This will be my first winter surfing in NJ. I was wondering what type and thickness would be good for winter time. Please help. I'm 5'3 and weigh 100 lb.
since your from jersey and most likey look like someone from the jersey shore, might i suggest you go travel more north and hunt seals for your wet suit! i think seal coat wetsuit will be thick enough and scare away the sharks.
5/3 with a hood. plus, 5 to 7 mm gloves and boots. I've heard of people wearing 6/5/4's but they are puss - siees... LOL. ok, maybe they're not puzzies. maybe they're just the smart ones when it's Feb, the water is 40 and the air is 25 with gale force winds. either way, you'll need a lot of rubber and a lot of cash-ish. start saving your lunch money, kid.
Salt's advice is sound in my opinion. I'm one of the puzz-siees that actually wears a 6/5/4, and wouldn't trade it, but it's not for everyone. I I used to wear 5/4/3 but now I'm less tolerant of the cold, and I go for longer sessions. 5/4/3 is probably a better choice. I would avoid used wintersuits. If you do go used, look at the seams very carefully for leaks/problems. Armpits are common problem areas.
Dude, get a 5 mil. I'm assuming you are a youngin........... Go to a good surf shop and try on suits. Don't spend too much on a wettie, unless you got plenty to spare, if you are still a growing boy. You may want to get a suit that has a little bit of room to grow. You're young so you can handle the elements, plus, part of the Jersey grom requirements are aboot paying your cold weather dues. It builds character. So don't go and get the optimum equipment until you have aged with time and experience. Man, 5 mil boots should do the trick, especially if you get the fancy titanium stuff. 5 mill gloves are good enough. But 7 mil boots can be cozy when it gets really cold. Oh, go with Lobster claw gloves, not the single digit things. 'Memeber, Jersey's weather can be all over the place. Two years ago the water didn't drop below 45 F. But usually it drops into the 30's and can get colder. Hey, the air can go below 0 here. It doesn't happen all of the time but it can. It can also be 40-50 all winter. Ya never know. So just get the standard 5 mil around the board rubber, and take each winter as it comes. Yeah dude, welcome to winter, man. We'll see you out there come December. Good luck. Oh, try and nab a 5 mil now............if any surf shops have any hanging around they will deal with you. Prices jack up once they are in great demand.
Thanks PJB! Good advice. I'll check out some shops around here. Hopefully I can save enough for this winter. I'm stoked
Try and then check wetsuitweathouse.com and see if they have what you tried on. Many times its less and its off season for winter suits.
yeah........ Most of the time you'll hear a wetsuit referred to by it's ultimate thickness.......i.e 5 mil................ But most 5 mils are five mm thick in the torso and then 4 or 3 mm thick in the arms and legs......the stretchy areas. Same goes for 3 mils. 3 mm torso.........2 mm arms and legs When you go to shops ax the dude if they have any of last years models hanging around. They may have older models that never sold laying around and they'll give you a good price. Welcome to a special fraternity. Surfing in the winter on the east side makes you part of a special breed. A little bit better than dudes from Florida. Ha !
Haha nice. Thanks for the welcome. Looking forward to some solid swell. Last fall and this spring were my first in a 3/2. I need more though.
Have had many winter suits here in NJ over the years. 5mil glove 5 or 7 mil boats mainly 5mm Oniell wetsuits but I purchased a Isurus 5/3 hooded suit for last winter and hands down lightest, warmest, most flexible easy on/off suit I have ever had. Dries out fast too for the 2 session days. If you have the coin might be worth a look
The website the other guy recommended is actually called "wetsuitwearhouse" It is a good site for reviews and buying. Make sure what you get fits. Also be prepared to get worked in cold water. Waves are big in winter. Waist high is flat, head high-overhead is an every week-2 week thing some winters. Just be ready. What I've also noticed is always bring a bigger wave board with you too when it is supposed to be chest-shoulder. As opposed to the summer where the swell seems to always end up smaller than predicted, the opposite holds true more often than not in the winter. Three times last years chest high swell ended up overhead. Be prepared for that. And have fun and enjoy surfing with 5 people.
Agree on the 5/4 with 7 mm boots and 5 mm lobster claw gloves. Should try a few brands on to get the right size. I have bought my last 2 wetsuits on Whiskey Militia (both Xcel.) great deals on WM.
