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.