I am a complete newbie too wetsuits but I started looking into them last fall when I got a kayak. I was told a dry suit was better for cold water but after seeing the price on those I went back to wetsuits. I ended up getting a neoprene wader (designed for fishing) but it was really not what I needed. I also noticed that wetsuits do not keep you dry but instead trap a little water under the suit which the body then warms, and that the thicker the suit the colder the water it is good for.
X2O Wetsuit
Enter the X2O spring suit. This wetsuit is designated 3*2 which means the main suit is made from 3 mm neoprene but the areas under the arms and other high flex areas are made with a thinner 2 mm neoprene to allow more freedom of movement. And the term spring suit means exacxtly that. It is designed for folks who want to hit the water early in the spring before it has warmed up to summer temperatures. Our local lake (Lake Guntersville) has already warmed up to around 85 F (29 C) so I will use this suit for local (North Alabama) creeks and rivers wheich tend to be quite a bit colder.
My first opportunity to try the X2O was for a swim down on a local creek where I spend a lot of time. The swimming hole isn’t all that big or deep but it is plenty big to cool off in during the hot summer. The water is mostly spring fed and it never fails to take my breath when I first jump in.. So I got the wetsuit on and headed in.
Playing in the water
View from behind
Now for a little about the fit. The X20 I am using is an XL. At first I thought it was too small but I did a little research and found that the best fit is very snug but not so tight that it inhibits breathing, which describes the fit of the XL on me to a T. Once I got in the water it felt like it fit even better.
When I first got wet I did feel cold for just a second but I was amazed at how fast I got comfortable. Usually it takes me about 5 minutes to get comfortable in the water and then after about 20 minutes I start getting cold again. With the wetsuit on it took maybe 10 seconds to get comfortable and I was still feeling great when I got out after about 30 minutes of swimming. I also floated for the first time in my life. Anyways, after my first trial run I am excited to explore the use of the X2O further. I am still recovering from a nasty flu like bug but have several kayaking trips lined up in the near future. Stay tuned for updates.
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