It’s Christmas. You’ve had a few drinks, you feel a bit merry, you fancy going for a surf to burn off some of those Christmas calories. It doesn’t feel too cold outside, so you’re tempted to just jump straight in without putting on a wetsuit, but is it safe?

Santa scoring a wave!

The short answer is no, it isn’t a good idea at all! We’ve actually seen folks out near Bournemouth Pier without wetsuits in previous winters obviously trying to prove their mettle. Most don’t stay in the water very long, but even a short dip in the sea carries dangers if you’re not wearing the right kit.

The main issue with going into the water without a wetsuit is that you will get cold very fast. Surfing in particular carries the real danger of hypothermia, particularly as most of us will be idle in the water for extended periods waiting for the best waves.Wetsuits are a worthwhile investment for the added protection they offer against hypothermia.

Let’s be honest, even in the summer months Britain’s Seas can still be a little on the cold side, so a lightweight and skin tight wetsuit is ideal for letting you enjoy your water sports activities over the summer while keeping the chills at bay.

A Shortie made of 2 mm neoprene will do fine for water temperatures above 70 F. Anything below that temperature you’ll want to think about a full wetsuit. We strongly advise against anyone wearing a summer wetsuit in winter, it simply won’t be up to the job!

A properly fitting winter wetsuit is really the only answer if you want to continue surfing in safety and comfort throughout the winter months. Add to that a decent set of boots, gloves, and even a hood to stop heat loss from your head, and you’ll stay in the water much longer.

As an alternative to a top of the range winter wetsuit, you can combine your standard winter wettie with a thermal rash vest.

Rip Curl H Bomb - The Ultimate Winter Wetsuit

For the ultimate in winter warmth check out the Rip Curl H Bomb wetsuit – with this one you’ll never have to worry about the cold again!

It’s the world’s first power heated wetsuit. It’s a wetsuit designed to keep you super-warm by positioning two coated fibre elements that generate heat on your upper back. It has three temperature settings, Low, Med & Boost!

Okay, so all things considered, surfing without a wetsuit just does not make sense. If you are going to go in the water this Christmas, make sure you wear a decent winter wetsuit.

If you haven’t been fortunate enough to get away for that winter surf trip to sunnier climes this year then you have probably been thinking about upgrading your winter wetsuit.

The Rip Curl H-Bomb Wetsuit has been on the scene for a while now but is still only one of a handful of heated wetsuits out there in the market place.

Hot Suits of Australia are reported to have been the first on the scene with a “heated kidney belt style” concept that used a gel filled heat pack that sprang into life when the chemical reaction was initiated.

Since then the manufacturers have looked at other methods of generating extra warmth for wetsuit wearers – with the novel approach of using Lithium Polymer Batteries to power a heating element sewn into the suit.

The Rip Curl H-Bomb is a wetsuit that uses the Li-on battery approach and is designed to keep you super-warm by positioning a source of heat on your upper back. The heat, generated by two coated fibre elements, heats your inner core allowing warm blood to circulate to your extremities.

The elements are made of fibre so there is no metal involved, or chance of corrosion when it is exposed to water.

The H-Bomb has two temperature settings, Low: 50-55C (120-130F) and High: 60-65C (140-150F).  And because the batteries weigh only 0.12kg each and are positioned on your lower back where they are cushioned against your body by a layer of neoprene you can’t feel them.

The first test pilot was 2005 World Championship Tour number 7 Nathan Hedge, who commented “It’s one out of the box, it feels sooo good! You keep really warm, even on the low setting and it just keeps you feeling warm all over throughout. I didn’t want to give it back after the R&D session”.

In waters as cold as 5 degrees Celsius, the H-Bomb is receiving incredible feedback by providing surfers with plenty of heat, extended surf time and reducing the thickness of suit being worn.

So if you are considering buying a new winter wetsuit this season why not try the ultimate Rip Curl H-Bomb Wetsuit - available from Sorted Surshop.

Source: ripcurl