Wetsuits are designed to minimise the amount of water between your skin and the suit because the water conducts your heat away. They also minimise the exchange of water, so that you can warm it up, after which you don't lose more heat to it. But it's not the thin layer of water that's keeping you warm, it's that a thick layer would make you cold, as it would negate the insulation you get from the neoprene. As it says in the link, water conducts heat much faster than air.
Drysuit seals are much better than they were when wetsuits were invented - which is why many divers now use neoprene drysuits rather than wetsuits. The main benefit of a wetsuit it that it's cheap.
As mentioned above – always wear a Buoyancy Aid or life jacket on a SUP in open water…
He was a lucky chap!
Because there is an element of insulation from the neoprene…. But it’s not the main insulator.
The aim for a wetsuit manufacturer is to completely eliminate water entry to the suit whilst maintaining weight, comfort and flexibility of the suit. The neoprene is the insulator, the thin layer of water trapped between suit and body is an just an additional thing which needs to be kept warm and prevented from being recycled.
If this were achievable (and it appears they've managed it in the bulkier diving neoprene suit market as Greybeard says) then they'd still be known as wetsuits for historical reasons.
8 years SUP’ing (kayaks make my back sore 😂)
Autumn use = Musto sailing 5mm wetsuit (like InnitGareth says keeps you warm without getting it wet), or thinner and a coat or cag top. winter = Typhoon kayak dry suit with whatever needed underneath (toasty). Spring is a ballache as torso says, I never get it right.
Boots and gloves really help (Palm do great kayak gloves), 1.5-3mm neoprene boots (and wet shoes if you need to walk a way to the water)
Do wear a BA/PFD, whilst your board is a flotation device if you fall in and get cold shock you might not get to it. Seen and had to help with this twice and it is genuinely scary (both people fit and experienced summer paddlers).
Warm weather and flat for me is a Red inflatable PFD belt. White water anytime and cold weather is a proper Kayak PFD (keeps you warm too). If you’re going on rivers in the winter (usually more flow) use a waist quick release for your leash.
Because there is an element of insulation from the neoprene…. But it’s not the main insulator.
Please could you tell me the insulation value of 3mm/4mm/5mm of neoprene Vs 1mm of water?
I agree flushing water through is an issue.
But you are wrong to suggest water insulates. It may make you *feel* warm, but it doesn't keep you warm.
See:
https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/How-Wetsuits-Work.html
Using a waist leash is good practice anywhere there is a strong tidal flow as well as flowing rivers. There was a case recently where a chap died after getting tangled round a buoy. I wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't release his ankle leash after he went one way and his board went the other round the buoy chain.
Decathlon inflatable SUPs are pretty good for the money. My wife has one and has even written a review of it here:
(It's a couple of years old now so they probably don't still make the exact same model.)
