complaint is when the wetsuit finally emerges wet and stinking after being forgotten for a couple of weeks (not that this happens too often as Al goes out so much).

As far as boots go, I don't really know but don't the monsters eat you feet is you don't have anything on your feet when yuo go in the sea???