LOL - that’s not surfing
Oh
I thought it was like this one from Oneill which the oneill boost drysuit says its a breathable nylon shell.
So is this one below breathable like it says or is it not true for one below.
http://www.pleasuresports.com/oneill-boost-drysuit.html
With good choice of insulating under-
garments, the old coated fabric drytops aren’t that bad. One does feel some rivulets running around inside, here and there.
On the other hand, let’s admit it, the breathable garments don’t breathe all that well except under the best conditions— not that warm outside, not that cold, relatively low outside humidity, low amount of water getting sloshed on the outside of the garment, and the paddler not exercising that hard. Remove a couple of these ideal conditions and the difference between “breathable” and coated fabric can be a good deal less.
I always did find my older coated drytops WAY superior to wetsuits. I should remember to take one along in case my Goretex drytop is damaged.
Diff is whether they claim breathability
– Last Updated: Nov-19-11 12:53 AM EST –
Yes, not knowing either of these suits it is possible that both are equally breathable and one wrote a poor ad. But it would be worth at least a phone call to the first bunch. It appears that the same folks in the first link do carry the Boost suit, and state it is breathable.
More about the coldness I think
And Maine in winter is cold, including the ocean.
Cost justification
It is always difficult to justify the big-dollar expenses. But, in this case, getting the right gear really is the most important consideration.
Safety is number 1. It’s not a matter of when, how cold, and where you’ll flip. The fact is that you WILL. And, not being properly prepared for the event can be deadly. That said, cost is a distant secondary consideration.
One might consider the cost of a dry suit expensive, but far less than a rescue - or funeral. If a 2-piece fills with water, you will not only have to contend with the cold, but the additional weight of the water. The combination increases the difficulty of rescue exponentially. Even a splash jacket with a waist draw string created problems walking out of a river.
Today’s budget is a short-term issue, although it is a controlling factor. I initially considered the cost of my tent, backpack, and sleeping bag a hefty investment. Averaging the cost of the tent over the number of nights spent in it, it probably cost less than a quarter per night.
Eliminate the fast food, coffee, movies, booze, or whatever it takes to save up the funds, but don’t skimp on safety items.
How to proceed…
If I have this right, you indicated that you are fine with shifting to non-water activities as the weather cools and staying out of the boat until the water is plenty liquid again. In the north that is happening soon - having a drysuit is getting to be more, not less important for the hard core folks who stay out there. That and Christmas are not going to help reduce the price.
So if you find a deal that is great and works for your budget quickly, it’d be worth it. But there’s also a very good argument for holding off and doing things like watching EBay, etc to see if you can score a good deal over the next few months.
And in your rush you are skipping over features that you may later wish you’d waited to pull together more money or find a better deal. One is a P-zip. Even as a female, I’d suggest having one of them things, let alone as a guy. But until you get concrete about spending all day in a dry suit, it’s not something that will rise to the level it probably should for your comfort.
The thing that people end to forget about a drysuit is that, unlike layering neoprene and rash guard to handle a huge range of temperatures, it is one garment that can take you from 20 degree winter days to 60+ degree early summer days (or more for me) just by messing with what you have under it. And much of that is the same stuff you have around for other outdoor activities, especially if you do high calorie things like snowshoeing. So the larger price tag pays you back in the end, and it is worth doing it right.
Good advice -
This is very good advice. One other thing that is running through my head related to the OP inquiry (and mine as well) is how fluctuations in weight might affect fit and whether, depending on your dimensions, it might be best to get a new dry suit with some customization re fit. I see that is available perhaps at not that great an up charge. I tend to need “king” type sizing. To be blut - I’m short and overweight (but working hard on the overweight part). I purchased some good fishing waders recently and I had to get a “king” sized to be truly comfortable. I have to assume the same applies to drysuits. Also, am I correct that I should err in the side of loose fitting, not tight?
Not necessarily
– Last Updated: Nov-20-11 11:34 AM EST –
I've been thru two or three variations on dry suit sizing to learn this lesson.
