cj
Member
Member #: 505 Posts 1
Registered: 12-1-2004 Location: Oldham Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 07:29 |
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Which winter suit??
Hi
I can't stand not being able to go out in the winter due to only having a 3mm steamer. I am thinking of splashing out big time and
purchasing the Spartan 3D suit. I have been on their website and it sounds as though this suit will keep me warm on the coldest of
winter days. Has anyone any experience of these suits who can give advice as its a lot of dosh (£370.00!!!) and I don't want to make
a big mistake!
All I want is to be able to go out in winter no matter what the weather is like and be WARM! or is this an impossibility???!
Any advice would be most welcome.
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justal
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 07:34 |
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Hi cj,
The Spartan suits are certainly warm and cosy, as many here will testify. They are also pretty expensive as you have pointed out. For a
cheaper alternative that will keep you warm throughout the winter, take a look at the Sola semi-dry suits (The one with a 'dry'
horizontal zip across the back.) They used to be called 'Concept' but may have chagned their name. They are very similar to the spartan
(without the extra undersuit), but you can always buy a 2mm vest/hood, or even wear a shorty under it if you wanted. you shouldn't need
to though as the suit itself is warm enough throughout the winter. Although you will probably want a hood as well.
the Sola suits are much cheaper as well..They retail at around £250, but I got mine for £149...shop around and see what deals you
can find.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Shaka
Hot shot 
Member #: 252 Posts 63
Registered: 24-6-2003 Location: London Member Is Offline Mood: Frustrated - im working
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 12:56 |
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Which winter suit
CJ,
I have a Spartan - the one down from the 3D (cant remember the name but go for about £280). Very, very warm.
As Al suggested you will find sola or similar, good alternatives. A guy use to advertise on ebay - something like wetsuit warehouse????
Good deals on branded wetsuits.
One recommendation is to wear a thin neoprene vest underneath your current suit. Its like a surfers rash vest but thicker - it
basically keeps your body nice and toasty. You can also wear it in the summer as they give UV protection. Retail at about £30.
I find comfortable winter sailing is all about being warm b4 you start. Since buying my new suit it has improved my sailing to another
level as im not apprehensive about falling in and getting cold (almost the opposite now). It makes you go for things and you learn from
the mistakes.
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bucski
A Force-of-Nature *** 
Member #: 275 Posts 622
Registered: 8-7-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: i'm never in a mood
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 15:59 |
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what size are you? i got a medium sola, extreme titanium for sale, brand new, with dry zip across the back,
let me know
cheers
tim
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El Nino
Hot shot 
Member #: 8 Posts 30
Registered: 25-7-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: Turbulent
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 16:32 |
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One of the most important things (if not THE most important) factor when buying any wetsuit is the fit. If it doesn't fit properly,
then no matter how good it is, it just won't keep you warm.
Everyone is different and all manufacturers suits are different. Their sizes vary, as do the cut, so try lots on before you buy and
find the ones that fit you best. they should be snugg everywhere, but not restrictive.
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scotty
Beach Bum
Member #: 424 Posts 22
Registered: 1-11-2003 Location: Banff Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 17:26 |
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The guy on ebay is wesuit outlet i posted a link on iwindsurf yesterday the prices seem to be ok
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scotty
Beach Bum
Member #: 424 Posts 22
Registered: 1-11-2003 Location: Banff Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 17:34 |
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I just added the link to the links section of Forces of nature hope this helps
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macdonaldal
Beach Bum
Member #: 345 Posts 26
Registered: 1-9-2003 Location: Wolverhampton Member Is Offline Mood: Okay
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 18:08 |
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Al
Sorry to me thick - but what exactly is the difference between a dry suit and a semi-dry suit ?
Alex
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shem
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 20:11 |
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A drv suit is worn over thermals, and actually keeps you totally dry. A Wet suit, steamer, lets the water in slowly, which then heats
up due to your body heat, and although you are a tad wet, you are still really warm.
Ive always had custom made SNUGG wetsuits, which are great, but this year I tried a BODY GLOVE, thermulator pro, and its awesome. As I
teach Im in the water for up to 5 hours at a time, and still warm.
If you are interested, try craig at the beach house on 01654767979.
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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justal
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 20:35 |
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I've never actually seen anyone wearing a dry-suit for windsurfing / kitesurfing etc. But I think the Americans do... They wouldn't
wouldn't they!!
There is a company called Ocean Rodeo that makes dry-suits in this country specificially for kite-surfing... At least i saw them
advertising in a kite-surf magazine. As Shem says dry suits keep you completely dry and are therefore useful for secret agents as you
can swim into the evil arch-enemies secret underwater hideout and still look swanky in your tuxedo and bow-tie that you were wearing
under your drysuit!!
