Recommendation for a wetsuit

[RinkyDink]

In the end I settled on a 4/3 O'neill Heat. No fuss no muss workingman's wetsuit. It was affordable and it fit me perfectly. I love the old school back zip design. I didn't like the internal neck collars that are pulled over the head in the new, top-of-the-line models. I found that design annoying. I'll see how the Heat holds up through the rest of the year.

[RinkyDink]

I've figured out a couple things for myself when it comes to my wetsuit preferences. I really like a back-zip wetsuit that comes off easily. The other necessity for me is that my deep winter wetsuit must have a wind protection laminate. I've used a custom fit 4/3 wetsuit with only a partial wind protection laminate (back protection only) and one with back and front protection. There's a huge difference in comfort ifor me. Wind was the main reason I would get cold before, but now with the full laminate my core doesn't get cold when freezing onshore winds kick up.

[saltydog]

Rinky, I agree with you on the internal flap thing on some oneill suits. What a royal pain! One time I tried it on at the store, I had the hardest time trying to get out of it. I almost had called a store guy to give me a hand I also agree on having enough the wind protection on the body. I do have to say that normal front zip suits are really comfortable to surf in. You can sometimes find deals on Amazon or eBay once you know which size and model you want.

[RinkyDink]

I do have to say that normal front zip suits are really comfortable to surf in. You can sometimes find deals on Amazon or eBay once you know which size and model you want.

I agree that they are comfortable. I have a custom fit front zip, Yamamoto neoprene wetsuit that fits perfectly, but I fiind the front zip Houdini routine removal process a hassle. I've been using that suit for at least a year so I can live with a front zip. I just find that wetsuit material is so good these days that I don't need a front zip for my surfing area . . . although I still haven't tested my new wetsuit on a really cold dawn patrol session day. The kind of day you need to drink two cups of coffee before you strip down outside your car to put your wetsuit on. That's when my new wetsuit will really need to prove itself. I'll keep you updated.

[RinkyDink]

I've been loving my new wetsuit. I knew the back zipper was the weakest part of the suit and I usually go slow on my zips. Today however, after I checked the surf, I got a little spastic as I was putting my wetsuit on. My zipper got stuck and instead of being patient I gave it a little more force to get it zipped and, voila, the zipper broke. It's still under warranty. O'neill gave me a loaner wetsuit and is repairing it-- 3-5 weeks for repair. I still like the suit, but I realize I have to take more care with my zips. Hopefully, it's just a matter of going slow on pulling the zipper up, but I'll let you know if I have any other problems after it's repaired. I used my old custom suit today and I couldn't believe how restrictive it felt compared to my newer suit. I think my muscle mass has increased since I got that custom suit because it felt really restrictive today. Anyway, that's the latest.

[RinkyDink]

I took the O'Neill Epic 4/3 loaner out today. I got cold after about an hour. At the two hour mark I went in because of the cold. The Epic fit great and would make a good summer wetsuit for me, but the stitching let too much water in to make it a viable winter suit in my opinion. Just my two cents.

[saltydog]

That's great that your new suit is working out... minus the broken zipper. Hopefully it's more of an operator issue than a quality problem.

That's pretty good that Oneill is loaning you a wetsuit. But my Epic 4/3 lost its magic after 6 months and after 2 seasons it's too cold for me to wear below 62-64F. The seams are separating here and there and even Aquaseal can't keep me warm enough. So, it's an acceptable suit on a budget but not a reliable one for the winter, especially up north.

That same Epic... one time I got my rash guard stuck in the zipper and I couldn't lower it below mid back to take the suit off. After contemplating on asking a stranger for help , sacrificing the wetsuit, or ripping the rash guard, I managed to take off the shirt while it was still stuck to the suit. That was more due to the rash guard being old and loose, but there are multiple times the zipper refused to zip up in a single pull unless I pulled the back panels close together, so that might be a common issue with back zip suits.

I now have a new older model Xcel 3/2 infiniti that I've scored on Amazon that keeps me warmer, easier to zip, and keeps me more flexible, so my 4/3 Epic is designated to be a pre-and post-summer short season suit. I have to say, I love the front zip expect that I feel like my left ear would get ripped off every time I'm taking the neck flap off. Might be because I have big, pointy ears

[RinkyDink]

That's great that your new suit is working out... minus the broken zipper. Hopefully it's more of an operator issue than a quality problem.

That's pretty good that Oneill is loaning you a wetsuit. But my Epic 4/3 lost its magic after 6 months and after 2 seasons it's too cold for me to wear below 62-64F. The seams are separating here and there and even Aquaseal can't keep me warm enough. So, it's an acceptable suit on a budget but not a reliable one for the winter, especially up north.