Yes, there should be room for one layer underneath of some thickness, or a thin wicking layer and a moderate one over that, while still allowing freedom of movement for rotation. So overtly tight is not a plan, and if you have to err in one direction it is better to err on the side of looseness. You still have to be able to get in and out of it without asking passers by for help.
But there is a maintenance issue as it gets too loose. It can be managed, but it needs to be taken into account. If a suit is so loose that it regularly bunches up somewhere it'll develop pinholes. These are repairable with patches, and for common wear spots like the booties annual patches may be the norm for many. But usually a proper patching job means a trip back to the manufacture for testing and repair-as-needed, which can run over $100 by the time you figure in really secure shipping for that garment on top of the usually very moderate repair charge. It's not an impossibly inconvenient thing if you plan ahead OK, but my newest and more precisely fitting suit is a lot easier on maintenance than my first attempt was because it doesn't have any areas of ballooning material.
That is one reason to look carefully at various manufacturer's sizing charts. You may find that for example that Kokatat's sizing just doesn't get to a good fit for you, even if you shorten arms and/or legs, but NRS's base measurements fit you great. Or Os's etc. While I love Kokatat's follow-thru on the warranty for their GoreTex suits, it's no small factor that their Unisex small is a perfect for me as long as I don't let my posterior spread.
And, if you need a winter and summer size, there are ways to solve it if you are patient. I haven't had this problem the last couple of winters because I do physical work thru them. But I picked up an old Coastie Women's medium for relatively cheap by sitting on sales on EBay a few years ago that is a great winter suit for years when things expand. They are not perfect paddling suits for warmer weather - have pockets and add-ons that are a bit clunky. But they turn up very lightly used, and the medium is oversized enough that I don't have to worry about how many layers I can get under it. In our best winter we'll paddle a couple of times a month once the water is hard, so a clunky fit is not a problem and the fleece lined pockets and high collar are quite nice.
Granted at a certain point of being shorter and wider it'll be more difficult to find a well-fitting dry suit regardless. So if you plan to be losing weight, it is probably worth seeing how that goes before springing for one. But you can improve your success by looking at different manufacturers and checking out the sources for used like EBay or outfitters such as the Kayak Academy,
Drysuit questions
Per your question - full surfing wetsuits will keep you warm, and you won’t get cold shock, no way!! Second question - drytop and paddling pants are fine in warmer temps but if you go in, water will seap in between the two.
I recommend looking beyond the kayak shops for a full surfing wetsuit which will keep you more than warm and comfortable in your water temps. got a local surf shop? or go online. I use a 4/3 Excel Infinity wetsuit and surf and paddle in 45F water becoming fully immersed regularly (waveski, sup, etc).
The surfing wetsuits (not farmer john) today are thin, very flexible, cheap ($350-450), and quite warm, enough for your needs. Plus you won’t have gasket repairs to deal with. Look for a good 4/3, or 5/4/3, or 5/4mm. That is 5mm in the chest, 4mm in legs. Some have built in hoods, others you attach your own hood. I use a hooded vest over my hoodless 4/3 when i need it.
Check out Patagonia’s merino wool lined suits, approx $500ish being the top of the line and cost. Other good brands are O’Neil, Xcel, Hotline, and more recently the FBomb by RipCurl which can dry in 15min. One brand also has a warmer battery pack to place by your kidneys - some say too hot.
I also have 7mm Xcel booties which are waterpoof & very warm! gloves by glacier glove. check out my blog posting on ‘30 tips for staying warm in winter’ on stoke magazine. give me a holler if you have any questions.
Where in Buffalo?
I’m in the Hamburg area. We are still paddling. Contact me offlist (send me a private message) and we can talk via phone if you like.
Killer Drysuit Better than BOOST
This drysuit for kayaking and sup and wakeboarding ROCKS. I find it so much higher quality than the boost was. The boost is being discontinued.