BayAreaKiteboarding.com

What type of wetsuit does one recommend for the Bay Area?
Brand, thickness etc.

I use 4/3 as my all around suit, i will wear a 3/2 shorty at Sherman and wear a light thermal under my 4/3 if i'm in the ocean.

As for fit, you really have to try them on to see what suits your body shape. O'neil has worked for me the best, and is going 5 years strong. I also have a Billabong. Mystic makes some good looking womens suits though i've never tried one on because i don't want to be tempted to buy one, when a wetsuit is low on my kite equipment wish list :)

I recommend birthday suits

Oh, that sounds like a PERFECT idea. =D>

Sorry for being a guy. :)

Ripcurl, O'Neill, Billabong, etc. All good brands. I have been wearing RipCurl for most of 30 years (Body Glove before that). 4/3 is good for ocean and any winter kiting (not a 3/2 for winter or ocean), 3/2 or even spring suits on warmest days in the Bay. How exciting moving to the SF Bay Area !!

Neil Pryde makes great wetsuits for windsurfing and kite surfing. The 5000 is almost dry inside and shed all the water. It has something like rubber on top of the neoprene. Not easy to get into, but nothing comes for free.

elli wrote:Neil Pryde makes great wetsuits for windsurfing and kite surfing. The 5000 is almost dry inside and shed all the water. It has something like rubber on top of the neoprene. Not easy to get into, but nothing comes for free.

I have surfed for over 30y and would have never considered a Neil Pryde wetsuit .... but for one missing feature on surf wetsuits. Kiteboarding (and perhaps windsurfing (I don't know) can force water up into the leg of the wetsuit making it look like you have elephantitus of the leg. Some wind-sport specific suits have a velcro around the ankle which should prevent this. (The only problem is if water is forced into the suit through the neck hole (which certainly happens in the ocean) it will not be able to escape if ankles are tightened up.

Glen from Rainbow fins told me a trick to deal with water accumulation in the legs. he said put 2-3 holes (approx 3-4mm diameter) in the back of the leg of the suit (a few cm above the ankle). This will allow trapped water to drain (and even better accomodate water that came in through the neck.... but requires user modification of the suit).

Thanks for the recommendations everyone!

Neilpryde NXP 4/3. I have been using this suit for the ocean and bay (during winter months) for my third season and it is still bomber. During the summer months, I use a 2/1 shorty or 3/2 with shortsleeves for early morning sessions. I have tried using surfsuits and there are pretty good but the NXP offers a few things that surfsuits don't. For one the NXP has padding built into the shins for the times when your board decides to "whack you" in the shin. I have never had a problem with the elephant calf because of the water going up the leg or down the neck. It is extremely warm even in the cold winter months. I do recommend a hoodie that will keep your head warm. I talked a couple of buddies into getting one and they like it a lot better than their surfsuits.