Tried the Neil Pryde and really liked it, but I wanted to try the Mystic first since I've read several good reviews

Try suncoast surf shop... they usually have decent sales on suits. I picked up a 3/2 for like $40 and I've been using it for 3 years now. My body doesn't usually get cold, but my hands and feet do when it's in the 50's and blowing 25+.

I'll probably replace it soon though...

I prefer a good surfing wetsuit.. lots of flexibility and stretch.

I wouldnt spend $300 on any of those fancy kite-brand wetsuits yet.......shop around 1st, any surfing style wetsuit with 3-4mil thickness will work about as good as any overpriced Mystic or Neil Pryde. Yes the Neil Prydes have alot of rubber-top neoprene to act as a wind barrier which is nice but check this out:
At WSW I found a 4mm Quicksilver MX fullsuit for $35, the retail price tag on it was $289! It had alot of black rubber up top and fit me perfectly. I liked the wetsuit so much i went back and bought two more, one in 3mm and the other 2mm.....BTW..The nice thing about Surfing wetsuits is that you can also use them for other sports like surfing or skin diving, Neil Prydes are too thick in the armpit region for paddling or swimming IMO (designed for windsurfers)
WSW consistantly has the best deals on wetsuits, everywhere else you have to wait for the Sales days, and even then only odd sizes are left by the time you get there in my experience.

Hope this helps

C'mon, scrow, don't be a pussy. I kite the coldest days around here wearing nothing but a thong and a bow tie. You can't impress the ladies wrapped up like a pig in a blanket.

Promise me you'll never try the hello-kitty-rainbow-slide trick in that thong.
PROMISE ME!

buy what ever suit fits your budget, however the assumptions on kite specific suits are totally incorrect. Neilpryde and NPX are good examples of suits designed with a specific purpose in mind. Just think about it, you spend $1200 - $1600 on a great new kite. you want to extend your session as long as you can and be comfortable doing it. In truth it is the very tight surf suit that limits your flexibility while kiting, not to mention that they are cold as hell. Surfers spend most of their time in the water and are not affected by evaporation like kiters and windsurfers are. a nice, flexible smooth skin upper keeps you far warmer. Additionally, the reenforcements around the harness area keep you suit intact in areas with rubbing. NPX and NP for example do loosen up the arm area to allow for good movement. Additionally, these suits are blind stitched where the suit that you are going to get for $35 is probably a flat lock suit with wet seams allowing for cold water flush. How many times have you been bolting along in your surf suits on a kite and you end up with "kankles"? The water jets up your leg and stays there adding 20 lbs. of weight to you body. This sucks and is another example of using the wrong tool for the job. Things like water sheding material, blind stitching, arm and ankle closures, mesh skin, and apex flex material are very, very important to having a good ride to me. Once again, if it's just budget, get what ever will get you through, but if you can spend a bit more it will come back to you.

Kent

do people actually spend that much on a new kite :)
thats almost my whole quiver :) (one 2008 and two 2007's)

danny dont even start..
:P

$300 for BARE drysuit. no frills.. not the uber-deluxe brand or model.. but does the trick and does it well.

for the limited uses it gets, i am certain it will last for many many seasons. repairs on these types are simple as well..

i bought my shorty at Sams club for 25 dollars.. that was 4 years ago.. its perfect still.

bought my full at WSW for 100$ 3 years ago.. again.. perfect.

Dan just got a semi-dry full .. might be able to chime in on its comfort compared to a standard wetsuit.

luckily we dont have the serious cold severe weather that everyone else at this time has to deal with.. the drysuit is a bit overkill.. but damn its nice to wear on those chilly days.

i think the bigger problem is finding the perfect pair of gloves.. have not found them yet.
my hands are always the first to go on the cold days.

Neil Pryde makes the ultimate cold water gloves for windsurfing and kitesurfing. They are called open palm neoprene gloves and allow you to directly grip the bar without sacrificing protection from the cold.