[Wetsuits] Attached hood or not?

[huhuh]

I started surfing about 3 months ago and I just can't get enough... I'm currently surfing in Dunedin, New Zealand and the water is freaking cool(13c). My cheap 3/2 wetsuit is definetly not enough so I'm looking at buying a 5/4/3 as I will be surfing in canada next year. Wetsuit with attached hood seems much better as it let less water in when duck diving but it might suck when the water gets warmer. Is it possible to surf with an attach hood but not on your head, is it a pain in the ass when duck diving? Any ideas?

Cheers

[jaffa1949]

Try a Gath helmet, don't know about the full cold of Canada for it and don't get the helmet with the visor it fogs up with cold breath and also distorts at the peripheral vision edge and is most off putting!BRRRRR!

[zandvoortsurfertje]

Hey

Actually duck diving with a hood attached to your wetsuit isn't a pain in the ass but it gets full of water and as i don't know how big your head is or how big the hood is which will get full of water I don't know who fast you can get this water out and if you find it very disturbing surfing with a hood attached, what you also could do is go to your surfshop buy a 5/4/3 wetsuit without a hood attached and then separately buy a hood

Good luck and have fun in Canada

Zandvoortsurfertje

[Wave4Surf]

Of course a wet-suite with an attached hood is warmer, but I don't think that less water will enter your wet-suite than with a normal separate hood.

I think you should buy that wet-suite of 5/4/3, but with a separate hood. With such a hood, you can always decide if you want to use it that day, or if you don't. I've got it myself and it works perfectly.

[tony g]

Surfing with an attached hood is definitely the way to go in cold water. If you want a wetsuit with an option O'Neill makes a wetsuit that has a zip on- zip off hood. When you take the hood off the wetsuit you zip on a collar and you are all set for warmer water. When the water is cold again you can zip the hood back on your wetsuit. It is called the O'Neill Mutant 5/4/3 and is very versatile.

[Kaptman]

I have the O'neill Mutant 5/4/3 and it is awesome. When you have the option of either or. If the air is warm you can take off the hood and put the collar on. Flexible suit I like it alot.

[Wave4Surf]

About the zipping thing, will the water really stay outside your wet-suite and hood, or does a little flow through the zipper?

[Kaptman]

All suits have a zipper and may have slight water drips. But not much that you would notice it.

[huhuh]

Thanks for the replies, O'Neill Mutant sounds good. I just need to find one and try it on.