I know I need a dry suit for the winter but when do you use a wet suit? When I go for my rescue lesson Sun they are giving me a wet suit to use as I will be in the water 3+ hours. Should I buy one to use in the spring or are they restrictive and uncomfortable? I know they have different thicknesses as I remember 3-5 mm any recommendations? Would I find it not being used much?

thanks

Typical paddler's wetsuit is the armless Farmer John (or Jane) style. Usually the arms are very restrictive to paddling. 3mm body, 2 mm legs, pee zip is good. Back zip or front zip. Legs can be full length or shortie.

Good quality wetsuits are triple stitched, seam sealed.

Some people get two piece wetsuits, same idea, minus the pee zip.


That said, there are some very stretchy thicker wetsuits by Excel (for example) which are heavier than this which my winter surfing paddling friends praise for comfort and warmth. You'd have to try one for yourself.

I have the 3/2mm Farmer Jane by BomberGear: relief zip, back zip - my most used piece of paddling wear. Can go barearmed or layer thin w. rashguards, thick w. neoprene tops. It's extremely comfortable, snug but not restricting. You don't want it too loose or water will flush through and carry away body heat.

Thanks may be it is worth me buying one. She said bring a windbreaker so I may be just getting bottom or the windbreaker is for my arms? I will ask tomorrow as I am going to spectate the Pumpkin race they have. I want to see people racing in Kayaks. I think it is a 3-4 mile race and then who returns with a Pumpkin first wins.

LOL i heard about that race & saw pix from it last year... *giant* pumpkins! But no tandems LOL

Yeah, not trying to spend yer $ but as much as you like the water and sound like the go-for-it type, a wetsuit would be a good piece of gear. You could wear it paddling your Hobie and OC SOTs, too and use them later into the season.

Now is a good time to pick one up - sales, clearance, etc.

windbreaker is just to break the wind, won't insulate anywhere near like a wetsuit. IME windbreakers are a royal PITA when you submerge as some of them are just tight enough in the wrists that the arms fill up w. water and the waterlogged arms make you less agile, they are heavy. Seen it in rescue classes.

I know people wear paddling jackets (specialized windbreakers) on the water and they are fine if the paddler stays out of the water.

Well, let us know how it goes!

Got one today as you will see in my other thread about my lesson. Allthe equipment worked good! It was an NRS

How do you wash and care for the neoprene? I should have ask the dealer but forgot. I used mine a few times and just turned it inside out and rinsed it. Sweating in it so I would assume it can get foul fast!

edit

found this in 13 tips I found with google

There is a special soap for washing the odor off your wetsuit. One of the brands for instance is called PISS OFF. Then recently I came across another easier way of getting rid of the smell. Once every couple weeks, throw your wetsuit in a tub of fresh warm water (not hot) with a couple caps of dishwashing detergent. Wash it and the detergent will break down the body oils and wash away the bacteria that leads to smelliness. Rinse your wetsuit in fresh water so you get all the detergent off, then dry your wetsuit in the fresh air. Try to repeat this every few weeks and your wetsuit will be odor free.

Yup, that's pretty much what I do.

So far I'm still paddling in shorts. Our string of beautiful sunny warm days has just about run its course. I thought I would have to start wearing my mukluks, but surprisingly, the Columbia is still fairly warm.

Don't store wet recently worn neoprene in a vehicle or any closed space - intensifies the stink. And if the vehicle gets hot that will accelerate breakdowns of the seam glue.

Best practice is to swish neoprene (incl. garments, skirt, etc) as soon as you can after wearing them. Use a lot of tepid water and rinse the hell out of it. Dry completely, and if possible out of direct very hot sun.

DON'T use dishwashing soap. It's too harsh.
Use Woolite, the one made for dark garments if you must, or best use McNett's Cleaner for Wetsuits, Drysuits.

Lastly don't store in an area exposed to gas fumes (water heater, furnace, cars, etc. Those fumes do break down latex and neoprene over time.

This is all info gleaned from people like Greg Stamer, George Gronseth and the reps at NRS and Kokatat.

I've been doing this for years and my gear looks great and smells civilized.