Hey, who knows about wetsuits?

[Dargo]

Since I bought a couple of Jet Skis, I thought I could extend the season for them by buying my wife and myself wetsuits. I actually could have used one on some SCUBA trips and on some snorkeling trips in the past. Anyway, I really don't know squat about wetsuits, so I took the advice of a guy I know in Napa who surfs quite a bit and does some diving in and around the San Fran Bay. I know the water is quite cold there....long story, but I ended up in the water a couple hundred yards from the nice old prison in the Bay.

Anyway, I completely took his advice and here is what I bought O'Neill wetsuit. I don't know what Phycho II Zen means, but I was told it's "rad". Oh well, the wife and I now have some on the way with the matching little booties. I guess I still need to possibly buy the hoods and gloves. Any suggestions there? Does O'Neill really make decent wetsuits, or did I get taken? I got a decent deal on the price compared to list.

 

[dzalphakilo]

Drink a lot of liquids before you get in one. When you're in freezing water, take a nice long pee and your eyes will roll back because of the nice warm feeling coming from your body. Seriously.

Wetsuits keep you body warm by insulating and heating a thin layer of water next to your body. This is accomplished with your own body temperature. Any wetsuit made of neoprene (sp?) will accomplish this. You do however have to take care of the wetsuit for longevity (sp?).

You also have different thicknesses (sp?) of neoprene. Usually, the thicker, the warmer. Honestly, if it's cold enough to have to wear gloves and booties, you'd probably want to go to a dry suit.

Had an O'Neill suit some time ago (so long I forgot about them) and they had a good product "back then" so I can't help but think that they are good now.

Get a dry suit if you really want to stay warm (this suit allows no water next to your body, however, you have to wear undergarments for warmth, depending on air and water temp).

 

[Doc]

Get a dry suit if you really want to stay warm (this suit allows no water next to your body, however, you have to wear undergarments for warmth, depending on air and water temp).

Probably shouldn't pee in those suits though.

 

[dzalphakilo]

Probably shouldn't pee in those suits though.

Doc, you're absolutely right. Why do you think that I mentioned in another thread that I have actually wore depends? When it's below 30 degrees outside air temp and the wind is howling, well, you become creative.

 

[Melensdad]

I don't scuba dive but my brother does and he uses O'Niell equipement.

 

[bczoom]

Doc, you're absolutely right. Why do you think that I mentioned in another thread that I have actually wore depends? When it's below 30 degrees outside air temp and the wind is howling, well, you become creative.

30 degrees? Heck, I'm still in jeans.

Brent - I believe my sister and BIL use O'Neill suits for cold weather riding on Lake Ontario. They've never said anything bad about them so I guess they're happy.

 

[Dargo]

Thanks for the replies. I suppose I'll see. I have only one friend who is a really avid diver and he is the one who talked me out of buying a pair of 7mm suits. The 7mm suits are rated for "frigid" waters. However, he told me "frigid" waters are way, way colder than what I have in mind. I will most certainly not be trying to use a Jet Ski on days when it's not at least 70 degrees out. He said I'd not like the stiffness and the bulk of the 7mm suits. So, hopefully he's right since I ordered the 3/2 suits. I did order 5mm boots though. Can't have my tootsies getting cold now, can I?

*edit*

Oh yeah, anybody have any "secrets" to getting into the wetsuits? I've honestly never had one on that I recall. It just seems that I see everybody pulling and tugging and screaming about hair being pulled out when they put on a wetsuit. Any tricks?

 

[Av8r3400]

Baby powder?

 

[dzalphakilo]

30 degrees? Heck, I'm still in jeans.

Yeah, but are you in water when it's 30 outside About 8 years in a row a tradition with a bunch of buddies was to make the first run of the year on Janauary 1st of each new year. Up in New York and even on Slippery Rock in your neck of the woods, it got pretty damn cold on the first of January (I always remember sitting in the car with the heater going full blast in a drysuit and life vest because everything was iced over and you had to melt the ice before you could actually try to unzip anything).

Brent, you didn't mention if you got a full body suit or not. "Half suits" (as I used to call them, not sure of the terminology now) were pretty easy, and if the zipper is in the back, you usually have a long "lead" on the thigamagiggy on the zipper to be able to pull it up yourself. One thing I always did was dunk it in water first. Not so much to make it easier to put it on, but if you were diving, you'd wear one even in 90 degree weather because with the water (lakes, stripping holes) up here, it may be warm the first 20' under the surface, however, you'd hit a thermocline and you'd freeze your gonads off if you spend any time down under. In hot weather, by the time you got your suit on, you could be sweating bullets (full suit) and then you still had to get your equipment on. I can tell you, I never had a problem with any of my hair getting caught. Just that with a properly fitted wetsuit, you want the suit tight against your body due to keep that water warm against your body (with the neoprene acting as an insulator). Get a loose fitting wetsuit, and it could be useless. Because the suit is tight, it usually requires some to time and energy to take it on and off having the suit made of neoprene. However, if you are getting a half suit (where the neoprene only comes down to your knees on your legs, and above your elbows on your arms) my halfsuit was very easy to get in and out of.

One thing is for sure though. Any woman that usually looks "good" in a neoprene wetsuit is usually a bonafide babe when it comes off (body wise).