Wetsuit recommendations

Wetsuits are pretty darned uncomfortable for kayaking of you ask me. I have several, and I only wear them when I値l be wet (surfing), as that痴 the way they are designed. If I知 kayaking, I知 wearing my dry suit.

If you really want a wetsuit, you really should go try some on. O誰eill, Rip Curl, Exel, or any other common brand of surf suit will do fine, but you really need to try them on to figure out which brands fits YOU best.


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Thank you, Alex.  I was once the strongest advocate in favor of dry suits, but I grew up.  I have a Kokatat Gore-Tex dry suit that fits like it was made just for me, but I wear it less and less often because they're damned uncomfortable 80% of the time, and you need to be a contortionist to get into them and a contortionist/acrobat to get out again.  I'm not knocking them for anyone else, but for me they're not practical unless I'm going out further than a mile.

I also don't go out in the wintertime (if you've ever seen Oregon's surf and swells during Winter, you'll know why), so I'll use a full wet suit for everything within a mile of shore, or when I'll be fishing the cracks in the reefs.

A farmer john and a top of any sort is not going to work in the ocean up here.  I have neoprene wet suit jackets from 0.5 to 2.0mm thick that I use when fishing the rivers in early spring when the water is still quite cold, still, I don't want to count on them keeping water out if I biff it in the sea, but I thank you all for the recommendations.

A whitewater dry top/paddling top with a farmer john is considerably more expensive than most 3/2mm or 3mm wet suits and more expensive than most 4/3mm wet suits, plus I still have to wriggle into the top and try to wiggle out of it later.  Again, I appreciate the suggestions and recommendations, but it's not what I'm looking for at the moment.

You've all been a great help and it's not your fault I'm a stubborn butthead.   

Not at all.  Quite the contrary, in fact.  I wanted to steer the conversation back to what I asked for - recommendations on wet suits - since it was starting to wander off into the tall grass.

I think that, without a doubt, some folks will find the non-wet suit suggestions very helpful in deciding how they want to approach immersion gear if they are not as closed-minded as me.

Suit yourself. (Ha!)

When I wear a wetsuit kayaking I end up sweaty, chaffed, itchy, and uncomfortable. I smell pretty special afterward, too.

Hopefully you値l have better luck.


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FWIW,

Went back to your original question, so here goes. Disclaimer I haven't been in my yak for over a year, but what I used to wear was a 5 mil neosport (cheap) FJ with a 2 mil Oneill longsleeve jacket, and NRS boundry boot. The jacket is really stretchy and has a relatively snug neck. The boots keep my feet sorta dry on launch. I installed a relief zipper in the FJ. If I'm in the water the relief zipper allows water intrusion pretty quickly, but it warms up and no problem, it is a wetsuit afterall. If you're going to paddle in a full suit I'd recommend a freedive suit as they fit better and are more flexible than a scuba purpose suit.

My mix and match gear worked for me but still ended up being $300 plus.

Thank you, Dale.  I hope the vacation from your kayak isn't a permanent thing.

I've ordered a 3/2mm front zip (not chest zip) full suit that I can pair with a neoprene vest or long-sleeved jacket if the conditions call for a bit more.  If I need anything more than that, I'll suffer my dry suit.   

I'm pretty much back to where I started years ago, except this time with a full suit instead of a shorty.

I learned that $300+ isn't all that costly these days, Dale.  Not for gear with the newest super-stretchy neoprene and put together with the newest glues and seam tapes.  I already own all the other accoutrements and only needed the suit or I'd have breezed past the $300 mark and tickled the soft underbelly of $400.

And Alex, I take it you've never sniffed yourself after exiting your dry suit?  There've been a few days when I could instantly clear an auditorium after I climbed out. 

Thanks everyone.  We don't stay with the farmer john + whatever top combination for very long up here but I think I'll keep it in mind for late- and early-season freshwater fishing.  A shorty genuinely sucks when you rest your feet on the gunwales and cold water trickles down your legs...

If you don稚 mind sharing, which brand/vendor did you choose?

Cool, thanks

Save your money, stick with the drysuit.  Wear shorts and a wicking shirt underneath, and If you get hot, splash some water on yourself -- the drysuit is so thin that you'll instantly get relief.  If you are generally too warm, then buy a self-activated inflatable PFD (much cooler and more comfy).

Thanks, but nah.  Shorts and a t-shirt aren't enough insulation for a dunking in 50-degree water, but for folks who have warmer water it would work.