Suiting up for the winter waves
WET AND WILD WITH ROCKIN’ FIG
It’s getting to be that time of year again -- time to put on those
full suits. The water temperature is starting to drop and with those
chilly onshore winds in the afternoon, a little more insulation
doesn’t hurt.
Wet suits are getting pretty high tech these days, with the
super-stretch rubber being used and improvements in the seams for
more flexibility and warmth. Here’s a basic run down on your typical
wet-suit construction and how some suits rate.
First off, if you’re on the super-tight budget and your not
surfing super-cold water, an overlock seam will do the job. These
suits do keep you relatively warm, although the seams do stick out a
little bit and that might give you the possibility of a rash if
you’re paddling for a long while. The water will seep through these
seams too.
Next up is the flat-stitched suit, which is pretty warm. The seams
still leak water though, but they are definitely more comfortable
than the overlock and eliminate the rubbing against your skin. The
prices on these wet suits are still way affordable.
The next suit to check out, which really upgrades the whole warmth
zone, is the glued and blind-stitched suit. Its seams are glued
together so no leakage, keeping a more constant temperature inside
the neoprene cells, which are being heated by your body. These seams
are flat too, so no chafing and pretty flexible. And they can take
you to water temps in the 50s.
If you’re surfing warm water you can go light with a 2-millimeter
suit or, if you’re surfing up north, go thicker with a 4- or
5-millimeter, which gives you more warmth but hinders mobility.
Some suits even have tape that goes over the seams or in certain
high stress areas making them even tougher and stronger. The newest
craze is a rubber seam that is super strong, really flexible and
doesn’t leak. So the possibility of not having a seam pop or break on
ya could make your suit last longer. But the newer technology usually
drives up the prices too. It could be costly, but worth it.
Also, the rubber is getting so much stretchier than it used to be,
less restrictive and less tiresome for you moving around in it. That
means saving more energy, catching more waves and being comfortable
and warm hopefully.
Congratulations to the winner of the weekend’s Op Newport Classic
surf event in the pro division, San Clemente’s ripper Mike Losness.
That’s it for now. See ya.
* RICK FIGNETTI is a seven-time West Coast champion, has
announced the U.S. Open of Surfing the last nine years and has been
the KROQ-FM (106.7) surfologist for the last 17 years where he’s done
morning surf reports. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can
reach him at (714) 536-1058.
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