I thought this would be fun. I live in the Pacific Northwest. I’m curious how many other shapers and surfers that bear the cold frigids as I do. Went out for a dawn patrol this morning. First one there, then others soon to follow. Snow flurries and icy winds don’t hold us back.
Left coast, Right coast… all COLD COASTS welcome. Great Lakes too!
Out last sunday, 40mph onshore wind and horizontal hail… very painful… waves were sweet though…managed about 2 hours before numb hands and feet set in…
Do you find when you`re done and back in a warm car/van that your hands become extremely painful as they warm up???
Ah the joys of friggid surf.
Howzit orinalsin, If the front that's hitting Hawaii now comes your way look out it's a big one. Already in the third day of flooding.Aloha,Kokua
Cold Water, yep , been there—after 40+ years of surfing the east coast (and a few warmer areas), i’m developed the 60 / 40 rule — “I’m over 60 so if it’s under 40 I’m not going out” leaving out the under 40 water temps means i skip about 6 to 8 weeks which happen to be the best snowboarding time anyway.
Today was 34 degrees air and 45 degrees water with 15 to 20 offshore winds—waves were 2 to 4 ft with one other guy out. we shared the set waves for 2 hours til the tide got too low for the post —then went home to finish pumping out the back yard from the frontal rains and then put up the xmas lights out front…wheeeeeee!
wouldn’t really call myself a “shaper” yet but I am on my number 2 here in new england and gets really cold in the winter months, when the waves are the best. Surfing in sub 20 degree weather and 38 degree water is uncommon if you want the goods. Best part is barely any crowds if you know where to go.
grand haven michigan,
today 35mph sw winds, 32 air, 35 water.
cold big and empty with seals and i supose the other ones that hang with seals
bring on winter i rekon , summers to crowded
bring on winter i rekon , summers to crowded
Well said.
I don’t take note of the water temperature but I know my part of the world qualifies because it makes me shiver to think of it…
And, I’ve known to have to shake icicles off the wetsuit on the clothesline.
Here, Cornwall and Santa Cruz are where the wetsuits came from that mean the numbers in the water don’t change a whole lot year round now. When I was young, you could be all alone at certain spots in June/July/August…
Josh
Central Coast of Oregon…
Its was Hotline cold this am, a suit I only break out when I see snow on the beach.
Even put on the hood.
But it was 25’ faces way outside.
My ass was way up inside a bay riding the leftovers.
Oh, shaper, for sure…
I heard there’s “Trolls” under that Bridge.
Cant believe I ‘named’ a spot…I forgot about that place, thats North of me 117 miles though…Haha, ‘leftovers’…
I am near Coos.
Ha! Ha! You’re up kinda late aren’t you? My kids told me it’s supposed to snow North of the “Trolls” in the early AM. Have you caught any down that way ?
Yeah, it was sleeting at the beach this am, went North to Florence to drop off a board, it was freezing rain off and on. It’s 29 right now.
Yeah, up a touch late, kidless for the night so we play Nintendo and tappity tap-tap…so many threads on fin foils…
Cold surfing is great. It is getting crowded though. NJ over thanksgiving this year there were a few people out at pretty much every jetty. 10 years ago, you would have been alone. wetsuit companies need to issue permits to all current places where one has to wear boots and gloves for real, and only those permit holders can buy the new suits everyone else has to wear Oneill animal skins!!!
Ya guys. 4" or so new snow here on the Olympic Peninsula. Will be empty waves today for sure, that’s always nice.
I’m in the market for a new wetsuit. I have a 5/4 Oneill right now. I’m not so sure I want to go with that brand again.
Any suggestions? I hear most are very happy with XCEL and Hotline these days.
my buddy got a brand new xcel on thanksgiving, three sessions in the flap that prevents flush around the neck has pretty much torn off. I have always had good luck with rip curls.
i love surfing in the cold. ive gone to warmer places and for some reason miss suiting up and surfing fridgid waters.iam addicted to ice cream headaches and numb fingers and toes i guess
Just came back from a classic but cold Praa Sands session. Must have been almost 100 people out, so much for the cold thinning the crowd!
Well thats the first bad thing I’ve ever heard about a XCEL wetsuit. Good to know though, although I think It could have more than likely been an inconsistent factory flaw.
Rip Curl on the other hand, I have been told, their wetsuits don’t have a long life span. I’ve been told this on numerous different accounts, that the longevity of the super flexible neoprene doesn’t make for a long life. Would you agree or disagree?