Wetsuits vs. Drysuits

i’m sorry if this is a little off topic for this site but it is certainly surfing related. i am just curious why drysuits for extremely cold water have never really been used for surfing. they get used alot for windsurfing but there you are out of the water most of the time. is that the difference or does it have to do with ease of paddling or what. if anyone knows then i would love it if they could share that little piece of info with me. thanks in advance and thanks to everyone who gives me lots to read and learn everyday i visit this site. trev

i’m sorry if this is a little off topic for this site but it is certainly > surfing related. i am just curious why drysuits for extremely cold water > have never really been used for surfing. they get used alot for > windsurfing but there you are out of the water most of the time. is that > the difference or does it have to do with ease of paddling or what. if > anyone knows then i would love it if they could share that little piece of > info with me. thanks in advance and thanks to everyone who gives me lots > to read and learn everyday i visit this site. trev Trev, In this area, New England, many wear dry suits in our winter months.Funny you asked this question today, because last night I picked up a new,6-5-4 as my old one has seen better daze.My preference is a wet suit because with new technlogy and materials, I feel that I have better movement,also easier to get under a breaking wave and with the occasional wipe-out, not being dragged over and thru the rocks. Theres also that occasional “nature call’s”, where one has to paddle back in, to take care of the matter. Probly one of the most dangerous of situations could also be. Example: Mid February, air temp. 20’s, water temp, 35 degrees, I’m out maybe 150-200 yards in a dry suit, suit has a small leak that has developed into a big one, water flowing in strong off-shore, now try to ge in quick. Scarry thought isn’t it ? Just my 2 1/2 cents. R.I. surfer

i’m sorry if this is a little off topic for this site but it is certainly > surfing related. i am just curious why drysuits for extremely cold water > have never really been used for surfing. they get used alot for > windsurfing but there you are out of the water most of the time. is that > the difference or does it have to do with ease of paddling or what. if > anyone knows then i would love it if they could share that little piece of > info with me. thanks in advance and thanks to everyone who gives me lots > to read and learn everyday i visit this site. trev Trev, I have had some very good experiences with drysuits (in surfing), and they are not limited to just cold water, as they really excel in minimizing wind chill. It is also possible to make dry gloves, etc. A number of other outdoor exposure-related activities such as kayaking, scuba diving and sailboarding are using current “dry” technology, much the same as I use in my custom surfmats. Having said that, I still prefer being wet and immersed in the water, and wearing a drysuit can feel sort of disconnected and prophylactic. To experience exactly what I`m talking about, fill your bathtub with cold water and then take your shoes off (leave socks on), put your feet inside a trash bag and soak them for a while… good drysuits (and their high-tech polypropelene/fleece undergarments) definitely work, but may take some getting used to.