[SA Chris]

It's the North Sea, cold is default. Was in for about 2.5 hours, and it was pretty overcast, and a chilly breeze.

I had the same with zip going on my old GUL suit last year, came off in my hand as I was about to get in the water. Managed to get it back together for the session, but prompted me to replace, I got it in 2001 or so, so was due an upgrade, and new suit is like a cocoon of comfort by comparison.

[Fultonius]

It's the North Sea, cold is default. Was in for about 2.5 hours, and it was pretty overcast, and a chilly breeze.

I had the same with zip going on my old GUL suit last year, came off in my hand as I was about to get in the water. Managed to get it back together for the session, but prompted me to replace, I got it in 2001 or so, so was due an upgrade, and new suit is like a cocoon of comfort by comparison.

Had my first ever attempt at a surf in Scotland last week - climbed Am Buachaille and went round to Sandwood Bay for a few hours. 4 boards between six of us, and I was in a 20 year old 3x3 short sleeved wetsuit.... aaaah, the bracing chill of cold shock and wooden arms!  The one wave I nearly popped up on my arms were so weak from the cold that I only wobbled to a half stand before bailing out the back seat. Fun day but not very successful on the surfing front!

[SA Chris]

Nice one, stunning place, love to go back. When I was learning we surfed Oldshoremore in great waves in the morning (with Simon Nadin soloing above the water) and then walked in to SB with boards and climbing gearin the afternoon, was greeted with overhead closeouts, no-one in the water, and no phone signal. We bottled getting in, and opted to climb instead. Midges on the walk out were more of a hazard than the surf.

The water over that side is a few degrees warmer than the east coast too. If you are ever out this way to mobilise, are kicking about and want to get in, there is board hire on the beach now.

[BrutusTheBear]

Chris it's more likely to be the action of paddling, rather than popping up that is causing elbow issues. I had a surfing buddy that suffered really bad with this and almost quit surfing.  Standard rehab/prevention exercises apply or get towed in to everything.!

[Lopez]

Anyway, ordered a front zip.

Despite always being skeptical about them i got one a couple years ago so that i could have an in-built hood to get rid of neck flushes in my old age.

Didn't think much of them other than the pleasure of duck diving and coming out the other side without half the ocean inside the suit.

It did (does?) restrict the shouuders a little more as you get 2 layers of rubber there rather than one.
However there was a day i couldn't face getting into a cold and wet suit for the umpeenth time and grabbed my old and trusty back zip, and man, it felt like being in a straight jacket. I had never realised how much that zip in the back was restricting movement.

Ever since i'm a converted for front zip suts

Damned expensive for a 5/4! WTF!

Well get ready. They are ridiculously expensive now and the cheapos are not really worth it.  Vissla might be worth a try in the semi-budget bracket. They are quality but it'll come down to fit. I got one which fits so badly that the chest lets water in by the buckets.

[BrutusTheBear]

Should be able to get significant discounts on winter suits 5mm + at the moment or very soon. (As we approach summer season and all the new summer models are being released). Wetsuit Outlet, Wetsuit warehouse or the likes..
Decent Wetsuits are generally much stretcher and more comfortable these days (even compared to 10 yrs ago. I'm a big fan of chest zips, less flushing, more flexibility in the back.  You get what you pay for to a point but there's definitely a point where you are just paying for the name or some new gimmick. 

[SA Chris]

The rip curl dawn patrol 5/3 i got from Wetsuit Outlet is amazing compared to my old Gul as far as warmth, flex and general comfort go. Fortunately most LT size suits fit me perfectly, so not a lot of need to try many on.

Do you guys in the SW need to go thicker than that? I used to wear that old GUL with a polypro hooded rash vest in winter and it was OK with decent mitts and boots?

[SA Chris]

Chris it's more likely to be the action of paddling, rather than popping up that is causing elbow issues. I had a surfing buddy that suffered really bad with this and almost quit surfing.  Standard rehab/prevention exercises apply or get towed in to everything.!

You're probably right, paddling a big log and hauling around an additional half stone plus probably doesn't help. Might just get a SUP.
(actually I'd give it up completely before it go to that)

[BrutusTheBear]

5mm with boots, hood n gloves are generally sufficient for winter in the SW. (Although I do have a 6mm with built in hood for extra cold days or trips up North, I wish.. .).   Gradually drop the gloves, then boots, then hood as it warms up... Still ice cream head temps at present but I have stopped wearing gloves.

