Drysuit = Baja is coming to me

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1838 Posts XTreme Poster

I am going to get an Ocean Rodeo Drysuit from Windance. I'd like to open up the debate of with, or without socks.... I am not concerned about the price difference between the Soul (no socks), and the Heat (with socks).

Soul: has a hood and a pee zip, both of which seen nice. A few extra pockets which I will never use. About $250 more than the Heat (but $ is secondary). It looks like socks are not an option on the Soul.

Heat: has socks, but no hood or pee zip.

I do know I am going to have to wear booties, or shoes with either setup. I would also wear a neo hood regardless of model. I tend to take long sessions--sometime absurdly long. I am tall, and thin'ish and get cold in wetsuits from the evaporative cooling off of the suit, coupled with the fact that is takes me 1000x to learn a new move, so I fall in a lot.

Tak/Stringy/Jeremy are all on the SOCKS! side. I would appreciate advice from any and all who winter kite in The Gorge. I will be foiling only, so I am all up in the wind and the exertion level is not like twin tip, or directional riding.

Eric

Mark · Sun Oct 13, 19 7:42 am

Have been using socks on my drysuit for about 10 years. Works great. You can wear warm socks. I also got a pair of booties a size bigger to protect the socks and add warmth.

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1731 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

these guys have been drinking the koolaid!

but seriously we all ride these ocean rodeo heat suits because they work well for how we roll. built in socks allow effortless entry and exit. we all used the latex seals in the past. they work well but when you want to get in and out of your suit easily, stay dry and warm, the socks are the ticket. with latex seals you are limited to the thickness of your booties for warmth. with the built in socks you can wear thick socks under your dry suit and just upsize your booties. we don't need pee zippers as really in all honesty, we ride for about an hour and we are good. drysuit hoods just get in the way. wear a neoprene hood and you're dialed.
plus it makes me look like tak so everybody thinks I can really throw down

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1838 Posts XTreme Poster

I wanna look like Tak, or Jeremy...

Socks it is.

Done deal.

Thanks

Eric

Mrlaroo · Since 02 Jan 2007 181 Posts Bend Stoked

How is the fit with the dakine nitrous or any seat harness for that matter?

Bill C · Since 15 Sep 2005 203 Posts Portland Stoked

What neoprene hood do you recommend?

Kmun · Since 05 Jul 2009 256 Posts Obsessed

McLovin · Since 11 Sep 2017 284 Posts Corbett Obsessed

Great topic!

I've been gathering info on this for a while -

OR HEAT Drysuit with SOCKS = Check
Oversize Booties = Check

Let's get more detail on the HOOD of Choice & Glove thickness?

We'll have to buy this crew some beers for the effort figuring it all out - and to honor TAK

Summer never ends, it just gets a little colder for a while...

Mc

blancoh2o · Since 15 Mar 2005 1154 Posts Oregon Phishy

I have a OR Soul and had it altered to add the socks.

That being said, I would have just bought the Heat from the beginning with the socks from the factory.

The pee zipper is a nice to have feature but certainly not a necessity.

Here is my entire stay warm ensemble:

Long underwear top and bottom
Polar fleece top and bottom (more layers on colder days)
a pair of thin wool socks with a thicker pair over them
OR Soul drysuit
Sometimes a fleece beanie under a 5mm Neo hood depending on temperature
cheap ski goggles
Glacier Gloves, pre-heated with hot water from a thermos flask
5mm Ion booties sized big enough for the socks (make sure to get round toe)

The beauty of the drysuit is that I can drive to the launch in my fleece and just layer up a little more when I get there. When I get off the water, I peel off the drysuit, throw on some shoes and drive home nice and dry. Sometimes I am even too warm and peel off layers for the drive home.

Let me know if you need any other advice.

Slappysan · Since 13 Jun 2012 309 Posts Obsessed

They key is you are foiling only so socks are an easy choice. If you want to ride a TT or SB socks become much more of a question mark.

I will say this though, socks make a lot of difference in the cold and wet when getting in/out of your suit.

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1838 Posts XTreme Poster

Update: After searching the entire US and Canada for an Ocean Rodeo Heat with booties in an XL, I came up with no suits left. So, I pulled the trigger on an OR Soul, which is a beefier Heat with a removable hood, but no booties. In short, I love the suit. I was out the last two days, and was perfectly warm and bone dry. I put the suit on over my work clothes Tuesday. Air temp was 36 deg today with 30 mph winds. Warm, and dry...
And--you won't believe this--I wear a 5/4/3 all summer. I like to be able to fall in a lot while working on stuff and I get cold, even on warm summer days without a thick suit. I was a bit too warm today in my dry suit with long underwear. Regarding the Soul vs the Heat:

1. I like the hood. It eliminates evaporate cooling from whatever wetsuit beanie one is wearing. It's easy to filp on, or off while riding, and unlike a ski jacket the hood stays on. You can zipper it off completely if you wish.

2. The suit itself is dead easy to get on, and the integrated jacket is really nice.

3. The material is strong. I think it would require a big hit to tear it.

4. I would prefer integrated booties, but thus far my feet stay very warm with 5mm booties. What I notice with folks that have built in booties is they can get the suit on, and off so fast!

5. One can, and I will have booties added on at a later date once we get a foul weather pattern for awhile. There is a guy in Beaverton who does this.

6. The Soul is more expensive, and adding booties is another $100-$150 on top. That said, I love the suit and was sick of waiting for a Heat that I could not find

There is a well established winter foiling crew that communicates when and where they are going, and keep an eye out for each other, of which I am now a member. Viento is
great on east wind, and folks go there on a regular basis--Steve/Walter/John/Pete/Todd/Dave/Larry/Eric/?--along with another west side group of Stringy/Todd/Tak/Jeremy/?.... That hit up Rooster. There are also some die-hard wind foilers at Viento that I want to meet.

So, if you can find an Ocean Rodeo Heat in your size with booties I would get that. If not, the Soul is just a fantastic suit, albeit more money. John B at Windance is just super helpful. He ordered my size Soul for me after we tried on some suits for fit.

FYI: many shops have Heats posted on their websites, but it seems that they don't actually have any in stock, was my experience. At least in an XL. i think there are some other sizes still out there.

Baja just came to me

sorta....

it's the best I can do this year

Eric

kss · Since 24 Apr 2006 614 Posts pdx Addicted

Welcome Eric! Thumb's Up

Bill C · Since 15 Sep 2005 203 Posts Portland Stoked

Do people wear life jackets with those suits?

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1838 Posts XTreme Poster

Not that I’ve seen.

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1838 Posts XTreme Poster

Warm today! Didn't even need my drysuit.

wylieflyote · Wed Nov 06, 19 8:31 pm

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1838 Posts XTreme Poster

Parque Viento en Oregon