Well...summer is almost over down here in the South. I'm already thinking about bringing the wetsuits next time I'm off to the beach (hopefully they can stay in the car). We have a lake here that gets some wind in the winter and I'm considering a dry suit. I hate buying this kind of thing online because fit is so important but it might be hard to find any kind of selection locally. Do any of you guys from the North West or Canada have any good recommendations? I'm 185 lbs. 6' 1". Thanks in advance!

Greg

I can't help you much on the advice front, but I do know that drysuits are best for really cold environments...

Just how cold does it get for you there? It will make a difference to the thickness and thus also flexibility...

And yes try to find a way to try for size before you buy....

http://usa.neilprydewaterwear.com/index.php?option=com_front...

dry is a pretty good choice , a little too hot for me, 3/2 wet for me seems great for here. a spring suit 3mm /hat and gloves. and i'm good

the open palm gloves are truly incredible. far better than any seal gloves

I have a Palm Torrent Dry Suit. LIke this:

http://www.kayakproshop.com/media/Palm/Palm_TorrentFT.jpg

I bought it mostly for whitewater kayaking spring runoff, but use it for kiting too. At first the sewed in socks were a pain because I had to wear booties to protect the socks, but on cold days I appreciate the full protection. Ankle gaskets can still allow board spray to shoot up your leg and your toes go numb without booties.

The other bonus is the relief zipper. I highly recommend one because bathroom breaks are tougher in a dry suit.

The zipper is in the back and you have to be flexible to get it on yourself but it's doable. I liked that it wasn't in the way of my harness like some of the chest zip ones. I have an XL. I'm about 220 and 6 foot tall and it's roomy for underlayers.

Drysuits aren't cheap, but once you get one you'll never go back to a wetsuit. I was kiting on Lake Superior last weekend and it was 48 degrees with the windchill and I put that sucker on over a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and I was perfect. No tight wet stinky neoprene to deal with. I don't know why it took me so long to buy one. Probably because of the price, but man, I can go out in anything now. Definatly worth it.

Hmmm...that Palm suit looks pretty industrial. Probably functions as a biohazard suit too! : )

Are there any kite specific drysuits?

What is an open palm glove?

G

Yeah the one I thought looked cool is about $600
Lucifer Drysuit

they work the pryde link had them on the menu bar somewhere

its like a mitt with the palm removed, has a cover pouch for the fingers to break the wind . the fingers are free to go into the cover pouch or out for detail work about $80. a friend has a pair amazing how keep the fingers warm. the seal gloves work (3mm)F-bombs about half the $ and a little bulky. i have a pair of biking gloves with wind break pouch covers thats kinda the same idea

wow what suit ! can't do the bulky stuff. i guess if i were in colder environment i would get use to it .

I know. But If you are already used to snow kiting then it would seem like an easy transition, and it seems cozy.

The hood on that thing looks problematic. Just too bulky. The Ocean Rodeo Pyro suits look pretty good. Especially, the one designed for surfing.

Ocean Rodeo are KING up here in Canada's westcoast !

Many sizes, Tall sizes too.

I LOVE mine! it is the original Pyro. Kiteboard specific. Braces to hold them up so the harness fits etc..http://oceanrodeo.com/drysuits/gear


They even make an amazing surfers drysuit.

http://oceanrodeo.com/drysuits/predator

As a cold water SCUBA diver, I have hundreds of dives in a dry suit. The suit itself doesn't provide any thermal protection (excluding full thickness neoprene suits.) What keeps you warm is what you wear underneath them. Dry suit undies trap a layer of air between you and the suit. Diving dry suits have inflation and deflation valves on them that may get in your way while boarding. The construction and materials vary from $2k plus tri-laminate suits, $1800 vulcanized rubber suits (what I use- easy to patch:smilegrin, pack cloth (fairly thick nylon with a plastic? layer on the inside) suits that run about $800, and neoprene and crushed neoprene suits in the $600-800 range. Most of the water skiing type that I have seen seem to run $300-$500 and are of the pack cloth style. Buying used suits of the type is dicey. The coating that lines them will dry up and flake off after time. Also the neck and wrist seals are latex and must be properly maintained by keeping them thoroughly dusted with talc. If this isn't done, they will dry out and split as soon as you go to put them on (a real bummer when you show up at a 39 degree lake in January to help a group of nervous students.) Also, while the seals on a pack cloth suit can be replaced, it ain't too pretty afterwords, and it's gonna cost a little to get it done. The fit of a suit like this is going to be pretty rough as most companies really only offer like 5-6 sizes. As a side note, water ski/surfing style dry suits CAN NOT be used for diving as there is no way to add air to them as you descend (done to control buoyancy and to relieve the squeeze.) Hope this helps.

Does anybody really wear drysuits down in Georgia? What is the coldest ocean temperatures you get down there?

yeah, that's what i was wondering...

dry suits are great in many ways but in the end it's a durability / flexibility tradeoff with a lot of money in the mix.

I used to surf in northern California in the middle of winter using a 5/3 wetsuit. Worked fine for me, but temperatures rarely went below freezing, and I was normally out of the water after 2hrs tops. I actually have that suit out here with me now for when it starts to get cold...

Lake Lanier is freakin' cold in the winter. Especially, for us southerners. : )

G

I KNEW this thread was going to eventually turn into a "southerners are weenies when it comes to cold water" thing.

My lake is probably just like Lanier. Water temps in the 40's aren't something most people get used to. I wear a drysuit in water below 60 or so, as long as the air temp isn't up much above 70. I've water skied in 28 degree air with 42 degree water. Shorts and a tshirt/sweatshirt underneath a drysuit and I was cozy even floating in the water. I wore snowski gloves to protect my hands. Lot's of people think of Georgia and since its right beside Florida our weather must be just like Miami. :frog:

Quote:

Originally posted by mgatc I KNEW this thread was going to eventually turn into a "southerners are weenies when it comes to cold water" thing.

Locals here like Robb don't put the wetsuits on until well into November, maybe Dec.

@Mel: I just thought I'd preempt the whole subject before some polar bear from up north started making fun. The ocean is different than Lake Lanier. Not sure why other than the lake is fed by the Chattahoochee...it's just cold! I've lived up north and you do develop some tolerance but living in the south definitely makes you appreciate the warmer climate. A dry suit will be a nice luxury.

Has anyone seen the Ocean Rodeo Predator first hand?

Not exactly. I don't surf.

Discovery channel had a show about it. Do you see how it is a double layer system ? The secret is that the outer layer keeps everything sleak and smooth.

The kiteboarding suit will have the reinforcment and such in the right spots but the Preditor is designed for surfboards. If you cold water surf as well I would go for it. The kiteboard suit doesn't work well for surfing.

If it is O.R. it is built tough and well backed !

Im quite lucky on the wet/dry suit front- my Grandad Uncle and dad are all into sailing so when the time comes i can use one of theirs

Defo if its super cold water go with a drysuit

yeah, that's what i was wondering...

dry suits are great in many ways but in the end it's a durability / flexibility tradeoff with a lot of money in the mix.

Regards

Isilla

_____
simulation de pret

I have a neoprene drysuit (Oneil Sahara) and therefore it is just as flexible as a wetsuit. No better, no worse.

Ocean Rodeo's drysuits are sport specific. The kiteboard suits have built in flex and re-inforcement. The Surf outfit is revolutionary.

Quote:

Originally posted by Isilla21 yeah, that's what i was wondering... dry suits are great in many ways but in the end it's a durability / flexibility tradeoff with a lot of money in the mix. Regards Isilla _____ simulation de pret

d#mn i hate being quoted by some human spambot.

Where did you dig that up Furbs?