Any using a dry suit this winter? I am near a lake it’s getting that time of the year and don’t want to stop Foil Driving. The waters getting cold and seeing if anyone can suggest a good dry suit to maybe purchase so I can kept the stoke going during the colder months on the water.
A simple fix is move to Oz.
I wish I am Unfortunately moving from the coast inland. I don’t think my wetsuits are going cut it for the cold.
We use 6/5 or 5/4 hooded wetsuits with 5+mm booties and 3+mm gloves for winter foiling here in the inland northwest. Plenty warm down to 30 degrees. Very comfortable downwinding, hands get a little cold winging. The dry suits are great too but I think wetsuits have better mobility.
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Agree with what was said above. Personal opinion is a wetsuit is better. I’m out all year round no matter the temps some times down to -30 in wind chill. As long as there isn’t ice floating around. If you’re just in the waves or going down wind 6mm suit and 5-7mm gloves will keep you warm enough because your working. It’s doing the wind sports like kiting or winging that get you cold.
Also hitting the water hard blowing out a dry suit gasket a ways off shore. That would make for a terrifying experience.
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This helps helps thank you guys for the info!!
Swedish foiler here. I agree with the previous comments about wetsuits, they’re insanely good these days. I’ve got a 6/5/4 hooded suit from Mystic that I use in winter. I usually call it quits when the water starts turning solid, but up (down?) until then, I rarely ever freeze.
For my feet, I’ve been using the Atan Hot Mistral boots for over ten years. You don’t look very cool in them, but there aren’t many girls to impress on the beach in November anyway. And they’re miles better than anything else. For my hands, I haven’t found the silver bullet yet. I use some 3/2 gloves from ION that do the job fairly well. Would love to hear if anyone’s actually found those magical gloves that always keep your hands warm.
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The ion fuse 4/3 drysuit is a decent option. The hood is useless so you need a skullcap, but it’s quite warm, layers well. And easier to get on/off than a comparable wetsuit. The only ding I have is that the back zipper is a bit tight (spoken to others w same concern) but after a few tries and tying a cord to the zipper for more reach it’s been no problem
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I use dry suits for whitewater and the brand kokatat is easily the gold standard if want to go that way. I don’t like foiling in dry suits and prefer a wetsuit just on the chance of getting cut by the foil. A cut wetsuit is annoying, a cut dry suit could be dangerous.
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