Cold Water Question
 

So what are you guys wearing in cold water? What model heater tops do you recommend? At what point do you break out the suits? Looking to try to push my season as late as possible this year and need advice on staying warm

I live in florida so it doesnt really get cold but ill still wear a wetsuit in december until februaryish. If you do decide to get a dry suit remember not to pee in it!

^ This guy..

Hyperflex, Jet Pilot. 3/2's

rance..did you pick up a heater top locally or order online?

Im with cj1...last winter only wore a wetsuit for 1 week, but wore a heater top for 2-3mos.

My jet pilot heater top is amazing and seals all water out. Its a must

I was looking at heater tops, but the sites I saw were talking about wearing them under wetsuits. Can your wear them without anything over them. I have never worn a wetsuit or anything like it. The coldest I have been in was 61 degrees this past spring and I bare chested then. It was cold but not too terrible. The problem I found was that the falls hurt much more in cold water. It felt like the water was harder than normal. Probably just my imagination.

Water up here starting to get into the high 60s. But the older I get, the less I enjoy the air blowing by at less than about 70 degrees. I should get an Oneil 4/3 Epic2 in the next day or so. I ordered it last week. I had a 3/2 full suit, but it seems like once you are wet, and the air temp is getting lower, I am warm in the water, but cold while boarding. Didn't want to spring for a dry suit, so I am trying this. This one has sealed seams and I am hoping I will not feel the wind as much. I am worried about being restricted in the 4/3 and will let you know how it works out, if it ever gets here.

I was out yesterday and we are still well into the 70's on Lake Anna. End of the day the temp was 77. Wish is stays there for a while, but I know that is a pipe dream.

Jamie I use a Oneil Hammer 2.1 mm heater shirt until the water gets to 70 and air below 70.Then I break out my 5mm wetsuit which I use till water gets about 60 to 62 degrees and air around 63 to 65. Even with the heater in the boat I can't get my wife to drive any colder than that. Your right it hurts worse the colder the water. When you get as old as me it hurts longer too.LOL

Jamie. I'm the same. Wasn't sure if that's what everyone was using as a heater top or not

Wearing a heatertop under a wetsuit would be unbearable. I sweat in my heater top. It knocks the windchill down and keeps the water out. Here is mine

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/10/01/e4u2ytub.jpg

jamie, i rock the Jetpilot A22 heater top. love that thing!

What site did you pull that from? I checked jetpilots site and did not see anything like that

http://www.overstock.com/Clothing-Sh...product-detail

Jetpilot F35. My brother & I both have them and love them. Not sure what sizes they have just did a quick google search to get that pic

Nevermind I see they only have small lol

How cold of water Is a heater top good for? I have thin blood lol

I'm not a fan of heater tops as I feel they only really keep the wind off you. I use a long sleeve spring suit and it is the greatest piece of neoprene I own. Protection for the boys and really quite warm. I usually go from spring to drysuit in December and then back to spring in late March. I'll also wear it on cool summer dawn patrol sets.

I'm thinking the spring suit would be better for me as well. I would much rather be hot than cold

I dont go in water colder than 65 so I guess you need to look at the others for advice...my blood is reaaalllly thin

How's the sizing on the F35? I'm 6'3" 200lbs. I'm having a hard time finding a sizing chart but I'm guessing maybe a XL?

Im 5'11 160lbs and wear a medium and its painted on me but can still move around. I wear medium shirts too so id say a XL is ok unless u have popeye arms.

Well,
I finally got to try out my new ONeil Epic II 4/3 wetsuit today. Started out the day with about 58 air and 57 degree water. The river was glass and it was a little overcast.. I had an Oneil hammer 3/2 full, but it was too tight in spite of me sizing it by the oneil chart(XL). This one seems to fit just right(same size). Hopped into the water and barely got any water into the suit. The zipper leaked a little, and that was kind of shocking as the rest of me was so dry, but overall it was really dry i guess due to the sealed seams. It was good in the water and good up in the air at speed. It takes me a couple of runs to warm up and get my muscles working, and the air temp actually made it up to about 65 degrees. The sun came out, and it was great wakeboarding. I did notice that in the suit it took a little more energy to do everything, but at the same time it was alot like wearing a whole body size set of compression shorts, and the suit provided support and protection on impacts. Overall I am very happy and think I am good till the end of Oct at least. I think 55 degree water and 55 degree air will be my limit. By the way did wear a small exel wetsuit hood/cap to keep my hair dry. Kind of super dorky looking.......

I live by the beach and surf everyday so what I do it I just get my old wetsuits and cut the legs off them. This way I can get a long sleeve spring suit in 3/2 or 4/3 instead of just the 2mm or whatever they come in regularly

Not sure I get 'heater tops'. Surely if it is cold enough above the water line to have something on your top half you would want something on your bottom half when you are in the water.

In the UK we wear something most of the year. Outside temp is about 57 at the moment so water temp is quite low. Definitely full suit time.

Then back to the long sleeve shorty in May/June. And then it does get more about what the outside temp is like. Get a nice sunny 70/80 degree day then the spring suit comes off.

Rip Curl Dawn Patrol 3/2 for when it gets cold. O'Neill Boost drysuit when it's REALLY cold. Drysuit over the wetsuit when there's ice or snow on the ground!

I just got an excel infinite comp 3/2 with the x zip entry and man is it nice. Just super, super nice. Was in 53 degree water last weekend and didn't even feel it. The suit basically takes the water temp out of the equation. All you gotta worry about is the air.

I wear an Oneil Psycho 4/3 which has worked fine down to mid 40s water temp. Generally when it starts dropping towards low 40s the air is too cold and it's time to winterize. No problems with the 4/3, very warm and dry, only get a little water on particularly hard falls. Hands and feet... cold, but that's just the way it is. I've tried gloves and it just feels weird. Incentive not to fall.

Jezz how would it be to rock 60+ water all year. Here in Utah we have an amazing group of riders known as the Winter Crüe. Air temps are between 35-50 depending on the day and water temps can get 45 or less. Full on sweats and dry suits. 1.5-3mm gloves and a neo hat/hood if ya got one. Crazy hell yes. But fun and great peeps! Photo provided by DFTR.

^^^ that is sick^^^

When you have to plow the snow off the ramp..that is cold weather riding! How does that stay open? Here in Minnesota even the Mississippi River freezes and that has a ton of current.

You must live further south there CJ, it doesn't get that cold here in Florida that's true, but here in North Central Florida, the water can stay 45-50 degrees until late April or early May sometimes (the '08-'09 and '10 seasons were FREEZIN' cold right into May those years, Bob Soven was surprised one year to hear @ Wake GAmes that it was finally warm enuff to shed the suits, when I spoke to him there, he thought we lived in Michigan, it was pretty funny).

Especially when a lot of the lakes we have here are heavily Dark watered w/a lot of Tanic acid in 'em (Santa Fe and Alto especially)

I use a Jet pilot Capsule w/a chest zipper. usually keeps me pretty toasty. hands and feet're iceblocks though. definitely use a 3/2mm suit.

Down here in Mississippi it gets pretty chilly, well not like ya'll are talking about with all that snow, but cold enough. I used to ride year around, but just not going to do that anymore haha. I have an F35 heater top and some jetpilot boardshorts with the neoprene in them, i think they are called crown jewels or something, gotta keep the package warm. if it gets too cold for both of those, then i'm done, and you will find me hunting and not on the water haha.

Dustin you are fricking crazy man!! I get cold just looking at that.