Westsuits

[gbagua]

Would you personally recommend using one (3mm) for Bookookoorara gorge, northern NSW? There is a considerable amount of swimming over deep pools, plus the fact many of them are in shady areas, and carrying stuff, will put the human body under an energy deficit, hence keeping warm is a must for a comfortable hike. You can also add the buoyancy factor of a wetsuit which will ease swimming and therefore energy output will be lessened. Last time (Jan. 2015) I was shivering in Mt Barney's Upper Portals and there wasn't that much swimming, my legs were numb after 4 hours of rock-hopping and crossing short creek sections, and I was as hungry as a wild lion (didn't bring enough food with me ).

I have used a wetsuit before but in Pyrenean canyons which involved abseiling, swimming in dark gorge sections with virtually no sunlight, in water that never sees the sun, basically a damn cold environment. A wetsuit in those conditions is part of essential gear.


Then on top of that, how would you keep yourself warm if one has to do a overnighter carrying an ultralight pack (food, bivvy bag, light inflatable mat, camera). A change of clothes is something I am not too keen to bring because that would mean extra weight to carry, so I was thinking of spending the night with the wetsuit on.

Any suggestions (especially from those of you who have hiked Bookookoorara Ck.)?

Cheers!

[Moondog55]

I haven't dome it for decades and never where you are going
BUT
A 3mm wetsuit won't do much and they are not particularly robust either
I used a 4.5mm Farmer John and an old Nylon one piece M/C suit modified for LiLoing. Knee patches added with CCF in between ditto elbows/ collar
A change of dry clothes is a must in my past experience; and these days because I'm a sinker not a floater and a very poor swimmer I'd add in a 50/75 Newton PFD

[DarrenM]

I probably cant help with the specific gorge, but like all things it's pretty subjective depending on a whole heap of variables.

My experience with wetties comes from a range of different uses including surfing, waterskiing, packrafting and canyoning over 30 years or so. All of them across a range of temperatures from warm to very cold water in winter. Waterskiing mid winter on the Hawkesbury at 6am has probably produced some of the best hypothermia I've experienced due to windchill but not really relevant to the topic. Dry suits for the win these days.

Surfing and canyoning in old style wetsuits 25 years ago was definitely a different experience to what it can be today. The technology in new surfing wetties today is a whole different ball game. The fatigue that came with the old style wetsuits along with the fact that they weren't all that warm had me searching for better wetsuits all the time and I'm due for another new one soon. Canyoning in my opinion needs a good stretchy surf wetsuit due to walking and scrambling all day. I have a good 4mm for prolonged cold water use but it is so tiring that a good 2/3mm wetsuit is wins every time.

I wore a 2/3mm for 6 days straight on a packraft trip but had to pull the top down and tie the arms around my waist because it was too hot. Farmer Johns would be good not as easy to find these days. Canyon water has it's own special kind of cold but plenty of people I know still travel fast and light in shorts and t shirt through very cold conditions, but they are experienced and are fairly hardy souls.

In terms of the ultralight question and how you would keep yourself warm...take the extra set of clothes. If you have been as cold as you say on previous trips then what's the point of doing it to satisfy your ultralight persona. Sleeping in a wetsuit is a gamble based entirely on the overnight temp. One set of clothes can be thermals and lightweight kit that really wont take up much space in the pack. Being hungry wont help your body temp either. If you cant carry a few hundred extra grams, something is wrong. You are there to enjoy the surrounds and should be looking outward, not shivering or wondering if you should have taken more kit etc.

One thing I do like about wetsuits is the extra padding when scrambling or being battered on a river somewhere.

I'm keen to know how it went anyway and what type of conditions you encountered so keep us posted and have fun.

[ofuros]

Only addition to my normal wear is a pair of neoprene socks.
Rock-hopping downstream is hot work, so no wetsuit for me.
6inch underarmour boxers to reduce chafing between the legs.
Strip down to shorts, swim, dry & move on.
Once you get to Boonoo Boonoo river @ Wallaroo junction the valley widens out & heats up.

At the end of the days adventure, i change into something dry, usually light thermals
& dry the clothes used during the day. Another option to use the thermals during the day too if getting chilled, they dry quick.

Unless its changed recently the river borders the state forest, so unless there's a fire ban on in the region, it should be ok to light a fire below the floodline if need be & the next flood will erase all trace.

Anyway, enjoy your trip at the end of the month, hopefully the weather gods will look after you.
Are you doing the circuit, Harrigans exit or pushing on to Boonoo Boonoo Falls ?

