Today was first day this autumn me and my buddy wore3/2mm full Wetsuites. (You young guys and you northerners would laugh at it, but it was cloudy and windy. And we are Floridians). So, we were yelping about trying to get the dang things off over our feet. Every year it seems like we could pull a muscle or fracture something at the end of a session. It's one of the joys of being in the golden years. I know you guys would happily suppply medical advise if I fracture a rib working the Damne thing off the leg and foot, but was kinda hoping to prevent the problem. We got to thinking about whether to cut a slit up along the side above the ankle and up to aboutbelow the knee and close it by Velcro after you get it on, and open up the Velcro to take the damne thing off. Kinda worried about cutting the neoprene and would it ruin the integrity of the suite ...or whatever. My pool swimming 1 mm wetsuites cut nicely, but that's kinda different. I saw scuba suites sometimes have ankle zipped, but not surfing suites? Any comments ,sarcastic or helpful , are welcomme.
One trick to get a thicker suite on, you can put a plastic grocery store bag over your foot then slide on. Getting off, I pull the suite all the way down, then slide my thumb in near my heel and pop it over my foot. Good luck
The plastic bag trick absolutely works. I use it in winter when I'm trying to slide my 7m gloves through the 5/4 instead of putting the gloves on after the suits on for a better seal/fit. But hey, you get a pass Betty. As for getting it off, just gotta get it down as low as you can then pop it over the ankle like stated above. Cutting the suit might work. I wouldn't do it on a 5/4 that's used when there's snow on the ground, airs below freezing, and waters just above freezing. But down in Florida i would imagine it's less critical as the waters much warmer. If you do try it, i would suggest sewing the cut to keep if from ripping further. I'm not a sewer so I'm probably not using the right words here. But you know, sew a seam (or whatever the technical term is) around the cut to keep it from ripping up your leg over time. Maybe even one of those wet suit repair kits might work. Try it on an older suit to figure it out first. But I'd say if you can figure a way out it shouldn't hurt as far as the shot keeping you warm. I imagine the suit is more about keeping you protected from the wind then cold water
Here is the trick- work the suit and legs down a bit, just enough to you can pull the bottom seam/hem of the suit over your heal/bottom of you foot. So you would be at this point stepping on the bottom of your suit with your heel- kinda like if you wore pants that are too long. Then - here is the trick- inside your suit out off your leg and your foot will come free much easier. The grocery bag trick works getting the suit on. You can also use a little shampoo on your skin to help slide the suit on/off
Getting it on is easy. It's getting the wet wetsuite off that's a problem. Yesterday trying to get it off, the band of muscle around the rib cage went into full cramp mode all way around the rib cage, for example. Then the foot and shins seized up. Ridiculous, I know, but I truly was ready to cut the damn thing off... Will try the shampoo trick today Mr Belmar.
I have the same problem, i.e., getting the suit off past the ankles. I sit at the back of the station wagon and carefully work it off. But when it is 15*F out, with 20 MPH winds, that i uncomfortably cold (But I still do it!). Anyway, a simple solution for me is "size"...I can fit in to a "medium-tall" wetsuit, tightly, and I am very warm while surfing. But because of exit difficulties, I now buy only "large" wetsuits. It took care of that problem, still keeps me warm while surfing, I fit the large size almost as well as the MT, but am not exposed to the aforementioned temps as long as I would be while struggling with my ankles.... The extra money to buy a size larger, Betty, is worth the money. Oh...one added item......I never ever will buy the "Drylock" Xcel suits again. Bought one, a 5/4, and I still have it, brand new rarely used. The closed tight sleeve (arms and legs) is really problematic getting the suit off past the ankles. And none of this gets better the older you get. With a 3/2 I just yank it off, but not a 4/3 or a 5/4--that requires a crew to pull them off!! "Drylock" is what made me buy Ripculrs instead for colder suits.
Don't you live in floreda? Caint you just 3/4 remove, lay on beach and wait to dry, then full remove?
