New Wetsuit

[kent]

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

[inferno]

Originally Posted by kent

Just think about it, you spend $1200 - $1600 on a great new kite. Kent

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

[bryanleighty]

danny dont even start..
:P

[bryanleighty]

$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.

[BigR]

i think the bigger problem is finding the perfect pair of gloves.. have not found them yet.

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.

[kent]

Inferno,

I don't doubt that that's as much as your whole quiver. I guess that the difference is depending on what kite you get, you don't need a "whole quiver". If you aren't getting any range out of your kites, maybe you should switch. Ha ha ha... just kidding. have a good one.

Kent

[WindRyder]

Bryan,

Check out Mystic's gloves, the ones that have the index finger separated from the rest of the fingers. They don't have the open palm like the Neil Pryde ones, but they have little rubber grippers and the material doesn't feel like it interferes with your grasp. I like the index being separated compared to the full mitt, as it makes it easy to grab a line or emergeny release if necessary.The back side of the glove is fully skinned for wind protection. Roy and I wore ours last weekend in 30 degree temps with wind chills in the 20's, and our hands were just fine.

[inferno]

Originally Posted by kent

Inferno,

I don't doubt that that's as much as your whole quiver. I guess that the difference is depending on what kite you get, you don't need a "whole quiver". If you aren't getting any range out of your kites, maybe you should switch. Ha ha ha... just kidding. have a good one.

Kent

atleast we arent like Tom Stock in the C kite days......
lets see (correct me if im wrong tom) he had a 9m,11m,13m,15m,18m,and a 21m

[inferno]

semi dry's are nice... well worth it...
i have a 4/3 semidry, i can sit in the water for about 10 seconds, come out and still be completely dry.....

[Rodan'sWings]

Originally Posted by kent

buy what ever suit fits your budget, however the assumptions on kite specific suits are totally incorrect. 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.

Kent

Blind stitching has been on the market for years. Not only does my $35 Quicksilver have blindstitching, it's seems are welded on the inside. This is the warmest suit ive ever had, and ive gone thru alot of wetsuits.
These $300 kite suits are marginally better.....id rather put that $$$ into kites. ive been buying wetsuits since the 80's and its comical how these companys come out with gimmicks to outsell the competition, remember "titanium injected neoprene"? Rip Curl claimed "Titanium is 200% warmer than regular neoprene" well if titanium worked why dont we see titanium dust used in wetsuits anymore?. Then one year it was the copper inner lining thing that would make your skin turn green LOL.....
But If i were rich man id buy the top of the line stuff too, and not have to worry about shopping around which is a PITA and id drive a Ferrari Testossarosa Gucci sunglasses etc......