When kiteboarding ..... what water temperature is you limit ......????
how long you can play in cold ???,,,,,,,
What suit you use ???
...... and other ideas to keep worm ??

Dry suit ??? is it good or bad option .....????

NPX Lucifer ..... looks cool ..... is it practical ??? anyone have one of those ????

I have 3/2 wet suit ...... what is my shopping list for next level of cold weather ????

thanks......
Kober ...........

I have a 5/3 and if the combined air/water temperature is under 100 degrees, then it starts getting sketchy (I think thats the magic number...). I would recommend a 5/3 for the winter. I do know some guys who have drysuits and use them every year in the colder climates. Up to you really...

Heh ... how much meat-insulation you have? I find wind-chill to be more bothersome than the water, and usually only when I stop boarding do I notice it ... although there comes a time of the year when I'm riding and I'm going "Please god don't fall over don't fall over don't fall over ..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO2nOe1LUAE spot the familiar fattie at 0:06 - hey I had 2 rash-guards and a t-shirt on, I thought I'd be ok :D

I have a Hyperflex 3/2 and 3mm & 5mm boots and some 5mm gloves too - pretty snug, I think I started on the water at the end of February this year ... I'm guessing Dec/Jan is going to be too cold here without a dry suit ... we'll see.

Ocean Rodeo dry suit allows me to kite in Glacier run off at Squamish + all winter in Canada. ( but I don't )

What are the pros and cons for using a 5/3 vs a dry
suit?

i have done a 3/2 with a 3mm spring suit on top. Gloves 3mm sealed. 48-50 degree water and about 40 air temp. is about the limit for me. i don't wear booties. i wear a head cover if i don't wear the spring suit on top. the sun being out is a factor. if you have sun it easily adds riding time.

fully suited 2-3hours in 50degree water and my fingers will start to numb. thats when i consider i have had enough. this is riding not IN the water. i start with out getting down in the water, this can add to comfortable riding time.

IF you are IN the water alot, it is a serious hypothermia problem after 15-20min.

its all about the swim, a fully suited active swim for about 20min. is kinda my rule of thumb if i suit on the light side.

alot of times i will under suit so i come in at a reasonable time. the finger alarm goes off early and i stop. always kinda hoping the sun shows up!

if you stop and hang on the beach under suited you WILL freeze.

head cover! gloves! , practice swim with the booties if you have never used them before. once they fill with water things change. the super tight sealed are best, if you must use them.

this winter i am going with a new 5/3 , the NPX looks cool. the 100 degree thing is a good approximation the TIME element has to be in there as well.

the guys in really cold spots will know far more . and drysuits are the only way. there are some semidry suits that have good flex and feel. proper wind proof outer skin really improves performance in newer suits.

i may not be a good reference point i am last to suit and first out of the rubber by a month around here. reasonably priced glued and stitched is a good start

Hi Kober,
for winter riding I use a very flexible drysuit, /OR Surf/ after you get it on it is great! It takes some patience to put it on properly, otherwise it will leak.
So just for second protection I use a 3/2 wetsuit underneath. In theory you could use any street clothes even office suits under, but for me that was never the case.
My magic number is 4C/39F for water, and 7C/44F for air. /in Canada/ Of course there is the wind chill factor too, and the Sun! Basicaly when I get the chills or fingers numb, head for the shore! Must use gloves, even better mitts, hood, and boots.
Drysuit vs wetsuit? Another thing to consider: the cold water hit your face effect on your bladder thing=you might want to pee. In a dry suit???
DS are good if you have to spend time in the water, also work great as a wind barrier. You could use a inpact vest for heat insulation too.
There are some very effective wetsuits out there, check out O'neill Psychofreak, Patagonia R4, or Matuse...to name a few.
cheers
Gabe

Thanks for all above info ..... very helpful

another question ..........


When self rescue is the case ....... is there any difference between swimming in wet or dry suit ???
A while ago someone tell me that when you in trouble and you have to swim to a shore ..... it is easier if you take off wet suit and booties ..... Is that truth ????

I surely would NOT take off wet suit and booties in cold water. If the water is cold enough, you'll loose your ability to swim/motor skills faster then you think.

I used a dry suit, botties, hood, and PFD in feezing waters/ air temps from Nov-April, even January, riding a standup jetski. One time the river was frozen and we rode in a 10-20 acre area that thawwed. Surfers ride all winter here with heavy wetsuits.

One thing with a dry suit is don't forget to "burp" it before using or you'll float in some real awkward positions. Get in the water and let the trapped air out by pulling the neck seal loose before riding. Good to go.

take off the suit ? no way+1. i don't like booties and conditions are fine for me with out them.

putting booties on is tough enough! taking them off while in a rescue? no way. that would be a nightmare. proper fitting and type are the key. just swim with them before YOU HAVE TO. like the burp thing. last thing you need in a rescue is struggle with a suit issue.

If you kitesurf and don't surf, then a drysuit is the way to go. You can wear more clothes underneath when the weather is colder or wear less when the weather is warmer. You also will get much better protection from wind chill. Last but not least, you can stick your nose under the neck seal and blow up the suit for a survival mode life jacket if you need it. Dry suits are what North Sea divers and Alaska rescue swimmers wear because they work. The limitation is that you may get some leakage around seals at the wrists, ankles and neck, but wearing booties and gloves will pretty much fix that. I had an Ocean Rodeo dry suit for a while and if I lived in NJ (and didn't surf) I would have kept it. Because I'm primarily a surfer, I need neoprene and wear a 4/3 full suit + insulated rash guard + 2 layers of booties + gloves + neoprene beanie during the dead of winter. Works fine since I only surf on glassy / windless days. Wind chill would be an issue so I don't kite when it's that cold.

Quote:

When self rescue is the case ....... is there any difference between swimming in wet or dry suit ??? A while ago someone tell me that when you in trouble and you have to swim to a shore ..... it is easier if you take off wet suit and booties ..... Is that truth ????

Whoever told you that had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. Hypothermia is your number one enemy in marine survival, especially if you live up North.