Similar problem. Calf cramps too. On account of these struggles, the ankles and cuffs of my 4/3 are the most worn parts of my suit. But the above recommendations do work. Haven't tried the shampoo bit, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express... "Old" age, soreness/tiredness after a sesh, and cold windy conditions can make the whole evolution a real ordeal and a workout in itself. I stand on a round, plastic mat and use the car for support. The mat, made for this purpose, has a drawstring which is used to pull the mat closed like a bag over the removed suit. It was a X-mas gift from my son a couple years ago that has proven handy. My biggest problem is getting the zipper in back zipped up. Next suit will be one size bigger. Maybe cut back on the beer. I sometimes need to ask someone for a zip, which seems sort of embarrassing. If possible, I try to look for the cutest gal nearby for this assistance...
Ha, your life as a surfer is not complete until you climb out of a 6 mil suit through the neck. It's like an abortion gone bad. I once had a cramp in the region where I used to have abs that was so bad that every time I bent over it would seize up and I had to lie back down to stretch out the rogue muscle. I had to shimmy out of my suit on my back, good times.
I bought a pair of Wetsox which work like the grocery bags but with the advantage that you just leave them on. Suite comes off much easier as do the boots. It's also way easier to get the suite off when I wear a rash guard under it in the colder months. I suppose you're not wearing boots in FL so the garbage bags would work as well as the socks. I'd try the rash guard if you're having trouble getting the suite off your torso though, although it might then be too warm?
Betty - Keep the suit on but turn the bottom edges by your ankles inside on it's self about 2+ inches - on both legs. Then hit a shower (which they have all over FL) or bring a gallon jug of warm water. Fill your suit up a bit from the chest, letting the water fill both your legs a little where you turned the suit up. Remove the suit and when you get the pull over the heel part, use you thumb and they pop right out. Just don't do this near your open car door - the water flies everywhere. I would not recommend cutting the suit, even if you added velcro.
Dude, it does get cold in Florida too. When it's cloudy, windy and the air is 50* it's no time to be laying on the beach soaking wet waiting to dry off. Yes, our blood is much thinner here.
I haven't had this problem since the last time I had a suit with a line of stiitching around the cuff. those suits are always tough to get off because the stitches don't let the suit flex. most newer better suits eliminate the cuff stitches and are way easier. That might be it.
u think a 3/2 is hard to put on try putting on a hooded 6/5/4 suit.it literally takes me 15 - 20 minutes,with a lot of weird jumping and stretching to get the thing on.i never even attempted to take it off on the beach,thats mission impossible stuff right there,i wait til I get home,go in the shower and spend another half hour trying to get it off without tearing it.
These are great comments, and I am so glad no one suggested standing in a closed meat locker freezer, and then chipping the suit off with an ice pick. SUCCESS TODAY-- The shampoo did not work. So, getting desperate, after surfing, I took the plastic grocery bag, stuck the foot in it so that the Foote was encased, and then pushed the rest of the bag up all around the ankle and lower leg as far as it would reache, about 4". Can you believe the damne suit slid off just as easily as when you use the bag to slide the dry suite on before going out?! True dat, totally do it and You're Welcomme. PS ( Yah, always wear a rashguard as it makes peeling off the suite from arms easy, and no longer get rash under the arms.) Love, Betty
Yes, the jug of water is the solution. Make sure this jug of water is hot so some warmth is left after sitting in your car all afternoon.
Awww...it gets down to 50*F?? That is a heat wave up here!! I stand by car, soaking wet, exiting my wetsuits when it is 20*F with a strong wind, and I don't flinch an inch. Try getting out of a 6/4, booties,gloves and take time to dry off while standing there with slim bathing suit on!! Makes a person have a strong mind, over matter. Of course, my friends all think I am fvcking crazy for doing so, seeing as how I live but 9/10 of a mile from beach.
o barry, I hope you didn't misunderstand, I wasn't at all complaining. Just pointing out that drying out on the beach on a relatively cool cloudy windy day isn't all that comfortable. Honestly, I don't know how y'all manage it up north. Thick heavy rubber, freezing air and water temps, howling offshores and ice encrusted parking lots. Most of us thin blooded folks wouldn't last long. Barry, I'm not sure if you consider me a friend but I think you're fvcking crazy too! Shoot, when the air is 50* my non-surfing friends here think I'm crazy for going out into the 75* water! It's all relative I suppose and the human body can and does adapt and adjust to its environment. I could move back up north and acclimate in a year or two but I really don't want to. Still trunkin' it down here!
