Surfing Waves

Hi, this is my fisrt post so go easy on me . I've been lucky enough to be posted to California for 3 months with work and I figure you cant come to CA an not surf. I was gonna buy a wetsuit as I plan to really get into watersports in a big way and I was looking at the O'Neill Mutant 3/4. So the questions are:

1. The fit is good, anyone else got one and rate it?
2. If i buy a 3/4 will that be too hot for pacific waters and will it be warm enough for the North Sea when I get back to Scotland?
3. Total dumass question but what do you wear under your wetsuit, speedos?

they have good ratings.
no way warm enough for when you get back if you want to surf year round. for that you will need a 5/4 or a 6/4., but for scotland you'll need a pair of boots, gloves and a hood to go with your suit.
no need to wear anything underneath, it's more comfy without anything although to go without a possible public display can wear panties.

ive heard good things about oneill mutants. not a hope in hell of using it in scotland. youll need at least a 5/4 suit and probably 5mm minimum for boots and gloves. and a hood. and nothing underneath.

ok so if i bought a 5/4 would it be uncomfortably hot to use here?

i liked the mutant cause it had an interchangeable hood which i though would work well for the uk

dunno about over there. one of the cali guys on here can answer that one.

whostolemyshoe wrote:ok so if i bought a 5/4 would it be uncomfortably hot to use here?

you talking about norcal or socal?

socal

just so happens i was in socal for the past 3 months and bought a 3/4 o'neills mutant there for surfing.

superb wetsuit, you won't melt in it, interchangable hood zips can be fidgity, Im back home in ireland now and im still wearing it but that'll change when winter comes around.

5 mm ????? Wow and I complain about how restrictive our 2/3's are

^ yeah, 5mm suit, boots , gloves and hoods here in Wales for the winter too.

whostolemyshoe wrote:socal

during the summertime you don't need anything except for your boardshort.
however during the coldest time (december), you'll probably need at least 2/3. you'll still get the chill by the wind, so you have to make up the heat by paddling a lot.

good luck and spend well

in socal, in my opinion, you will never need anything thicker than a 3/2. i surf up in morro bay in a 3/2 and im only slightly uncomfortable. then again i might just be a freak who doesn't really care too much about cold water.

Is socal water that much different then nor cal water? Ive only been out in nor cal for about a year and the water always seems to be 55 degrees. That first dip in is always a doozy. I wear a 3/2 up here, but seriously thinking about a 4/3

I think the variation in temps between So- and NorCal are greater - water temps during the summer months can really get cozy in SoCal.

Although I remember surfing in Mannesquan (sp?) out by the Jersey shore (eastcoast U.S.) during the summer and it was warmer than anything I ever experienced in SoCal.

whosotle,
mutant is great suit

some guys wear speedo underneath. Others wear shorts that look like bicycle shorts. They're made out of the same stuff as a rash guard shirt. I prefer a swimmer's supporter. Many wear nothing at all.

trifish,
nor cal is cold-ish: 50F to 53F is what I usually have & I use 4/3 suit with 1.5mm booties

socal is warmer: not sure of temps, but my 4/3 is usually too warm and a 3/2 is just right

Waters be cold up in Santa Cruz. I use a 4/3 mutant. the hood module is great for when it turns winter time and the water goes from "eh kinda cold" to "where'd my balls go?" cold. during the summer there's often guys out in board shorts and a wetshirt.

I find a 4/3 is too warm in Santa Cruz from June through August/September. Farther north (i.e., Linda Mar, Ocean Beach, Bolinas, Salmon Creek, Dillon Beach, and Caspar Creek) require 4/3 much more; usually about 10 months. But, I really love to feel that cold water go down my back. Makes me feel alive!

I also wear a very light fabric hood and sunglasses because the sun tears me up (am fair-skinned).

billie_morini wrote:I find a 4/3 is too warm in Santa Cruz from June through August/September. Farther north (i.e., Linda Mar, Ocean Beach, Bolinas, Salmon Creek, Dillon Beach, and Caspar Creek) require 4/3 much more; usually about 10 months. But, I really love to feel that cold water go down my back. Makes me feel alive!

I also wear a very light fabric hood and sunglasses because the sun tears me up (am fair-skinned).

yea, i agree that the 4/3 can be a little much. I was out at cowell's a couple days ago and just burning up in my suit. I was wishing I had a shorty or possibly just boardshorts.