Winter Wetsuit,boots, gloves help

[valley]

Hi, I am a beginner surfer 3 months, I surf the northwest of Ireland Donegal. I normally use a 3mm c skins wetsuit, which was ok up until the last few days when I started to get really cold after about 40 mins. The suit leaks in alot of water and as the temperature has dropped in the last few days, it is very cold when it gets hit by the wind. I am 5' 9" and 10 stone 9lbs (159lbs), so I need to get a winter wetsuit. I have a budget for boots gloves and a suit of a around 220-£240 uk pounds or 260-280 euro. I am going to go to a surf shop tomorrow and will try the o'neill heat 3q 5/3 2011 any ideas on this? my main worry is that because i do not have lots of body fat that it might not be warm enough in the colder months? the suit costs £175. So I was thinking of £35 for boots and then 20-25 for gloves? Is this enough? I think the water today was 14 degrees Celsius and about 6 degrees Celsius outside, my main worry is buying crappy wetsuits etc. and not going out in the winter months because I am too cold

[billie_morini]

Valley,
here are some ideas that can stretch your buying power.

1. Wear rash guard long sleeve shirt and shorts under your present wetsuit. When I lived where the winter water and air temperatures were really cold, I'd wear these clothes under my 4/3 suit. It worked very well in all regard. Now I live where water is warmer, but again, at the coldest period, I wear these clothes under my 3/2. I always wear booties because I have tender feet. You'll find they help you stay really warm, too. I don't like gloves, but you may surf wear you have no alternative. To me, they get in the way by creating more drag along the rails when catching the wave and make it harder to grab the board in general by making it seem thicker to my hand. (Rash guard clothing is never a wasted purchase. Once you have some, you'll use it in many ways and settings. I even give long sleeve rash guards to little nephews in northern Germany to wear as sweat shirt pullovers in Winter. [they don't use them for surfing])

2. Buy stuff like rash guards, hoods, gloves etc on-line at the largest discount you can find.

3. Buy a used suit. The first two suits I bought were used. Got them at a kite surfing shop from the rental (hire) suits. Neither one showed much sign of wear. One of them still looks pretty new 3.5 years later.

To answer your questions:
1. Many of us surfers do not have much body fat. We stay warm, at least long enough to stay in the water awhile. (I like cold water and one of my happiest memories was a Christmas day surf in very northern California. The water was so cold that after an hour or so, you could not feel your feet anymore). But first off, try the rash guards under your present suit. You'll find you don't need fat to stay warm. And yes, a suit that doesn't let water in provides a huge help. I like chest zip suits for this. Recently saw that Quiksilver Cypher back zipper suit has a thin membrane back cover/vest.

2. Your budget is a little meager, but you can make it work using the suggestions above. In the US, we often find good used equipment on-line in private party sales on craigslist. Don't know if that is used in your area.

[valley]

Valley,
here are some ideas that can stretch your buying power.

1. Wear rash guard long sleeve shirt and shorts under your present wetsuit. When I lived where the winter water and air temperatures were really cold, I'd wear these clothes under my 4/3 suit. It worked very well in all regard. Now I live where water is warmer, but again, at the coldest period, I wear these clothes under my 3/2. I always wear booties because I have tender feet. You'll find they help you stay really warm, too. I don't like gloves, but you may surf wear you have no alternative. To me, they get in the way by creating more drag along the rails when catching the wave and make it harder to grab the board in general by making it seem thicker to my hand. (Rash guard clothing is never a wasted purchase. Once you have some, you'll use it in many ways and settings. I even give long sleeve rash guards to little nephews in northern Germany to wear as sweat shirt pullovers in Winter. [they don't use them for surfing])

2. Buy stuff like rash guards, hoods, gloves etc on-line at the largest discount you can find.

3. Buy a used suit. The first two suits I bought were used. Got them at a kite surfing shop from the rental (hire) suits. Neither one showed much sign of wear. One of them still looks pretty new 3.5 years later.

To answer your questions:
1. Many of us surfers do not have much body fat. We stay warm, at least long enough to stay in the water awhile. (I like cold water and one of my happiest memories was a Christmas day surf in very northern California. The water was so cold that after an hour or so, you could not feel your feet anymore). But first off, try the rash guards under your present suit. You'll find you don't need fat to stay warm. And yes, a suit that doesn't let water in provides a huge help. I like chest zip suits for this. Recently saw that Quiksilver Cypher back zipper suit has a thin membrane back cover/vest.

2. Your budget is a little meager, but you can make it work using the suggestions above. In the US, we often find good used equipment on-line in private party sales on craigslist. Don't know if that is used in your area.

I always wear a thermal running top underneath, which i think is similar to a rash vest
http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/NIK4 ... leeve-top/

I also wear billabong thermal surf shorts underneath