How thick of a wetsuit to keep me warm through SoCal winter?
822430
Ok I live in SoCal and most of the time my 3/2 keeps me warm, on really cold days I wear booties and that keeps me warmer. It is sometimes too cold for my 3/2 but I can't see forking out that much money for a 4/3 that you are only going to need a few times. I only came in 1 time last year cuz it was too cold. It also kind depends on where you surf, if its in a cove or reef it will stay warmer. If you have the moolah and don't mind spending it go for it, it is much easier that dealing with a brain freeze and you will end up surfing more often. Plus it will prob last 2-3 seasons. Good luck.\nI read this again and I think you're talking about surfing right? If you're talking about scuba then I dunno.
470144
Wear clothes, including a BRA, so they are not cold!
132761
Use dry ice. It is always -78 or colder.
975002
You COULD use a chamois....but they take forever to dry and get heavy when wet. \n\nGet a MSR PackTowel at an ourdoor store like REI. They are ultra lightweight and dry great....plus you squeeze them out and they are ready to be packed away. I included a link below....
763576
For some reason it is my experience that cold weather makes me perform better. Maybe some under armor if you have that or any semi thin layered sweat shirt would do good.
716082
Warm or cold if I am in a hurry.
1035486
Wetsuits are designed to allow a small amount of water in and it will heat up with your body heat and keeping you from hypothermia. Different thickness levels of suits are made for the various water temeratures. Dry Suits are pressurized and keep all water out and are used for colder water diving but I have seen some people use them in the Florida Keys during Winter months.\nI wear my swimsuit underneath so that I am not naked after removing the wetsuit after a dive! lol
40026
A nice pair of silk long johns is a good place to start. Other little treats for yourself include down clothing, they even make pants. I have a pair of down booties for use in the sleeping bag. Other little clothing tidbits. Wear a hat at all times, even sleeping. You can also sleep with a warm water bottle. Some cautions with this: make sure you know whether the bottle leaks and Nalgene's are notoriously leaky, if you or your bag gets wet, you may be having a harder time keeping warm. If so you can contain it in a ziplock bag or a roll down velcro closure bag. If the water is too hot, you should put it in a sock or something to keep from burning your skin. My hiking buddy/co worker went to bed with a hot water nalgene between his thighs one night. He thought that was clever because a LOT of blood passes through there and warm blood travels to other parts of the body, warming them. But he woke up with blisters on his thighs...dangerously close to the family jewels. Last word about hot water bottle, if you use a collapsible canteen or bottle, make sure you fill it allllll the way up, because even then your bottle will cave in as the water cools down. At the very least you want to minimize this so you don't ruin your bottle. If the bottle cools this way, it will never hold as much as it used to.\n\nA good camping mat. The closed cell foam ones that roll up are cheap and effective and very lightweight, the next step up is the self inflating ones but they are heavier. And you can buy covers for those inflating mats that convert them into a chair.\n\nYou need to dress warm. The most effective thing in my opinion, and also more versatile, is to dress in multiple light layers. In the winter, I wear about 8 layers in the coldest weather...long john shirt, tee shirt, maybe a button down shirt, a fleece vest, as many fleece crewneck tops (the fuzzy polartec type, not sweathshirt fleece) as I can pile on, and my rain jacket. The good news is that if I can add or remove pieces at will until I am perfectly comfortable. IF you go the other route of a couple indoor layers and then one big poofy piece you need to understand the principles of loft, which includes your sleeping bag.\n\nLoft is the way insulation in a comforter, parka, or sleeping bag works. They create tiny little air pockets around you and hold YOUR OWN body heat in them. IF you have a lot of clothing between you and the insulating item, you will actually defeat the purpose of the item because you insulate the item FROM your body heat. This is why many things are true: it is better to sleep with fewer clothing items when you want to be warmer in the bag. It is also important not to compromise loft by choosing an item that doesn't fit your body and causes you to squash it from the inside out, or with a bunch of heavy layers on top of it to squash it from the outside in. If you compress your item too much, even in storage, or in your pack or its stuff sack, there are fewer air pockets formed and the item doesn't work as well.\n\nSO choose ONE dressing strategy and know how to apply it.\n\nOther important facts:\n\nAll the things discussed so far are only ways to insulate yourself. They are not generating any heat on their own. To do that, you need to DRINK plenty of water, and you need to EAT, warm foods that are high in sugars and fats are excellent, and you need to MOVE. A bedtime snack can be anything from a candy bar to a stick of butter, NO kidding! A bedtime activity could be a couple minutes jumping up and down, then one last go at the fire. AND YOU MUST DRINK WATER. \n\nEven if you can't stand cold liquids. EVEN IF you don't want to be up all night peeing. Your body needs the water to circulate the blood, and to metabolize food, both of which assist you in staying warm. Another thing you need to know about water is that both dehydration and hypothermia have the early warning sign of disorientation and confusion. The trouble is, if YOU are the one
117064
I would definantly get the pants and coat that have the zippers in the arm pits and inner thighs.  They will keep you cool when you get too hot.  I would also wear a long sleeve shirt, for if you get too hot, you can take off your coat.\n\nI would also make sure to bring goggles.  The snow is bright and can burn your eyes.
341762
yeah just where a life jacket and it will still be well worth it.  plus you can see tons of stuff with out getting in deep water.  I am a good swimmer but I couldn't go under water with my snorkel with out swallowing water anyways.  But maybe I'm just dumb!  Anyways I put on a life jacket and loved it all the same.  As long as you aren't scared of being in the water you'll enjoy it.
591487
I am comfortable swimming in water that is warm.  It has to be at least 90 degrees out and the water has to be very cool not to warm not to cold.  Just enough to cool me off
1140268
Suggestion- Take a Robe and Sandles and put it next to the pool so that when you get out and your going to the locker room you'll be warm.
1166531
Well, gotta know the specifics first.  Time, place and do I need to bring a swim suit and towel??
278201
Considering body temp is 98 degrees normally, 70 degree water would be cold or cool depending your preference.\n\nLittle science experiment--If you want to test it out fill a basin with water that is 70 degrees (use a thermometer to check it) and stick your feet in it.  Then you'll know if you think 70 degrees is cold for the beach or not.
330571
If you want the neoprene material itself, do a google search on "custom wetsuits" and look for a small to medium-sized shop that's not too far from you.\n\nA custom wetsuit maker will have many different types & thicknesses of neoprene on hand, and should be able to order even more.  Or check into these sources:\n\nhttp://www.foamorder.com/neoprene.html\nhttp://www.eastexproducts.com/neoprene.htm\nhttp://k-mac-plastics.com/neoprene-sheet.htm
389341
no it wouldn't, listen to the name "wetsuit!!" it simply lets water into the suit and allows your body to warm up that water and thats waht insulates you from the cold. so dont got inot the ocean with a wetsuit, you'll get an infection.
758958
Bound & hubby here!\n\nAs everyone has suggested, try Cabelas (link to the page, for your convenience!).\n\nOur 10 month old daughter is being "outfitted" in Cabelas camo, not so much for the look, but it is quality clothing that IS warm, and she happens to like the look of camo!\n\nOne tip... if you see something for sale in the website, and want to go to one of their stores near you, print out the page with the web sale price and they will honor that price in the store. We just bought our daughter's snowsuit there. We found it for sale on the site and were told to do just what I've suggested. \n\nGood luck!