I use Xcel 5 mil gloves and Xcel drylock 7 mil booties for winter surf. I'm toastie. They are the best. 7 mil is much better than 5 mil for booties and very light. The Rip Curl F bombs are also nice and warm. Just purchased their hoodie!
I absolutely HATE my Xcel drylock 5mm lobster claws. Do not buy them. They're warm, comfortable, and better than regular gloves or mittens, but putting them on is by far the worst part of every session for me because of the drylock system around the wrists.
i've been been wearing 5mm xcel drylock gloves the last couple of winters, and they dont really impress me. They're warm enough but i found the drylock seal a pain in the a$$ and it got torn up pretty fast fighting with it. Hyperflex gloves truly suck. Sorry...guess thats not real helpful. Recent winters I've tried xcel 7 mm roundtoes, xcel 5 mm. split toe, and the O'neill 5.5 mm psychofreaks. The O'neills are really warm and light. I liked the xcels too but found the 7 mm. roundtoes a bit much for Delmarva winters. Warm as $hit, but overkill.
how do you guys put on your gloves? i have 7mm xcel drylock mittens, and i can get one on and put my wetsuit over it, but i cant do it for my second glove and need someone to help me
I have 7mil xcel drylock mits and they take no more then 10 seconds per glove to put on. you have to turn the wrist section out over itself which opens up the glove. put your hand in, then with your other hand... or forearm... just pushing one area back to its normal state makes the entire piece snap back.
Does anyone know where to get booties in a size 15? I can't find my size anywhere. Do any of you all know of a company that does customs? I have mammoth feet I know.
Instead of pulling your sleeve back tryrolling it up a couple times. When you roll them down it usually goes over the mittens fairy smooth. I use 7 mil mittens when it's really cold and that's the easiest way I've found. I bought the new ripcurl 7 mil boots this year and my feet were cold after a two hour session. Had the exela last year and they were much warmer but did not last long.
I saw a random surf video online and a guy was using one of these to help get the wetsuit over his gloves: http://www.amazon.com/DaKine-Hammer-Head-Spreader-Bar/dp/B000K71MCS A bit expensive for a tool to help put gloves on, so I took a wire hanger, and bent the ends in like the top of that spreader bar. Definitely helps to get the sleeve over the glove. I just got some new gear for xmas: xcel 7mm round toe booties west 7mm mitts Might seem like a bit much for delmarva... but I dont have great circulation to my extremities, so every bit helps. The xcels were really nice. I tried them last weekend (was anxious to try them) and don't even think my feet got wet. They didn't feel any more cumbersome than my older 5mm o'neills. Much harder to put on though. As for gloves, the 6mm hyperflex mitts are ok for the price. The cuff is a little loose, making it that much harder to get your suit over them. Water gets into them really easily, and won't get out so you end up with real soggy hands. I also have Bodyglove 6/4 vapor lobster claw, but those are basically useless since my index finger gets numb after about an hour. They have a nice strip of soft material on the top to wipe your nose. Don't know how good those Wests are yet.
just got Xcel 5 mill dryolock lobster claws and 7mill round toe boots. i love them. super warm and i dont seem to have much of a problem getting them on and off. and yeah hyperflex gloves and boots suck. i bought a pair back in the fall to get me out of a tight spot and i wanted to throw them out after the first time i used them.
i too have Xcel 5mm gloves paired with 7mm Round Toe booties. I highly recommend both to get you through the NJ winters. 7mm are not necessary - you can get away with 5, but your feet wont feel any more constricted. I would not recommend hyperflex booties or gloves. They are OK for the money, but gloves and booties are the most important things you wear. Might as well buy the best.
I don't think they make gloves like they used to. I had Rip Curl 5 mil and a pair of 3 mil gloves for over 10 winters until they finally leaked. I tried O'neil and Rip curls - both have leaky seams after ONE season. But have to say, my 7 Mil Rip Curl boots are friggin toasty.
Roll up your wetsuit sleeves a bit, and also fold up the drylock-wrist part of both of your gloves. Slide your dominant hand into a glove first (it will be easier to get on the second one with your dominant hand), then unfold the glove down at the wrist. It should be easy to roll the wetsuit sleeve over the glove now. Now work your way into the second glove. It should be easier to get into it with the drylock-wrist partially folded up, and MUCH easier to fold it down into position after getting the glove on. Now roll down that wetsuit sleeve, and get your ass in the water.
Saw a guy almost throw a tantrum on the beach one day because he couldn't get his suit locked around his glove. Pretty amusing.
Wetsuitwearhouse has a custom order section on their page. Didnt see anything about booties on there but you can check them out. If they dont make them they may be able to point you in the right direction.. http://www.wetsuitwearhouse.com/page/WW/CTGY/custom-wetsuits
Xcel 5 mm drylock gloves are what Ive been useing past couple years. Pretty easy to get on and keep my hands toasty. I use 7mm Billabong Solution SG5 booties for the coldest temps. My feet have never been cold no matter how long my session.
TOTALLY AGREE - although there is alot of new technology, it seems that gloves do not last as long. About 5 to 7 years ago when i remember first seeing Xcel gloves, they where the best and the warmest! But now- personally, I would never buy another pair. In the past few years they have ended up tearing after a few sessions (the seam on the outside of the thumb)... then they leak... then i glue... then they tear and leak again. 2 years ago I bought a pair of 7 mil Xcel booties and they leaked from day one. I wish if Hotline still made a 7mil round toe boot- they where the best booties I ever had- simple yet so warm! My PERSONAL option is that there are way better wetsuit products then Xcel. Although Xcel works for alot of other guys, (which is great!!!).... I'm totally over it... maybe they never tried wetsuit products from other companies... idk... I just received a pair of the new RipCurl FLASH BOMB gloves- I have not tried them yet, but really excited about them, the inside feels like fleece! And they seem really durable... Also have a pair of 7mil quicksilver booties that are great- which have the fleece feeling too- super warm and they dont leak! But my next pair is going to be from Hotline- the 7mil internal split toe.
been wearing xcel products almost exclusively for 10 years. I have not experienced the problem with gloves, I have some 5 mil thermospan's that are on their fourth season.
Yeah, I don't have anything against Xcel's products in general, but the drylock cuffs on the lobster claws have made them extremely annoying to put on, in my opinion. It doesn't bother me in Delmarva weather, especially the weather we've had so far this year, but standing in 10 degree windchill in Maine struggling to get gloves on is not my idea of a good time.
