If you hate wetsuits like I do you might just get off on this idea.
I tried it a few days back and it worked way better than I even imagined.
I hate long legs - filling up to elephant size with an extra 10kgs of water. I also hate the restriction of the thicker suit material.
So I decided for this year to go with a nice stretchy 2/2 Springy and combine it with undies of a Fleecy Rashie and a pair of "Skins".
You slide into the wettie easily with the 'Skins' and, being all 2/2, the top goes on easy as well.
It was AWESOME. Absolutely warm as for the whole session.
The fleecy rashy all but stops any water flow through the suit and the 'skins' stop any gripping of suit to flesh.
Took the top section of the wetty off at the end of the session to find an almost dry fleecy still cutting the wind and keeping me warm and covered (unlike a normal lycra rashie in the cold 
).
I had long arm 'Fleecy' & long arm Springy. Im going to try a short arm 'Fleecy' option as the only downer was the arms were a bit bulky. If that doesnt work I'll try long arm Fleecy/short arm Springy?
If you think it sounds like an option for you I would strongly recommend trying it. In any case everyone should have a fleecy rashie.
Happy winter kiting. I'm know Im going to be a lot warmer & more comfortable than I ever was naked under my old 3/2.
Or... you could get your self a dry suit and do a 007 at the next Woodys KS&S coctail party
Hey Puppet,
I've been using a micro fibre fleece short arm rashie for years under my 2/2 long arm springy. It rocks in all but the coldest days.
Just a little cheaper than a big name steamer
DM
Hi Big eeezeee,
I can't speak for Puppet and I'm sure he has his own brand, but I have been using the Ozone fleece rashie.
It traps a layer of water under your wetty against your skin. your body then warms the water, so it's like being wrapped in a body temperature bath whilst you kite. It works very well and is comfy. I haven't tried the long arm version for the reason Puppet outlined in his original post.
For mad warmth, the rashie under the steamer would be diabolically warm.
DM
I tend to go the other way, a wind proof layer over my springy. Pretty much does the same thing, keeps a layer of water in your wetsuit.
Some of the kiters in Auckland used to wear light Kayak jackets over their wetsuits, something like this:
www.trademe.co.nz/sports/kayaks-canoes/apparel/auction-380059235.htm
I have a 4/3 Rip Curl Fireskin and it is lined with red fleece. It's super warm but takes ages to dry.
In recent years I have become a big fan of Radiator wetsuits. www.radiator.net
They're quite cheap and comfortable and quite warm for a 3/2.
The best thing is that they dry very quickly. They have smooth skin on the inside and you can wipe it dry if you need to.
I'll try adding my polypropylene thermal underwear to the Radiator and see how it goes.
I have also started wearing a neoprene beanie. It's nice and warm and a bit less constricting than a hood and visor. I got mine from ebay for $18.
wetsuits are all wrong for kiting - they suck out the heat faster that you make it, got myself an old school smoothskin 2mm front zip beaver tail - it absolutely smokes the surfing suits of today - easy to put on and take off and way warmer, dries quicker due to smoothskin and if you get too hot you just unzip for a min or 2, easy..
I have the Quicksilver Cypher heat vest which I used last winter under my wetsuit.
Vest is 2mm thick with Infra Red gel like pack on the lower back.
2 x heat settings , rechargeable 2hr battery incorporated into heat controller.
Just operate by pressing button through your wetsuit.
Keeps you warm as toast , only really need to use it on the low setting in Perth.
Its not cheap but it is another option.
thats a good option if you own all the parts... but by the time someone was to buy a 2/2 springsuit, a fleece rashie and skins leggings you could easily have brought a 3/2 or 4/3 steamer for the same price.
And the new mega stretch wetsuits are really comfortable and easy to wear.
Surely I mentioned that "I wasnt sure what other rashie brands make 'fleecys' but that Woodys does have locally made West-suits in stock".
Looking around for other options at the moment as well.
Thanks Darren. I'm thinking short arm fleecy will probably be the ultimate combo as well.
And it doesnt have a lot to do with price. A good fleecy+2/2 will cost you around the same as equivalent quality 3/2.
For me cost is inconsequential to comfort - esp re cold water comfort.
a Cressi (or similar) 3mm scuba suit is good for kiting in, they have zips at the cuff and ankle, and therefore don't need to be so stetchy, which keeps the water out.
This is the only wettie I have kited in that doesn't get the "water spout" up the leg !
A Flying Objects L/S 3/2 Steamer keeps me warm and comfy, they have velcro around the ankles that stops them from from filling with water.
Darren, going for a surf trip over east in july - bells beach etc, was wondering what wetty you would suggest including the fleece rashie (which I assume you stock), that I also could use back in perth kiting the winter stuff?
Cheers
eppo
seeing as I know he stocks the wetty I was just talking about earlier.
Cheers for that tightlines. Flying objects hey? Didn't know they did wetsuites. mm will check them out. Surely they don't have the same evolution over time as the normal brands. Will research more. Cheers, still suspect, always have gone piping hot, rip curl billabong etc, but open minded. Fleece rashy, getting one of those!
seeing as I know he stocks the wetty I was just talking about earlier.
Ok, my cloths for kiting and surfing sorted. Springy, micro fleece long sleave, and then good rashie and rubber hat optional.....should cover all weather I want to be in all year round.......dam don't have boardies.
The best thing is no kn full wet suite...I just hate them.
hack a bit of blubber off the whale thats just come in, stick it under a footy jumper and bung on a pair of stubbies.
Works for me
Don't forget the boardies over the top of the wettie. That's what keeps me goolies nice and toasty (90% of body heat is lost through the goolies FACT).
I think someone has forgotten which head loses the most heat. Its the one on your shoulders fella not the old boy hangin' between your legs..........
And yes Chris I will miss one of only 3000 Australian sea lions left in the world with a decreasing population that makes our island a special place.
Just go the whale up toward the leads... just don't say the ranger sent ya'
@ Puppet Price for the fleece is only $69.
@tightlines - You wanna job?
@eppo - What he said ^^^^^
@14nce - The FO Flux steamers use pretty much the exact same rubber and stitching GBS as the top brands. An FO 3/2 Steamer is $399 as opposed to $550-$599 for Oneill, Ripcurl, Billabong and Quicksilver. You're buying the name! [}:)]
The new FO wetties are also designed for kiting and poledancing unlike surf suits. They are pretty much the shizzle and definately the best value.
DM
Ripcurl Fireskin, if your paying $550+ your paying 3! to 2 times too much or for the distributors new Mercedes, which is very kind of you in which case.
Are these fleeces at all warm by themselves, as in significantly warmer than a regular rashie by itself, or do they need to be under a wetsuit to get the effect?
Da future is layers.
Advances in clothing technology in the past years have been fantastic. Mix and match is the go, promotes competition amongst brands, brings prices down, increases customer satisfaction through flexibility; and you can replace items as they wear out thus you are never up for a new wettie.................I hate full wetties!
Darren Would the FO they be suitable for surfing or is the stretch in different places - i.e. I presume a kiting wetty wouldn't need the flexibility in the shoulders as much (for us mere mortals anyhow).
Be up soon to check them out if they can serve as a surfing wetty as well. Put a fleece rashy aside to if you could, defintiely getting one of those for cold bells beach!