[SA Chris]

luxury. I switched from 7 mm lobster mitts on Saturday for the first time to thinner gloves (which leak a bit) and had cold hands for a bit. They need a bit of black witch again.

[Fultonius]

The rip curl dawn patrol 5/3 i got from Wetsuit Outlet is amazing compared to my old Gul as far as warmth, flex and general comfort go. Fortunately most LT size suits fit me perfectly, so not a lot of need to try many on.

Do you guys in the SW need to go thicker than that? I used to wear that old GUL with a polypro hooded rash vest in winter and it was OK with decent mitts and boots?

I've got a Gul 6/5 ish steamer with a fell cross-back drysuit style zip but I can only imagine that would be gash for surfing. It's also 23 years old (fuck I'm getting old) and has a few holes and rips. Might botch it back together for the rare occasion I go out - can always get something better if I end up getting out more regularly.

[Probes]

Ahh talk of Am B and sandwood  it's probably 20 years since, a few of us biked in, minimals strapped to the side of bikes, climbed Am B then spent 4 days surfing the bay with it to ourselves  Felt very exposed on the first paddle out, until got used to how it was all working.     I had a Gul suit back then, 5/4, froze my tits off. A few suits and years later, I've a 5/3 ripcurl front zip. I've surfed on Lewis in March in this and with a rash vest, was markably pretty toastie, so much so I de gloved a few times. Worth every extra £. Even if it will probably only last a few years.

[SA Chris]

I've got a Gul 6/5 ish steamer with a fell cross-back drysuit style zip but I can only imagine that would be gash for surfing. It's also 23 years old (fuck I'm getting old) and has a few holes and rips. Might botch it back together for the rare occasion I go out - can always get something better if I end up getting out more regularly.

I've got a 5/4 XCEL for winter, and the difference in weight and restrictiveness compared to the new 5/3 is enormous. Get a good idea of your size and if you keep an eye out, should be able to get a reasonable quality suit for circa £200, not too bad when compared to another new pair of climbing shoes. However I was horrified to discover you can pay £500 for a new suit if you wanted to..

[Oldmanmatt]

I need my suit to be a bit more versatile. I expect to use it for diving, kayaking and long distance winter swimming/scrambling up cliffs.
I chose this one, which is being delivered today, on the recommendation of a couple of formers, for ease of entry, warmth and flexibility. The dit is that the zip doesn’t restrict movement at all, whilst being dead easy to get on solo. Apparently flush isn’t an issue either, but I’ll know tomorrow.
This will be the first time I won’t glue pockets on my suit (when diving or swimming offshore I carry a spare mask, a compass panel, knife and an smb/rest bouy (as well as my tow bag)). I’ve ordered leg holsters (IST). I can’t afford a quiver of suits.
I have a 3mm hooded vest (I cut that zip out and replaced it with velcro closure, much more comfortable) that I wear under it for long duration swims or general diving evolutions.
Not everyones cup of Java, but I have high hopes.

https://www.mikesdivestore.com/collections/5mm-thick-wetsuits/products/waterproof-w1-5mm-wetsuit-mens#foo&gid=1&pid=

Edit:
I could have gone cheaper, but it was a “fuck it, I want another 20 years out of this suit, so a little pain in the pocket now will soon be forgotten” moment.

[Oldmanmatt]

Well, it arrived.
Very different from anything I’ve had before.
I was told the Swedes really knew how to put a winter suit together and it’s actually kinda impressive so far.



I’ve never had suit so easy to get into. Spent several minutes doing Burpees in the living room. Never had such a flexible suit and no hint of chafing.

Looks weird:



Because it’s, almost, lose, around the calves and forearms. Except, it’s not, it’s double layered to the knee/elbow!





All semidry cuffs and neck, but the anti flush neck gaiter seems pretty cool, I guess I’ll find out.





I wasn’t sure about the doubling thing, but I have issues with Reynaud syndrome and frostbite damage in my feet that has had me trying to keep as warm as possible for the last couple decades.

Anyway, plan is to fin from Babbacombe to Long Quarry tomorrow, scramble out there, climb the cliff path up to Walls Hill and run back to Babbacombe. Should give me a fair idea on versatility and comfort.


Oh yeah.

It’s almost fucking impossible to get out of the damn thing again. Alone, it was like something out of the Saw franchise, though I did eventually click how...

[SA Chris]

almost NSFW, clicking on it seeing a grown man dressed in black rubber

[Oldmanmatt]

almost NSFW, clicking on it seeing a grown man dressed in black rubber

Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional.
I deny being grown, and only admit to being a large and weathered juvenile.

