Written by Erica Nardone
PC: Erica Nardone
Winter was cold this year - really cold. The air temperature was manageable, but the water dipped well into the low-to-mid 30s °F and stayed there for a long time. That’s around 1°C. We had lucked out the past few winters with water temps in the high 30s, and trust me, there’s a huge difference. Believe it or not, once the water hits 40°F (4°C), the comfort threshold shifts significantly. NH surfers are pretty cold-blooded by winter's end. Or maybe just stubborn enough to paddle out anyway.
For perspective, New Hampshire State Beach Patrol lifeguards start tryouts in May and swim in water temperatures in the mid-to-high 40s, without wetsuits. They’re the real deal. Yes, shameless plug, my daughter is one of those guards. Meanwhile, I’m still bundled up in my hooded 5 mil with boots and gloves.
For the first time in my winter surfing career, I started changing into my wetsuit in the bathroom at school. I’d sneak in, try not to fall over in the cramped space, and scamper back out in my oversized parka, hoping no one noticed the wetsuit booties underneath.
The few people who did notice just laughed and said it was too cold to surf, and that I was crazy. Usually, I just pull my cold, damp suit from the back of the car and do the wetsuit shimmy on the side of the road, hoping to not to flash a passing car while I slosh around in the snowbanks. It’s cold, awkward, and would probably be considered bizarre almost anywhere else in the world.
All of this gave me the chance to truly put my 00 BY XIIIG hooded 5 mil to the test this winter.
The verdict: it’s the most flexible, comfortable, fast-drying, and easiest wetsuit to get in and out of that I’ve ever owned. The zipper is rugged. The hood is snug. This suit is top-notch and absolutely bulletproof.
There were some unexpected wins, too. My gloves never filled with water, which I think comes down to the suit barely absorbing any water itself. The Yamamoto rubber is no joke, and 00 BY XIIIG doesn’t cut corners with cheaper materials. I never realized how soggy and heavy traditional wetsuits become until I switched back to my hooded backup 5mil from another company. I was shocked by how heavy it felt once wet, and I constantly found myself rolling up the sleeves to drain my gloves.
I’m ruined now. I know what top-of-the-line wetsuit technology feels like, and it’s hard to go back. I still have a basement full of suits from other brands, but all I want to wear is my 00.
I’m already looking forward to getting a hooded 00 BY XIIIG 4 mil and trying the new women’s suit releasing this summer. 00 BY XIIIG and CKTH are among the most authentic brands I’ve ever encountered. Discussing ideas, design, and creativity with the owner has been uniquely awesome.
So it’s fair to say: I’m officially a wetsuit convert.
The best part? The suit is still fully intact and ready for another New Hampshire winter.
For women on the fence about wearing a men’s wintersuit, the conversion is happening in NH. The 00 BY XIIIG is built in a way that truly conforms to your body and, after a few surfs, fits like a glove. The suit also recognizes that hardcore winter surfers often have the shoulders and a body built to power through heavy winter conditions — and they need suits designed to match.
Questions about sizing, feel free to reach out!
Read Erica's previous CKTH article here
