Hi Tassie crowd,

I'm after a bit of winter wetsuit advice for the Tasman peninsula area. I'm one of those guys that is always one suit thicker than most others on any given day.
I'll be windsurfing for sure, but mostly surfing.

Direct question: Is a 5/4 (plus booties/hood) going to cut it for the coldest days? Do anyone down there ever wear a 6/5/4?

Cheers and thanks!

Patagonia R4 is the benchmark

Relic knows his stuff.

I have a Patagonia R3 and an R4. I wear the R3 most, but in the R4 in the depths of winter, I am toasty.

I wear booties too, but just stock standard, as windsurfing wears them out FAST. I believe that Patagonia have boots too, but I never get cold feet in the R4, my core stays too warm I think.

When I got the R4, 2 years ago they only came with a hood - I got them to cut the hood off mine before they sent it. For windsurfing the hood is a pain, as you are always looking hard left or hard right, and I think that you are better off wearing a helmet (Gath), or a neoprene cap if preferred to a hard helmet.

That's it - all I've got

Awesome. Thanks guys. All my other suits are Patagonia so you're speaking directly to my experience.

Cheers and see you in the cold months!!

i would not dismiss xcell dryloc 4/3 or ION onx select 5/4.
a lot of the shipstern surfers wear ION, coldest winter surfing in Australia.
myself SUP riding and windsurfing in winter , both these suits are super warm and nearly dry!!

i would not dismiss xcell dryloc 4/3 or ION onx select 5/4.
a lot of the shipstern surfers wear ION, coldest winter surfing in Australia.
myself SUP riding and windsurfing in winter , both these suits are super warm and nearly dry!!, i feel the cold a lot and 5/4 Ion is super warm.
the shipstern guys often go the 6/5/4 ion with hood.

obviously a 73 kg bloke will feel the cold more than the 90 kg bloke.
also the water around the Peninsula of tas is a lot colder than Northern Tas.,,, degrees less.
an example is we need boots in southern tas in winter but could get away without them up northern Tas.

Thanks geared4... The deed is done, found Patagonia's on special and they are what I know so can order my size online. I have to admit that I got sucked in by the special price and have both the R3 and R4 coming (whoops!). With my Sydney suit and the one I bought for a UK surfing trip and the R1 Lite that was cheap secondhand I'm now just an R5 off the set. Hopefully won't need to go there.

p.s. Um. Shippie's - I won't be needing a wetsuit when I go there!!!

Check out the NeedEssentials website, I have a 4/3 & 5/4 with hood, great value wetties.

Common Nathan, trying to run a local business here :- ha ha
I have tried those cheaper brands and when you step into a xcel, ion patagonia or whatever you really wonder why you even bought anything else
Good point it you want to try something different nice:-)