VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK • Recommendations on Winter Wet Suits - Page 2
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Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:19 am
by JL
My size 9 split toe are awesome ... Especially for those hikes up rocky beaches ... Any larger wouldn't fit my straps however 8)

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:34 am
by downwind dave
my oneil psycho booties are 7mm, they work fine. round toes only though, I have a short toe inseam so am highly susceptible to toe wedgie.
5/4 plus a vest should be plenty toasty as long as the zip is not too leaky. Make sure when you take a wave to the face the water can't flush in thru the hood. im kind of a chicken, i wear a hotline 6/5/4 with a 2mm vest (and the 7mm boots). no lifejacket required!

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 6:12 pm
by DavidM
Thanks for all the response! Change the booties for 5mm, similar to the ones I have worn out. I am set now for the next cold windy day.

To follow the thread on a little more. How about NPX suits?

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:43 am
by saulman
I was looking at the NPX Assasin suits for use windsurfing. How well do they stack up to the Neil Pryde and Excel suits? They seem like a fairly full featured suit just marketed to the kitesurfers.

Any info/first hand experience on the following would be appreciated:
Workmanship?
Materials?
Accuracy of their sizing chart?
Are they any less suited to windsurfing?

S.

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:56 am
by KUS
pretty happy with mine thus far, super light!! snug fitting, the drains are wicked and work really well as does the neck flap. easy and quick to get into/out of which is huge for me, soft skin is a bit on the cool side for a 5:3 but sailed it in minus 4 with a shirt underneath, no probs really. it is a bit chilly at JR but offset by gloves. Decent price, $315CAN tax, delivery etc. all in as I recall via silent sports. wouldn't recommend it for offshore or really cold days or beginners, u would chill a bit too much if you spend lotsa time in the water in winter :idea:
got the usual toluene rash in the first month but I get that with most, not all, new suits. To improve this thing, I would add more smoothskin around torso and inner thighs. it is not as tough as other suits in terms of damage from fins or getting hooked on barnacles if that's an issue but I have only two small nicks so far in over ~60 days. Dries quickly, stows small and easily, feels lighter on than other suits I have owned. Uses bamboo supposedly, for what enviro flavors are worth. Looks good, nice design tho makes you look skinny on the legs and shows yer gut :roll: :lol:

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 4:53 pm
by saulman
Kus, how accurate did you find their sizing charts?

S.

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:16 pm
by KUS
saulman wrote:Kus, how accurate did you find their sizing charts?
S.
thought mine was way too small....now it's fine, chart perhaps a hair on the small side torso wise, my XLT is excellent in length tho

Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:22 am
by Matty1174
I have an O'neil mutant wetsuit from 2010. It is a 5/4, and I was lounging around in the water the other day with no issues. I have 6mm boots and 2 mm gloves (mostly for wind protection etc).

The Mutant is a bit more expensive, but you get what you pay for. It is extremely warm due to its "firewall" technology that they put in the torso. I also find that a lot of the times parts of my body stay dry, the neoprene is just awesome! In the summer, the Mutant comes with two different attachments (thus the name mutant) and you can wear it without the hood.

I also prefer a suit without a zipper, which you get with the mutant.

Happy hunting!