Yet another wetsuit question...hooded or not?

I say hood it. The water does get pretty cold here. If we are lucky the 3/2 goes through mid December. Plus after two or three cold waves on the head, doesn't feel good at 48degrees. Also I own a 5/4/3 dry lock and it is a very good suit. Head stays relatively warmer and no neck rush from being open. I use three mil gloves hands never get cold.

 

id say go with attached hood.

 

I have gone as low as 44 degree water in a 4/3 without the hood and just a surf cap. 3mm gloves and boots. wasnt too cold.

 

Get it w/o the hood.. and get a hooded vest. You will have days when you don't want the hood... You will also have days when a 3/2 wit the hood is all you need.

 

Does trevolution only buy hoodless suits now that he's got that spit hood courtesy of the PD?

Comfort and pain are all subjective to the individual. Mid-40's and I'm hoodless. But I wouldn't advise anyone else to do some/most of the things I do.

Bi-stater had good points about days not wanting the hood and also the 3/2 plus hooded vest being more than adequate on others.

 

Take a look at the O'neill Mutant...

 

If you like hearing, and pain free ears, wear the hood in the colder months.

 

Hood ...........

And get a 5 mil ......scratch the 4 mil. They're absolutely pointless for the mid-Atlantic region. You can wear a 5 mil until it's time to don the 3 mil. These guys who get too hot because it's 50 F in the air and 53 in the water have menopause or something. You can wear a 5 mil until 54-55 F. Plus it will give you that added warmth. It gets cold in Virginia, man.

And wear earplugs during the cold months........just do it.

 

+1 what Seen said,
and +1 what BillyBear said about ear plugs....

 

^^This. I really think if you are in water below 55 without plugs OR a hood, you are causing yourself harm.

Not to geeze out too much but wear the hood! Surgery to correct surfers ear SUCKS. I had my right ear drilled out last winter and will have to have my left hear drilled out this coming winter. The 6 weeks of recovery is VERY uncomfortable, there is no surfing for two months while your ear heals, and no hearing for several weeks after the surgery (this is why my surgeon would only do one ear at a time even tho i need both ears done.)

I pretty much blame surfing without hoods back in the day when hooded wetsuits were rare and the separate hoods were lousy so just skipping the hood seemed like an easy option.

 

I love my XCELs, but that Oneill Mutant is great! Henny is spot on. If I see you in the water with it on, I will compliment your suit. After that, you will be so moved you will be begging to let me have your beers. Remember, hydration and happiness are important...and don't forget those beers.

P.S. - Don't tell anyone about the Jetty...legend has it SJB lives there now. If you talk of it, he will go Kaiser Sose' on ya. If you want to talk about it, I recommend selling all of your gear and placing me in your will. I will appropriate the funds as you would wish.

Speaking of wetsuits, I was out the other morning and I saw a dude rockin a hooded suit (hood up). What season is this?

Don't forget to bring a towel...

 

4/3 no hood, 5/4 and above attached hood....

 

How uncomfortable is the recovery period? Be detailed.

How bad did you get before you went in to get the drilling? Symptoms?

 

100% second. Sometimes you'll want a 4/3 no hood (warm air in early spring) and other times you'll want a hood with your 3/2 (cold/windy fall day). Xcel is the only wetsuit to own but I think my hooded vest is oniell

 

Dude, so true. I've always only owned xcel's until this summer when I bought a Ripcurl Flashbomb 3/2 just to try something different. Although I don't have any complaints about the Ripcurl yet, I have a feeling I will. Plus I don't understand why you would have a chest zip go from inside out. Makes no sense!

 

Why would you buy a suit if you expect it to disappoint you eventually? That make a no sense. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the quality of your Ripcurl suit, I've got a 3/2 DawnPatrol (i know) and it works perfectly, no issues, have had it for several years now and it gets lots of use. Have yet to break a seam or anything, zipper stays up too.

 

Yeah I just like the flexibility xcel offers over others like ripcurl but that's more important to me surfing in VB or OBX. Not sure if other suits are warmer for NJ and north

 

Gotta question PJB's assessment of 4/3's. I bought a 4/3 O'Neill Mutant with the detachable hood this spring. It was excellent in low-40's water, low-50's air. Rarely used the hood, though it sounds like I should start doing that more. By early June I was too hot so I can't imagine how hot a 5mil would be when the weather warms up. In Maine you need a good 5/4 in Dec, Jan, Feb and early March. The rest of the time a 4/3 or less is okay. With that in mind, I would think a 4/3 with removable hood would be good all year way down south in VA.