[Lopez]

I was told the Swedes really knew how to put a winter suit together and it’s actually kinda impressive so far.

 

[Lopez]

More seriously though. My first wetsuit when i started surfing was a cheapo swimming/diving suit which had a seam all along the front centre, and for the first year i had a permanent imprint/rash all along my chest and upper belly from paddling.

A friend of my mother's who noticed it when he took me diving took a couple of strips of 5mm neoprene he had for repairs and glued them on either side of the seam, which made it immensely more comfortable. You may want to consider something like it if you are gonna surf this suit?

[Oldmanmatt]

More seriously though. My first wetsuit when i started surfing was a cheapo swimming/diving suit which had a seam all along the front centre, and for the first year i had a permanent imprint/rash all along my chest and upper belly from paddling.

A friend of my mother's who noticed it when he took me diving took a couple of strips of 5mm neoprene he had for repairs and glued them on either side of the seam, which made it immensely more comfortable. You may want to consider something like it if you are gonna surf this suit?

It has a semidry zip and the flap is so soft there isn’t any chafe. I am wondering about it getting choked with wax. I have a 3/2 steamer, long johns and a 0.5 steamer, all with front zips and they haven’t been an issue with the wax (rash vest sorts any chafe, I guess but I never really thought about it).  Suppose, though, when I use those surfing, there was less wax in the mix than a winter session, not likely to get one of those now though.





I just prefer being able to get it on and off easily, alone, because I have no friends (or, I’m a grouchy old git and prefer to be alone).

Anyway, the thing is the dogs gonads.

Had a slow bimble down to Babbacombe, half suited in a Dry Robe, to warm up, swam to Long Quarry point ( and quite happy with 11:20 for 1.2k towing a dry bag, because I wasn’t even pushing myself, being the first swim of 2021 and because it turned out that by the end I was towing around 8 ltrs of water). Scrambled out on the rocks at LQP. Turned out my tow bag has a leak, so glad I didn’t head off shore! Anyway, my DryRobe wasn’t anymore and nor was my towel. Wallet was in a second dry bag and phone is in a diving case. Most importantly, my coffee was still hot in the flask. Not that I needed it, I wasn’t even slight chilled on exit, despite serious ice cream headache on getting in! Still, unbelievably nice to sit and drink coffee in the sun on a ledge above the oggin.

Suit is too warm to run in.
So fast walk. Apparently a wet DryRobe, fins and ancillary kit, weighs in at just shy of 15kg, so by the time I got to the top of the 100mtr Grade 1/2 scramble up from LQP to Walls hill, I was too sweaty to contemplate breaking into a run...
NB, Gull wetsuit boots are crap on steep, wet, muddy slopes.







Not a glassy, gentle offshore, all alone in the dawn over a tropical reef, with a perfect A frame just behind me, day; but pretty satisfying nevertheless.

Oh yeah, sea state 3 today, so choppy with a small swell (1-2’).

[Lopez]

Ah, fair enough. Didn't think of the rubber behind the zip providing padding as opposed to just having a seam directly into the chest like i had. The wax wouldn't concern me much, but sand sticking onto the wax and grinding in would definitely be a concern. There's zips lubricants out there for diving suits and stuff, i think silicone or teflon based) might be worth the occasional dab or two to stop guck from sticking.

The suit does look pretty awesome though and the outing looks excellent.

[SA Chris]

Sounds fun. I still fancy doing a coastal traverse from Stonehaven northwards to Aberdeen, not been done AFAIK. walking where you can, traversing where needed, and swimming bits that can't be traversed, see how far i get.

[BrutusTheBear]

Have done quite a bit of traversing/swimming/walking through very inaccessible parts of the Exmoor Coast, loads of fun but not at the moment.... back on topic.. Massive swell arriving tomorrow along with gale force SWerlies, should be right good in sheltered spots though. 

[SA Chris]

Chris it's more likely to be the action of paddling, rather than popping up that is causing elbow issues. I had a surfing buddy that suffered really bad with this and almost quit surfing.  Standard rehab/prevention exercises apply or get towed in to everything.!

https://www.watersportgeek.com/surfing-tennis-elbow/

actually gets called surfers' elbow. Surprised I haven't had problems before...

[BrutusTheBear]

Contrary to what I said earlier it sounds like pop ups could be part of the problem too... Repetitive movements, overuse. I love the genius cure suggested in the article.. Stop doing it or do far less of it, that'll sort it out not what an enthusiastic surfer wants to hear.