[Moondog55]

I had noticed the there were no Farmer Johns on the racks lately, why is this?
Not that I am ever going to be in the market again but that configuration was always the most practical for me

[DarrenM]

Very small market for them Moondog. When you think about it, anyone wanting to stay warm will probably need a steamer (full length) and cutting the arms off doesn't make sense for surfers which is by far the largest market.

Some of the new wetties are so good and incredibly elastic which I think may have been a part of the reason Farmer Johns were designed that way. Paddling out at a beach break in 10 foot surf would have your arms screaming and a wetsuit could add to the fatigue.

For old school open boat Packrafting they seemed perfect for me as temperature wasn't all that much of a problem as I was too busy skiing in winter anyway, and these days it's all full deck and drysuits etc.
Paddling for eight hours day after day can be tiring in a full length.

Canyoning, at least in the Blue Mountains, is too cold for anything less than a steamer for most people although this is dependant on the canyon etc.

So I would say it is too small a market to sustain any decent profit.

[north-north-west]

Farmer Johns were at one stage simply half of the two part diving wetsuit, the other part being a jacket of some sort. Far more versatility and overall warmth (double thickness on torso, for instance) than a single piece suit.
I still use one of my old FJs (from my first pro suit) for kayaking in cooler conditions. What was once a lovely warm 7mm suit is now compressed to little more than two layers of lycra at the knees, but it's still good enough for that sort of thing.

[gbagua]

Thanks for your input. However I need to know the water temperature on average, not that I'm a cry baby especially after having one on for 8h and the day being particularly hot and sunny, and then going through a lot of rock-hopping, hence being in a relatively cool water for a swim -even a long one- would be a blessing from heaven.

Maybe I don't really need a wetsuit after all, it can be a real drag to have one on if the sun starts hitting hard at the peak of summer (end of Jan). Does this make sense?

Cheers!

[simonm]

NRS still make Farmer John's, they can be found here - http://gippslandkayakcompany.com.au/sto ... uit-three/

[ofuros]

Thanks for your input. However I need to know the water temperature on average, not that I'm a cry baby especially after having one on for 8h and the day being particularly hot and sunny, and then going through a lot of rock-hopping, hence being in a relatively cool water for a swim -even a long one- would be a blessing from heaven.

Maybe I don't really need a wetsuit after all, it can be a real drag to have one on if the sun starts hitting hard at the peak of summer (end of Jan). Does this make sense?

Cheers!

I'll be in & around the locale on the weekend, I'll see if I can get a rough water temperature for you.

[gbagua]

Are you doing the creek? You mentioned in another thread it's on your to-do list.

Thanks heaps!

[bumper]

Myself and a few friends did Bookookoorara early Dec,Don't bother with a wetsuit you'll be to hot.
By the time you get to the first swim through you will have a decent sweat up. I just wore quick dry shirt and shorts.
Theres only one waterfall you bypass, we went up and around the left hand side. A short rope might be handy.
Take light thermals for the night it does get cool at night.
Dunlop volleys are the best they don't slip on the wet rocks.
Start as early as you can, the first day is a long one. We got caught in a storm and had to stop earlier than we wanted.
If you have a hammock take it instead, not much flat ground.
Once you get to Boonoo Boonoo river it definitely heats up, The water was warm. a long sleeved shirt would be handy.

Have fun You'll love it

[ofuros]

Are you doing the creek? You mentioned in another thread it's on your to-do list.

Thanks heaps!

It's definitely warm enough to do it....but won't
have enough time unless I head downstream under headlamp the night before.

[ofuros]

Bookookoorara water temp...a luke warm 26c.

[Hiking Noob]

That is quite warm, still, if you are worried Rip Curl have a multisport thermal rashie that may help- https://www.wetsuitwearhouse.com/PROD/W ... GgdIHbNK00

[ofuros]

A trickle of a falls @ the moment.....

Covered in sweat from exploring the falls, I
submerged myself in the head pool. Paradise
...apart from a big black buzzing horse/march fly that circled
& tried to nibble me when it thought i wasn't looking.

Teva sandals gripped well on the dry cliff face, good enough to descend to the bottom pool.

A little further down the road you can catch a glimpse of the old Rivertree Silver Mine chimney,
through the trees, although you still can't access it yet.

[gbagua]

Thanks for the quick report guys. No wetsuit for sure, 26 deg. is crazy warm. Dunlop Volleys will be, I don't want to trash a nice pair of hiking shoes I got. Yes thermals + cheapo $4 pad from Kmart + SOL bivvy bag.

Did your dry bags leak? What was your setup?

Ta.