If you do use a dry suite for kiting/windsurfing make sure you expell all the air trapped in it before going onto the water. Otherwise
you'll float like a cork and won't be able to swim... Worse still you'll probably float face down and drown! You can expell the air by
crouching down whislt holding the neck seal open. I guess that they would be OK for kite-surfing and windsurfing, and as they are less
tight fitting than wetsuits, kiters wouldn't need to wear overtrousers to look cool.
The other thing is, as with most things there are lots of different types. The best are made from breathable materials such as goretex,
and obviously cost quite a bit. You'll end up pretty wet in a cheaper model as you'll sweat like mad and theres no where for it to
go....
Finally, don't pee in your drysuit!!!!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 12-1-2004 at 20:38 |
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Oh....Just had a look at the wetsuit outlet site posted further up
by Scotty, and the front page has a breathable drysuit for £279, could have saved myself some typing if I'd looked at that first.
While I'm at it, heres the link for the Ocean Rodeo drysuit...
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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stevebus
Beach Bum 
Member #: 40 Posts 19
Registered: 14-8-2002 Location: Black Country Member Is Offline Mood:
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 posted on 12-1-2004 at 22:24 |
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hi just a quick note asking for advise on the drysuit option instead of 6mm neoprene as i need a new suit to carry on windsurfing now
for winter (10 degrees or less)
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justal
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| posted on 13-1-2004 at 07:14 |
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Hi Steve... Good to see you here. Have you been out lately, I haven't seen you at Borth, and haven't seen any diary entries.
As I said earlier I haven't seen anyone wearing drysuits in this country, and that alone probably means that they aren't ideal. Theres
lots of things to be aware of. First up, it just isn't necessary in the temperatures we get here. I go out in all temperatures (I think
the coldest including wind chill was minus 16¬?C), with just a 5/3mm wetsuit on a hooded vest and boots. My Semi-Dry Sola suit is
warmer than my 5/3mm suit, but if its soaking wet and the 5/3mm is dry I'd reather climb into that one and let the other one dry out. I
also always use the 5/3mm for surfing, which is a much colder sport than windsurfing.
Drysuits are more restrictive. The material isn't stetchy like neoprene, so the suits are big and baggy meaning that you get material
bunching up in places you probably don't want it to, and they make you feel big and bulky.
You'll need a new harness as well... Because you have to wear several layers of clothing underneath the drysuit, you;ll probably have
to invest in a bigger harness as well as the suit.
I also don't know how effective they are in wave environments. I'm sure if you are getting rinsed around in a monster washing machine
that some water must get in through the seals.
If I were you I'd just go for a good winter wetsuit, they are plenty warm enough, cheaper and probably more practical... Besides,
wheres the fun if you're not getting wet!!!
Someone out there may of course use a drysuit and have a completely different opinion to me???
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Lofly
Grommet
Member #: 373 Posts 13
Registered: 19-9-2003 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 13-1-2004 at 13:03 |
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In the Centre I used to work most of the instructors had one- they're probably more comfortable for if you spend half the time sat in a
rescue boat getting cold and half in the water. But I've also never seen anyone wear one in the last decade - although in my Dad's book
from the early 80's they all had'em (along with wooden booms and some radical black and white 'head dip' photos - still the old boy's
favourite trick)
My Snugg suit is a surfing one but has lasted 5 years including 9 months solid (daily) use while I was instructing, so I can vouch for
them.
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markh
Hot shot 
Member #: 42 Posts 56
Registered: 15-8-2002 Location: London Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 13-1-2004 at 14:31 |
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I've had a Second Skin 5/3 suit in the past which along with a hood and boots did a very good job of keeping me warm. However it's
become quite inflexible now that it's about 3/4 years old so I've replaced it with the Spartan 3D Dry which I got for £100 off from
Bray watersports a couple of months ago.
The Spartan really is superb and has completely taken away the "fear" factor of falling in wintery UK seas. I'm usually pretty dry
underneath even when I've been out for a few hours and had plenty of catapulted dunkings.
Look on the rec.windsurfing newsgroup for the drysuit stuff. They all seem to swear by the "Kokatat" goretex suit made for kayakers
& I think they may be stocked at the watersports shop down on the Embankment (if you're in London sometime). However v.expensive
compared to even a full-price Spartan.
P.S. Another quick and easy way to "upgrade" your wetsuit is to get some velcro straps to lash round your ankles thus sealing in the
wetsuit-over-boot join. Possibly worth it for wrists as well as long as this doesn't lead to forearm cramp. it's the ingress of cold
water that is the worst thing (and which the semi-dries with a brass zip are particularly good at stopping.)
