Warmest hooded full suit and favorite winter gear

Nov 25, 2020
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55
18
I'm kidding but, I am curious if 750 for a suit is not far away from custom. I am a med short and I never find many suits that fit me without something dribbling down my back. I had a bozz many years ago that was good, but not great. I know if I'm in so call, they may be able to fit me but I figure some outfit somewhere has a way to digitally measure
 

Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,265
19,091
113
Jacksonville Beach
Custom wetsuit is peak kook. A suit lasts two seasons and then they are garbage.
Spoken like a true Europeasant whose car probably doesn't have the torque to haul a decent ribeye home from the grocery store. Here in peak disposable income, while the Xcels generally fit me fine and so I have no need of a custom wetsuit, we have horrors far more grim than someone getting a perfectly fitting wetsuit:

1. Instagram
2. Geo-tagged instagram posts
3. SUPs
4. Longboards
5. Mid-lengths
6. People going to the beach in groups
7. SUPs
8. Go Pros
9. Go Pro mounts
10. Fun-loggers with backwards-facing Go Pro mounts.
11. Social Media
12. SUPs
13. Instagram
14. People who learned how to drive from their parents or their gym teacher, 75% of whom couldn't drive for sh!t.
15. SUPs
16. Laird
17. Tow-surfing
18. Boaters
19. Instagram
20. SUPs
 
Apr 29, 2013
107
107
43
Oregon
Spoken like a true Europeasant whose car probably doesn't have the torque to haul a decent ribeye home from the grocery store. Here in peak disposable income, while the Xcels generally fit me fine and so I have no need of a custom wetsuit, we have horrors far more grim than someone getting a perfectly fitting wetsuit:

1. Instagram
2. Geo-tagged instagram posts
3. SUPs
4. Longboards
5. Mid-lengths
6. People going to the beach in groups
7. SUPs
8. Go Pros
9. Go Pro mounts
10. Fun-loggers with backwards-facing Go Pro mounts.
11. Social Media
12. SUPs
13. Instagram
14. People who learned how to drive from their parents or their gym teacher, 75% of whom couldn't drive for sh!t.
15. SUPs
16. Laird
17. Tow-surfing
18. Boaters
19. Instagram
20. SUPs
You forgot SUPs
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,042
8,979
113
Central California
Thanks Yewstreet! Hoping it's warm enough (I usually wear 5/4s). Some of the lined suits get super heavy, so this is a bit of an experiment to try thicker, plain neoprene in cold water.

Waves yesterday (water not too cold but air pretty cold/windy):

View attachment 102501
I'm curious to hear the results of this experiment (going up 1mm with no liner).

Let us know what you think when you get the suit.
 
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Apr 29, 2013
107
107
43
Oregon
I'm curious to hear the results of this experiment (going up 1mm with no liner).

Let us know what you think when you get the suit.
I used to run those Rip Curl 4.5/3.5 hooded E-bombs which were advertised as without liner. They were plenty warm enough, with the smoothskin on chest panel. Not any noticeable difference in warmth to the dryloc 4/3 hood with liners IMO. Until the tape would start leaking in the crotch. That sucked.
 
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jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,042
8,979
113
Central California
I used to run those Rip Curl 4.5/3.5 hooded E-bombs which were advertised as without liner. They were plenty warm enough, with the smoothskin on chest panel. Not any noticeable difference in warmth to the dryloc 4/3 hood with liners IMO. Until the tape would start leaking in the crotch. That sucked.
Good to know.

I subscribe to the belief that I can usually go 1mm thinner than what most people wear in my area, but I need smoothskin and fuzzy liner to compensate.

Feral claims it's warmer to just go 1mm thicker and eliminate the fuzzy liner and smoothskin.

Last time I had a wetsuit without fuzzy liner and smoothskin, I didn't find it very warm however. But then again, I got it the same thickness I normally would so that could have been my issue.
 

Mr J

Michael Peterson status
Aug 18, 2003
2,250
1,454
113
Regional Vic, Australia
...
Last time I had a wetsuit without fuzzy liner and smoothskin, I didn't find it very warm however. But then again, I got it the same thickness I normally would so that could have been my issue.
I go thick and cheap, which usually means minimal liner. Bottom of the range 5.5mm Xcel and 5/3 Hurley are my warmest hooded and non-hooded wetties respectively. The 5.5 Xcel has no smoothskin. My top of the range 5mm Xcel was probably the warmest when it was new (that has some smoothskin).

Which weighs more, an extra 1mm of rubber or a liner soaked in water?
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,042
8,979
113
Central California
I go thick and cheap, which usually means minimal liner. Bottom of the range 5.5mm Xcel and 5/3 Hurley are my warmest hooded and non-hooded wetties respectively. The 5.5 Xcel has no smoothskin. My top of the range 5mm Xcel was probably the warmest when it was new (that has some smoothskin).

Which weighs more, an extra 1mm of rubber or a liner soaked in water?
I'm guessing liner soaked with water weighs more.

However, I'm also guessing a 4/3 with a liner would be more flexible than a 5/4 with no liner.
 

Mr J

Michael Peterson status
Aug 18, 2003
2,250
1,454
113
Regional Vic, Australia
I'm guessing liner soaked with water weighs more.

However, I'm also guessing a 4/3 with a liner would be more flexible than a 5/4 with no liner.
The fuzzy purple lining of my old billabong furnace was heavy when pulled out of the wettie bucket dripping wet, but it drained quickly and in practice the liners are not saturated when we are wearing them. Then considering that the outer nylon of my xcel with no smoothskin would soak some water I don't know the answer. Also the bottom of the range xcel does have some sort of liner.

You are paying for better neoprene too, so would be getting a better experience than me. I've been training in a patagonia which has rubber the density of car tire inner tube, so the extra thickness approach is a viable option for me.
 
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oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,273
113
San Diego, CA
One of the best things about my Isurus is the Nakatomi rubber doesn’t absorb much water so it is almost always dry by the next morning. That’s worth $100 right there! LOL
 
Jun 4, 2019
15
17
3
How does one get a wetsuit these days? Literally everything is sold out all of the time.
Feral is doing a preorder for 3/2s and 4/3s for early Jan delivery. Other than that it seems like you need to be a really weird size and surf really cold water.
 
Mar 1, 2010
110
61
28
How many of you in the NE and NW are wearing rip curls as their 5 mm winter suit? need to get a new winter suit and my xcel really doesn't fit that great anymore and am now in between sizes. froze the other day with air temps around 20 and water still hovering upper 40s to 50.. water felt colder though. (maybe all the snow melt runoff in the wave action area) walk/hike back to truck was brutal