Hi guys, i'm from cold old tassie and i'm really starting to crave windsurfing again after 4 months off because of the temperature 
. at the moment i just have an average 100 dollar wetsuit, but have a birthday coming up and i'm looking to upgrade, so that i may spend the rest of winter and spring in the water, but also warm 
just wondering if anyone has some advice on what to buy and what price i'm looking at 
cheers 
In Melbourne I use a Radiator 3/2 steamer and it is adequate for the even the coldest weather. It's quite cheap at $328. The Radiator people give great service and they're happy to exchange and pay for the postage so you get the right size.http://www.radiator.net/Item.aspx?CID=3&PID=14
In winter I use a rubber rashie to you would want to add that to the price.
The big advantage of the Radiator is that they're cheap and they dry very quickly. Important if you want to have more than one session in a day, or sessions two days in a row in cold weather. The inside is shiny silver material and you can wipe it dry if you have to.
The disadvantage is that the inside is cold to the skin when you first put it on. The zip/neck system is not super sophisticated so you do get a bit of flush through when you fall in or duck dive waves.
I hve a Rip Curl F-Bomb 4/3 steamer. It is warmer than the Radiator and more sophisticated but also much more expensive at $600. It takes ages to dry (up to a week in winter.)
Whatever you get it must have sealed seams, and get a hat and some decent booties. My Rip Curl has an integrated hood which is wonderful.
The best suit is one that fits properly.
A lot of people down here use the thick ones from the Anchor factory outlet in Goodwood - they have a good sale on show weekend every year. I found they didn't fit me very well though. I got an O'Neil Evo 5/4 sent over from Pommyland - check the net for good sales over there at the start of their summer (start of winter here).
Smooth skin suits are generally considered warmer, as the water doesn't stick to it and then cool as the wind blows over it, but they will not last as long, especially if you stack a lot onto the board, or surf as well.
Don't listen to any advice from anyone from a latitude higher than Melbourne, they have no idea what this "coldness" thing is. 
Ive been using 2 thermals under mine and that has helped although its not as cold as it would be down there in Tassie ( water gets to 11dgrees and usually sailing in min 12 - 16 degree air temp).
In the local sailing shop I just discovered a wetsuit 'top' like a rash vest but wetsuit that dinghy sailors use $60 so I'm going to buy one of those to put over my 2/3mm suit and hopefully that will be a cheap way to be toasty in winter..
In a previous post someone from Ireland recomended a Promotion 5/3 windsurfing suit and going on their comments and the cold water they sail in I bought one online and it is fantastic. The arms are made oversize so no arm pump from being squeezed and they are just so stretchy. Total cost $435 incl freight and $ exchange fees delivered to door in 10 days
By the way you can't take too much notice of reccomendations of what a warm wetsuit is from people who sail in warmer water.
Feels like we have had 4 months off too but is is due to lack of wind
www.ripcurl.com.au/mens/wetsuits/steamers.html
from a few years ago.
Plenty warm enough for me.
Just got a Neil Pryde X 4/3 assassin - use it twice - 13 degrees air temp minus wind chill (5.1 degree) 13 degree water - good price, warm as toast and designed for Windsurfing - a bit tough to get out of the first time but not a leak anywhere and got leg tapes to stop water pumping up ya legs - half the price of an E bomb too - they are semi dry suits - warmest I've been for a long time - worth a look
Surfed with a bloke the other day who had a battery packed wettie. Apparently it has three heat settings of between 37 -41 degrees. A bit of over-kill really however for the cashed up surfer I suppose $1500 is not too much for a wetsuit I suppose!?
PS A mate scored a new Rip Curl with the chest zip. He says it's very effective at keeping water out.
Rip Curl give a lifetime warranty on seams. I've had great value out of getting minor defects repaired free of charge on old wetsuits. On one wettie they completely replaced the top half of the suit with the latest fabric. It was crap that the suit wore out but it was great that they fixed it.
The days of overly tight wetties pumping out your forearms are long gone. Even cheap wetsuits are far more stretchy and comfortable than they used to be.
I swear by my RipCurl E-Bomb 4-3 steamer and 3-2 springsuit. The steamer is a chest zip version and is warm as toast over a Victorian winter. Once you try the E (elastomer) fabric you wont be able to go back to a conventional wetsuit. It just stretches and is super comfortable. The E-Bomb is a top dollar wetsuit but you do get what you pay for and the RipCurl lifetime warranty on the seams on all their wetsuits is honoured without question.
it does the job but is quite restrictive compared to the stretchy material in my new cheap one ( that let water pour in everytime I fell in).
I use a ion 5/4. Was quite comfy in 4degrees minus the wind chill which was below zero:-) The wind sports specific are much better in the serious winter wetsuits as they have a smooth skin which seems to makes a big difference, and the arms are cut with more room which seems to make a difference when wearing so much rubber... They aren't cheap, but its cheap insurance if all goes tits up and your stuck in the water for a long time.
So it's is not just comfort, but also safety as well, which of course depends on where you sail.
