Wet Suit?

[ToniSteve]

Hello Water Hunters,
What is out there in wet suits to extend the water hunting season both ways, spring and fall, for us Northern folks? Any best brands? What lasts? Any other stay warm hints?

Thanks you.
Kind Regards,
Steve

 

[chipmonky]

here in England all ways freezing try a dry suit with some warm cloths under.
keeps us warm for a while in 9c water temps

 

[GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va]

dry suit really good as long as u do not have to take a leak often

if yes, wet suit............5MM to7MM.....................maybe one with a front zipper is good

gloves and dive boots to match.............usually 5MM is good

my opinion only

 

[Gerry]

I have a Kayak wet suit bought at REI made by NRS. I am a bit of a porker so the fellow at REI recommended the farmer Jones wet suit, almost like bib coveralls, it works well. If you need more info email me and I will get the model #.

Gerry

 

[Barry NY]

This works well - the 2 piece design gives you more possibilities based on weather conditions.
Fits true to size. Shop it online.
Neosport by Henderson 5MM.

 

[JOE in MD]

I just odered a 3MM 2 piece suit from Leisure Pro for a $131.85 shipped. Scuba.com could not meet their price. Chech out their web site.

 

[grumpyolman]

Don't know the manufacturer, but there's a newer material type neoprene being used to make one that the manufacturer claims makes it as easy to put on as a pair of jeans. Also consider how flexible the material is. There's some neoprene that is super flexible and stretchy (One brand is Hyperflex) and I'd take a good look at that. The thing about a wet suit is the more difficult it is to put on and the less comfortable it feels, because you can't stretch and move easily, the less you will want to wear it.
The front entry zipper is critical. You want to walk up the beach and ask someone to close the zipper on the back for you? Yeah! They have long cords on them so you are supposed to be able to reach around and pull the long cord hooked to the zipper and close it yourself. It'd be similar to putting you zippered coat on backwards and then throwing a cord from the end of the zipper forward over you shoulder and then pulling to zip your jacket. Only wet suit zippers are harder to zip as there isn't as much extra material because you want the suit to fit fairly well so you don't pump water through it and remain cold.
My 2 cents worth is buy the best suit made, probably about $600, and you'll seriously extend the season and the time to use your $100 scoop and your $1200 detector. I am afraid if you skimp and try to cut some edges on the suit you choose without the above considerations, the suit will sit in the closet or in a few months you'll be wishing you had gotten a better one and now you'll have to sell the old one. Good luck...Jim

 

[erikk]

This works well - the 2 piece design gives you more possibilities based on weather conditions.
Fits true to size. Shop it online.
Neosport by Henderson 5MM.[/quote

I have 3 NeoSports 2 5Mil & a 7Mil (I hate trying 2 get into a wet wet suit) farmer john's relatively inexpensive and will last if U take care of them 3rd year for these and they still R in good shape. I hunt 3-5 days a week all year Also might want 2 consider a shorty for the transition months

 

[ashmonkey]

here in the UK the waters probably a bit colder, so i use a 7mm semi dry wetsuit. and have just ordered a 2mm neoprene short-john to wear underneath on colder days. only another 4 weeks before i can get in the water and use it again. i have not been able to dig since February and it,s driving me mad

 

[usmc0351]

dont worry about all the fancey stuff,,,,,just pee in your wet or dry suit

 

[grumpyolman]

In your dry suit?? Pee in that!! Thanks for your service, I am a Viet Nam vet..medic type). Only a marine would pee in their dry suit. LOL....Jim

 

[ToniSteve]

Gee Whizzzzzzzzzzz, I am learning all kinds of great stuff here!

Steve

 

[grumpyolman]

It ought to be common sense not to pee in your dry suit. When you get out of the suit...OH! Don't go there....
Now if there was an urgency that couldn't be maintained, I have to admit I have relaxed at depth and then was careful where and with whom I was with when the suit came off. Dove with a good friend who had some medical issues and always needed to go in his wet suit. He just really carefully washed his wet suit after every dive.
Also dove with a man who had a colostomy. Didn't bother him a bit. He was just a bit more private when donning his wet or dry suit. Jim

 

[kered]

What sort of thickness should i need for 14-18

 

[grumpyolman]

Kered...You wading chest deep or do you go totally under the water? I know you said fish chest waders but sometimes when it's warm I just wear part of my wet suit when diving. It wouldn't hurt, if you had on a swim suit, to let some water in and move it around to cool you. Also what do you wear under the waders? Some people who fish pull them on over clothes. That provides another layer of insulation which could be good or bad. The other factor you didn't point out was what is the air temperature and if you have cloud cover or direct sun.
I purposely chose not to get neoprene waders for the very problem you point out. I use breathable waders (Hodgeman), really thin and light, and put clothes on underneath to compensate for air and water temp. Sometimes I'll have on Smart Wool pants but have a cotton t-shirt on top. That's when the water is really cold and I plan to stay in for awhile, and the air temp is hot. The disadvantage with the breathables is they present a larger surface area to tide, waves, or current and sometimes its of such intensity that you have to get out, or stay much shallower,. The neoprenes work better in that environment. Hope this helps
Jim

 

[thebarnacle]

i prefer to rub a good layer of pig grease all over rather than use a wet suit, not only does it keep you warn it smells nice............. on a seriuse note just get a semi dry, wamer than a dry suit and less problems the seam on the inner leg wears out quickly on dry suits and you end up with a wet leg.

 

[kered]

Tee shirt and jocks is all i have underneeth, depth wise to waist, as any slight swell gets close to limit.
Air temps at the mo are anywhere from 18

 

[Jackalope]

In my opinion, the dry suit followed by the breathable waders are preferable to a wet suit. Thirty or forty years ago, the wet suit might have been the best but today some of our waters (fresh and salt) are loaded with bacteria, some of which are deadly. If you have no open sores, cuts, etc, you probably don't have to worry. If you do, then the wet suit while warming the water close to the skin might act like an incubator. I'm not going to take the chance.

I use breathable waders with stocking feet and featherweight wading boots. Also a auto-inflate PFD just in case.

Ron

 

[Golden]

Pinnacle semi-drys are great suits and come in 5mm/7mm or 7mm. Some, like the Arctic have a patent wool lining on the inside for added warmth.