To keep a promise I made in a previous comment to one of my posts, this one is going to be about "practical fashion" in windsurfing, or to be more exact about wetsuits.
As you start do discover wsurfing and incerase your skill level, your desire to conquer greater winds will be greater also. The problem is that during summer, you don't get as much strong winds as during the spring / autumn, or the strongest in winter. In summertime, a long or short sleeved lycra T-Shirt will do just fine, but when the things start to get more serious, a wetsuit should definitely come as a priority.
Wetsuits are made of foam NEOPRENE, a synthetic rubber material that provides the wearer with warmth, protects from wind and sun, and also "softens" the potential fall (don't get scared now :). Over the time, the designes of wetsuits have evolved, adding other layers (better wind protection), better seams etc.
Generally, there are two basic types of wetsuits - WET (warm water )and DRY (cold water).
The DRY type is used only for really cold conditions, and prevents the direct contact between water and the surfer. The WET type allows small amounts of water to come inside the suit, but the water very soon gets warmed up to the body temperature, and continues to warm the body afterwards.
Most people use the wet type, and when needed, wear the lycra t-shirt for extra warmth, but in the end, it all comes down to the conditions you surf in.
Wetsuits come in various thicknes (2/3 mm or more) and in various models (vest, jacket, shory, long john, full suit (steamer)).
A couple of tips for the end
- don't confuse windsurfing and diving (no wind protection) wetsuits
- be sure to get the exact size
- be sure to get the optimal thicknes
As you start do discover wsurfing and incerase your skill level, your desire to conquer greater winds will be greater also. The problem is that during summer, you don't get as much strong winds as during the spring / autumn, or the strongest in winter. In summertime, a long or short sleeved lycra T-Shirt will do just fine, but when the things start to get more serious, a wetsuit should definitely come as a priority.
Wetsuits are made of foam NEOPRENE, a synthetic rubber material that provides the wearer with warmth, protects from wind and sun, and also "softens" the potential fall (don't get scared now :). Over the time, the designes of wetsuits have evolved, adding other layers (better wind protection), better seams etc.
Generally, there are two basic types of wetsuits - WET (warm water )and DRY (cold water).
The DRY type is used only for really cold conditions, and prevents the direct contact between water and the surfer. The WET type allows small amounts of water to come inside the suit, but the water very soon gets warmed up to the body temperature, and continues to warm the body afterwards.
Most people use the wet type, and when needed, wear the lycra t-shirt for extra warmth, but in the end, it all comes down to the conditions you surf in.
Wetsuits come in various thicknes (2/3 mm or more) and in various models (vest, jacket, shory, long john, full suit (steamer)).
A couple of tips for the end
- don't confuse windsurfing and diving (no wind protection) wetsuits
- be sure to get the exact size
- be sure to get the optimal thicknes
