Wetsuits for New England

[jpeter]

Oneill mutant has zip in neck hole or hood. They make a 43 and 54. If one suit was it then mutant 43 full. I have shorty, 32 full , 54 mutant, 5.5 4 ripcurl. Jp

[donwh]

Hi montignp,
When I first started sailing I had a good quality Mistral 4/3 wetsuit that let me sail here in NE in April, May, Sept through November. Add a hoodie with a visor if possible, to keep the sun off, and booties, minimum 5mm if you sail in the early spring. As Number-nine referred to, the water in the late winter/early May is a helluva lot colder than water in December!
I now have a cheap shorty, a 3/2 wetsuit that I used Sunday (I'm a cold wimp), a 5/3 steamer, and a drysuit for the winter.


I would try on any suit before you buy. My freakin' O'Neill 5/3 is an extra large and it's tight in the chest and loose in the legs. I should be a med or lg at most.

I would rather be warmer with a thicker wetsuit, esp. a smoothskin one, 'cause once I'm cold, I'm done...
Good luck!

[justall]

[wynsurfer]

I have the O'Neill Mutant which comes with a hood or a crew neck that zips on or off. I use it without the crew neck to let in some water to cool me off if needed. With the hood in cold water it is quite warm and keeps me pretty dry. A very versatile suit. Wear a vest under it for more warmth if needed. That and a shorty are all I need.

[rollerrider]

There's no one right answer. But if you are looking to extend the season a hooded suit is good. Winter would usually require a dry suit unless you just go out on the warmest days. You could get a 5/4 with enough room to add a hooded vest under it to increase it's versatility. I personally like an extra thick hooded suit. The technology now makes them comfortable and easy to put on. I use a NPX Zealot fully lined 6/4 hooded suit in the spring and fall and early winter. Rarely do I get too warm in a wet suit. Get a 3/2 for the warm season and skip the shortie and use a long sleeve neoprene shirt and board shorts with spandex under short.

[gschuel1]

I find the hooded suit keeps out the water much better than a hooded vest or other hood options. Makes the wet suit almost like a dry suit for relatively brief immersions.

[donwh]

I had to stitch a piece of Velcro to the back of my 5/3 and the hood to keep it from constantly sliding up and becoming a big water scoop on a wipeout.

[scargo]

It sounds like you're already committed to getting a drysuit, which is smart, especially since you want to do some frostbite dingy sailing in the winter.

So I'd start with a Kokatat Goretex drysuit and then go from there. I've had mine for a long time, and it seems like every season, I extend its use on both ends of the winter (and, of course, use it during winter itself). In fact, lately I've been using only my drysuit and, when that's not appropriate, a cheap shortie. Reason being that by layering under the drysuit, you can really extend its range in both directions. I use the Kokatat liner when it's really cold, and a thinner baselayer when it's not (the thin layer help manage the perspiration).

As to the shortie, you can similarly layer tights etc underneath to boost the cold water performance. Don't get me wrong, there are times when I still use a 3/2, but if you're looking for a simple and versatile kit, I'd get a drysuit, a shortie, and several interchangeable layering pieces.

[jpeter]

I would recommend a hooded 5/4 or 5.5/4 wetsuit over a drysuit. The integral hood makes all the difference in the world for warmth. I have owned neoprene (2 old oneill oasis drysuits) and a bare baggy top dry suit. I sort of liked the neoprenes, hated the baggy top. My mutant 5/4 was warmer and drier than any suit I ever owned. My new ripcurl 5.5/4 is much warmer than the Mutant. (and cheap, less than 400$)

JP

[isobars]