[Edited on 13-1-2004 by markh]
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madmav
Member
Member #: 8046 Posts 1
Registered: 7-11-2008 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-11-2008 at 21:45 |
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I've switched to a dry-suit and now I wish I'd done it years ago
Here I am... The crazy one who windsurfs in a drysuit in the UK. How do they fair in waves - well I can only speak of my Typhoon
Hypercurve (curved back zip) but absolutely no problems or water ingress even in a force 8. Yes drysuits used to be sweaty, bulky, and
generally impractical for windsurfing... but times have changed and now there is no need to freeze your t*@ts off whilst struggling out
of a tight and streatchy semi exposing your wet rash vest to the beloved wind, which then seems to cool you to the core faster than a
dunk in liquid nitrogen - we all know the feeling! The new generation of suits are tailored for a better fit... even in sub-zero temps
the act of windsurfing itself is surprisingly warm in a drysuit and a thermal base layer vest together with tracksuit bottoms / thermal
longjohns are plenty warm enough. Yes you'll need extra layers if you sit around all day in a safety boat etc, but for active
windsurfing it simply isn't necessary. Hence no bulk, no new harness, and as for restricted movement... Here's a question for you: Do
you feel like you have restricted movement walking around in jeans and T-shirt. Seriously, wearing a drysuit is like wearing clothes -
I find it much less restrictive than steamers/semis - Again older suits were restrictive, the zip either prevented you from crossing
your arms if it wasa rear zip, or bunched up in front of you if it was a front zip - Now they have moved the zips higher and can build
in shape to them so that you have full range of motion. simply awesome. Of course there is one small point that is still an issue... no
urination allowed - although I have seen some suits that have a "relief flap"! Price wise - much the same as a semi, I paid £210 for
mine and have used it for windsurfing, sailing and kayaking. In all honesty, semis are great on the water, but they are a pain to get
on and off and you get cold unless you have changing rooms/van when they are half on, half off. Drysuits are warm on and off the water,
you never have to expose naked flesh to the elements, and they are easy to get on and off, and you just shake them off and they are
virtually dry... no need to ever put on a wet wetsuit... but then again, you can't pee in them. Both have pro's & cons, but whereas
a few years back the semi was the only contender for winter windsurfing, I think times have changed and the main reason people don't
use them in the UK is simply "no one uses them in the UK" and not many people are prepared to fork out a couple of hundred squid on
something that may not work. (I run the RYA courses at Southampton University, kayak and sail, so for me it was a worthwhile purchase
even if it had turned out to be a flop for windsurfing, but it wasn't).
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mNeil
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| posted on 10-11-2008 at 15:41 |
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aha! on my third /fourth season ikitesurfing in drysuits now and on my second suit; (fault in the first) loads of us where them here at
borth. they are superb!! Steve Bus bought one last year and loves it on his windsurfer too.
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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dunk
A Force-of-Nature *** 
Member #: 570 Posts 606
Registered: 2-3-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Spaced out
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| posted on 20-11-2008 at 10:28 |
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Ha Ha
Drysuits for Windsurfing lol they have there limitations as for Kitesurfing.
I do wear one for teaching Windsurfing as I do for teaching Dinghy sailing and for sitting in a Rescue boat.
But I think they suck, bet Steve Bus hasn't had to swim after his kit in a big squall while its tumbling over the water, bet he
wouldn't catch up with it in a loose fitting dry suit! I also tried one many years ago too for slalom watersking, the extra drag on
your arms was amazing.
I had an interesting experience last year, after listening to all your hype, I thought I'd give it another go. I opted to wear my wetty
underneath just in case. After sailing for a while I popped my zip! The result, a drysuit full of water. It weighed a ton, luckily I
hadn't dropped my kite to, so I could pull myself in. Without the wetty underneath, I think I could of been in deep sh!t.
Like I said in my other post, they do have there uses,Its horses for courses, each to there own.
Dunks
KITE / SAIL REPAIRS
http://www.jonnieeisler.com
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dunk
A Force-of-Nature ***
Member #: 570 Posts 606
Registered: 2-3-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: Spaced out
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| posted on 20-11-2008 at 16:48 |
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Forgot to add, my Snugg wetsuit is the best suit I've ever owned.
Made to measure and made in the UK for £275
Check out, www.snuggwetsuits.co.uk
KITE / SAIL REPAIRS
http://www.jonnieeisler.com
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mNeil
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| posted on 20-11-2008 at 18:57 |
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just a scientific reply to your dry suit weighing a ton when full of water Dunks: specific gravity of water is 1. water weighs the same
inside the suit as it does outside the suit so if you are still in the water it balances out and equals nothing. no weight gain or loss
only the weight of the suit and will not drag you under. if you get out of the water however it will weigh 1 Kg or abouts per litre of
water trapped inside.
tiss the same with a wellington boot full of water if you fall in the river etc, it weighs no more than the weight of the boot and will
not drag you under; but if you get out of the river it will weight 1Kg/litre of water trapped inside the boot.
maybe see you saturday evening as i am coming down for sunday.
A KITE IS FOR LIFE!! THAT IS IF ITS A YARGA.
founder of storm'n Normans van club!
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Pixelwave Web Design.
justal@forces-of-nature.co.uk