General wetsuit question

[Bub]

I have a hand-me-down Oneil 3/2 Reactor wetsuit. Its the only wetsuit I've ever weared before so I really don't have any point-of-reference. I notice as I walk out through the ocean, I can feel cold water seaping through the seams of the suit. Is this normal or would this be considered faulty wetsuit? I bought some aquaseal and fixed up a couple of slight tears, but the water feels to come through other areas somewhere. Should a wetsuit be waterproof throughout (with only water flushing down through the neck, up the sleaves and up the legs some, or should they pretty much waterproof through the material itself. The neck fits snug and I don't get much flush down my back so that is not an issue. Perhaps waterproof is only a characteristic of a drysuit? After the water flushed through the seams etc. it does warm up but it feels pretty cold when it initially trickles through. Just wondering what should be the norm here. For those winter surfers or folks over on the other side of the pond who surf North Atlantic and North Sea, is it really cold at first when the water temps are much lower (until your body can heat up the water that rushes in?

[scuba steve]

Wetsuits are'nt waterproof, they're designed to let a slight layer of water in which your body heat warms. You will therefore feel initially a bit cold, but if you continually feel cold then the wetsuit is probably too thin.
Also, water should not really enter through the neck, thats always really cold and most wetsuits have an internal protector thing for duck dives to stop cold water flushing through.
How cold is the water you're surfing in?

[Ellie]

I think it depends on whether the seams of your wetsuit are sealed or not - my 3/2 doesn't have them so water seeps in pretty much everywhere there is a seam, and especially around the zip (lots of seams!). I don't think its anything to worry about, just something to wake you up when you start to paddle out!!

On thicker winter suits (and possibly some 3/2s) the seams are sealed - they look like they have black glue running along the seams when you look at it inside out.

my boyfriend went around all the sems inside his 3/2 with Black Witch (wetsuit repair sealant) to make it a little less vulnerable to water seeping in. But whatever, it still gets in, as like Steve says, they're not waterproof.

When it gets to the stage where you're not warming up at all, its time to move to a thicker suit!

[Bub]

I think it depends on whether the seams of your wetsuit are sealed or not - my 3/2 doesn't have them so water seeps in pretty much everywhere there is a seam, and especially around the zip (lots of seams!). I don't think its anything to worry about, just something to wake you up when you start to paddle out!!

On thicker winter suits (and possibly some 3/2s) the seams are sealed - they look like they have black glue running along the seams when you look at it inside out.

my boyfriend went around all the sems inside his 3/2 with Black Witch (wetsuit repair sealant) to make it a little less vulnerable to water seeping in. But whatever, it still gets in, as like Steve says, they're not waterproof.

When it gets to the stage where you're not warming up at all, its time to move to a thicker suit!

Thanks for the input. I think my 3/2 wetsuit is fine, it keeps me warm enough for water temps over 60 degrees F. which takes care of me for about 5-6 months out of the year where I live and surf (Maryland/Deleware/VA shore). The info. on the 5 mm+ winter suits is what I was wondering about. I guess if all of the seams are sealed you don't get blasted with the "cold shower" in the beginning like in an unsealed 3/2 wetsuit when the water trickles in through the seams.

[Sar]

The info. on the 5 mm+ winter suits is what I was wondering about. I guess if all of the seams are sealed you don't get blasted with the "cold shower" in the beginning like in an unsealed 3/2 wetsuit when the water trickles in through the seams.

I have a 5/3 cskins winter suit and a cskins summer suit - both have fully lined seams and I never get blasted with cold water, it just kinda seeps in slowly through the suit - dont tend to notice the cold until my head goes under the water - definately worth the investment

The seals are on the outside of my suit - i have heard that the rubber seams on the inside of a suit seem to wear a little more and, if you're a guy pull on leg hairs a little and are a bit less comfortable.

[isaluteyou]

a good way to test a wetsuits seams is to grab the suit by the elbow ensuring and clamping it down so no air can excape. Then blow down the arm as you would a balloon. If the air excapes rapidly then the seams suck if the air remains there like a baloon then the seams are tight.

[Otter]

The Reactor is pretty much a bottom of the line wetsuit. No sealed seams, no double stitch, none of the nicer features that make more expensive wetsuits as efficient as they are. Hate to break the bad news, but if you want to be warm, you'll need to spend a bit more green on a higher quality wetsuit. Your Reactor will probably be OK for 60+ degree water, but if it gets much cooler, you'll need something a bit heftier.

[RJD]

As said your not looking for them to stay dry.

Just not change the water they let at your skin with cold water from outside, so no leaks through seams, nothing from bad fit or neck/legs/wrists.

[Sillysausage]

if the water is really cold or you find it too cold, then i would get a new suit, i never feel cold in my suit unless its the second time i go in (in one day) and i feel a bit of a chill, but thats in the depths of winter, also depends on the seems, some seems are better quality for different surfers and weather and water temps...

[nsidla]

my quicksilver 3/2 is pretty well sealed, keeps me warm and I even am getting used to wearing it pretty much all the time, July in RI and the water is still only about 65 . my oneill 4/3 doesn't let any water in at all and I've gone in 48 degree water with under armor, boots, gloves, and hood. But yeah if your wetsuit lets in a ton of water than it's probably a cheap one that really isn't very effective at keeping you warm.