At what tempurature do you ditch the drysuit?

[SkiJay]

There is always that guy who has to prove he has the biggest kahuna in the club by skiing in bordies even if there is snow on the shoreline (kind of counter-productive really), but for those of you who prefer to avoid cold-muscle injuries and hypothermia in general, at what temperature do you leave the heavy rubber at home. For the purposes of this survey, let's consider full suits over 3mm thick as the same as drysuits.

[Chuck_Dickey]

Drysuit to 60f

1mm open cell Camaro to 70f

No rubber from there, but always a long sleeve rash guard for sun protection.

[Than_Bogan]

Why ditch it at 65? Personally I ski about 99% as well in a drysuit as in nothing, and I ski much better in a drysuit than in a full wetsuit or shorty. I've never understood everybody's hurry to get out of them.

 

If I get too warm, I just let in some water. (No such fix exists if too cold, btw.) When even THAT is too warm, I put the suit away for the summer. That point is usually with the air around 80, and while I don't use a water thermometer (why do I need to know?) I'd guess it's around 65-70.

[SkiJay]

@Than_Bogan What kind of drysuit are you using?

[Than_Bogan]

An older Sahara

[6balls]

Still wore it today. Why not? It's comfy, and I stayed toasty warm and dry. Until I get too warm in the suit likely to use it..

[liquid d]

What's a dry suit?

[thager]

What's the difference between a wet and a dry suit? One is wet the other sweat

[jipster43]

Here in Montana it can be 86 degrees one day and snow the next, so you always want to have yer dry suit at the ready.

[gjohnson]

Boardies & a vest since May 2 in MN.

[6balls]

@gjohnson , color coordinated? Just giving you crap, hope to catch you at a tourney this year (though pretty sure I can't hang w/ya all night). Here's to hoping both of us rock some tourney 38's!

[gjohnson]

@6balls you know it. I should amend my previous post to boardies @ vests. You should come to regionals this year. Last year it was a blast. Are u heading to @MS tourney in June?

[Razorskier1]

Wore the drysuit Friday, rash guard Saturday, Sunday and this morning Damn spray leg hurts -- might have to slip the dry suit on again tomorrow morning to give it a break!

 

@gjohnson -- are you part polar bear? Or are you just like @MS and can't wait to ditch the suit? Haven't decided on the Pine Island tourney. My skiing has been consistently inconsistent. I hate going to tourney's and missing a 35 (which right now is a decent probability!)

[Marco]

I can't stand the confines of a drysuit, especially at the neck seal. Once I take it off for one ride, it never goes back on until the end of the season. This spring I wore it one day, then on to a shorty. Skiing commando (so to speak) as of last weekend.

[gjohnson]

@Razorskier1 For some reason, I don't ski aggressively in a drysuit. I tend not to wear any neoprene, besides a vest, if I can stand it.

 

I hear you on the inconsistent 35's. We've been struggling with an electrical issue with ZBOX, big swings in rpms, that has made skiing really difficult so far. 28's were hard. Fortunately, it was fixed on Sunday and now we can dial it in and worry about skiing. Crazy. I'm not expecting great results, but will have fun @MS tourney.

[RichardDoane]

I'm with @than, ski just as well in the spacesuit, plus warm/happy back/neck/shoulder muscles, and no shivering in the 65' water and grey Seattle skies

[GAJ0004]

Water temp 70 degrees is when I switch to warm weather gear. I find I don't get as sore the next day..

[igkya]

@scotchipman, where did you get that shorty drysuit? I don't see it listed on the BARE website.

[tsixam]

I was skiing in drysuit late April, shorts mid May and now back in drysuit. Should have been shorts since mid May. I live on the wrong side of the Atlantic.

Tsixam

 

[robscholl-OF]

May 1st, no matter the temperature.............OF

[Than_Bogan]

I never wear mine past my birthday...

 

Well until September rolls around again, that is!

 

7/6/71

[Chef23]

It was only about 58* today and I admit I wussed out and didn't ski. I did drive for my buddy and son who skied in heater tops. Water was under 65 and it was a little windy. Did I mention it was spitting rain also.

[sixball]

I had to get my sissy la la suit back out the last few nights. The water is back up to mid 60's but the air has been dropping into the 50's in the evenings. We have had so much wind we have been getting out just before sun set when it is calming down.

This has been one strange summer so far. Started the season March 21 in a shorty one week later into a dry back to a shorty now back to a dry. I am so confused!!!

[lff]

what drysuit ?

[Chef23]

I might ski in the dry suit all year. I skied in it again today water 60* and air at 70* and I am skiing as well as I ever have never mind the time of year. I did get very wet when I fell though I think I need a custom designed suit in XL with a XXL neck and L wrist and ankle seals.

[6balls]

Water over 70 and I went without yesterday, was nice except my spray leg is now pretty tender.

[PatM]

The newer full suits are so much more comfortable. I try to ski as much as possible in the full, ditching the drysuit asap. I skied twice in the drysuit this year and one of times was on St. Patrick's Day (Irishman in Massachusetts).

[MattP_Evil_Twin]

It's June people... why are we still talking about this? Save this topic for next winter.....

[Chef23]

@MattP_Evil_Twin because the water and air isn't above 65 yet.

[Horton]

Are you guys in Antarctica?

[Chef23]

@Horton I am in Mass and our water has lost almost 10* in the last week and a half. I was out of even a heater top but we haven't seen the sun in a while and the temp hasn't been over 70 with nights in the 50s. I think we are paying for the warm winter.

[A_B]

I just use water temps. Anything below upper 50's is a drysuit. Up to upper 60's dry top.

Anything above, barebacking it.

[Than_Bogan]

Hasn't even been close this week. I would have completely frozen my ass off skiing without some kind of suit the last few days, and like I said above I prefer my drysuit to any similar alternative.

 

This weekend looks like it'll bring a touch of Summer to Massachusetts, though. We'll see!

[Chef23]

I ski on the same lake as Than and I ditched the drysuit today. The water was at 62* and the air was in the mid 70s. I went with the heater top today. I have a little more insulation on me than Than though.

 

I ran 32 off (which is solid for me) without the drysuit today so I guess my early season success wasn't tied to the drysuit.

[swc5150]

The water was 35.5 degrees F when we started skiing this year. Used a 3/2 wetsuit. I just can't stand the extra bulk of a drysuit. I actually can't stand wetsuits either, but it's bette than hypothermia.

[Chef23]

I have a 3/2 wetsuit and one of those aquaphere swimskins and I find the O'Neill assault dry suit has more mobility than the wetsuits.

[swc5150]

I would like to try an Assault, as I like the idea of having a loose fitting upper. I've had two Sahara's, and they were just too bulky for my.

[jipster43]

I got in three sets of instruction with Jodi Fisher today just before it began to snow... The 4/3 wetsuit kept me just warm enough. A full dry suit would have worked better. The dampness of the wet suit gets chilly when you are out of the water... driving other skiers & waiting for your next set. I'll probably pick up a full bag for skiing this fall.

[kona]

I still like my Boost. The ease of bag suit out weighs the drag IMHO.. I am not in that much anyways.

[swc5150]

@scotchipman

Yes, the Sahara is full neoprene. The bulkiness in the shoulders, though the long zipper, really thrashed my mobility. Fortunately, our lake heats up fast, since it's only 10' deep.