That same Epic... one time I got my rash guard stuck in the zipper and I couldn't lower it below mid back to take the suit off. After contemplating on asking a stranger for help , sacrificing the wetsuit, or ripping the rash guard, I managed to take off the shirt while it was still stuck to the suit. That was more due to the rash guard being old and loose, but there are multiple times the zipper refused to zip up in a single pull unless I pulled the back panels close together, so that might be a common issue with back zip suits.

I now have a new older model Xcel 3/2 infiniti that I've scored on Amazon that keeps me warmer, easier to zip, and keeps me more flexible, so my 4/3 Epic is designated to be a pre-and post-summer short season suit. I have to say, I love the front zip expect that I feel like my left ear would get ripped off every time I'm taking the neck flap off. Might be because I have big, pointy ears

The thing that annoyed me most about my wetsuit experience was learning that my old custom wetsuit I used for a year and a half was so awful. When I took it out to surf as a replacement for my damaged suit, I couldn't believe how tight and restrictive it was around my shoulders. It was hell paddling in that suit. I've been struggling against that straight jacket for so long and thinking the whole time it was the perfect fit (kookalicious). I realize now that old wetsuit actually slowed my progress down a lot. It's not until you have something else to compare your main piece of equipment to that you truly have a way of evaluating the quality of your equipment. Oh well, live and learn.

[saltydog]

The thing that annoyed me most about my wetsuit experience was learning that my old custom wetsuit I used for a year and a half was so awful. When I took it out to surf as a replacement for my damaged suit, I couldn't believe how tight and restrictive it was around my shoulders. It was hell paddling in that suit. I've been struggling against that straight jacket for so long and thinking the whole time it was the perfect fit (kookalicious). I realize now that old wetsuit actually slowed my progress down a lot. It's not until you have something else to compare your main piece of equipment to that you truly have a way of evaluating the quality of your equipment. Oh well, live and learn.

Could it be that the suit has dried out and shrunk from lack of use? One time I’ve put on a wetsuit that I had stored for about 10 years and it’s torso had shortened so much it was no longer usable for me. The one used wetsuit I’ve tried on at a store was significantly tighter than a brand new one of the same brand and size. It had the batwing flap to boot. I was worried that I had to purchase it just so I could tear it apart to take it off.
Of course it might be the material being less flexible. Or you’ve gained more muscle mass around your shoulders.

[dtc]

More muscle. If the old suit doesn’t fit its always due to more muscle. Even when it’s around the belly, it’s just improved abs.

[RinkyDink]

More muscle. If the old suit doesn’t fit its always due to more muscle. Even when it’s around the belly, it’s just improved abs.

I think you could be right. My back muscles are surely bigger and my neck muscles are as well. Problems you want to have I guess.

[RinkyDink]

The thing that annoyed me most about my wetsuit experience was learning that my old custom wetsuit I used for a year and a half was so awful. When I took it out to surf as a replacement for my damaged suit, I couldn't believe how tight and restrictive it was around my shoulders. It was hell paddling in that suit. I've been struggling against that straight jacket for so long and thinking the whole time it was the perfect fit (kookalicious). I realize now that old wetsuit actually slowed my progress down a lot. It's not until you have something else to compare your main piece of equipment to that you truly have a way of evaluating the quality of your equipment. Oh well, live and learn.

Could it be that the suit has dried out and shrunk from lack of use? One time I’ve put on a wetsuit that I had stored for about 10 years and it’s torso had shortened so much it was no longer usable for me. The one used wetsuit I’ve tried on at a store was significantly tighter than a brand new one of the same brand and size. It had the batwing flap to boot. I was worried that I had to purchase it just so I could tear it apart to take it off.
Of course it might be the material being less flexible. Or you’ve gained more muscle mass around your shoulders.

It could have. There's a two year warranty on the suit so it shouldn't be too bad. I think I've gotten bigger, the suit has gotten older, and the fit was overly tight from the start (probably why I was complaining about the chest zips). At any rate, I didn't recognize the flaws in the suit because it was a custom fit. Silly me.

[saltydog]

It’s totally normal to expect a custom suit to fit like a glove. Otherwise what’s the point, right? On the same token, I’m not a fan of back zip because it’s restrictive. But O’Neill doesn’t have enough space for my shoulders while it’s baggy around the butt so it could be more about shape mismatch than the opening type. My kids fit fine in O’Neill and they don’t want to deal with the hassle of the chest zip so we all like different things.

[jddc7]

I been told by a mate that if you havent used your suit in awhile to throw it in the laundry trough or bath and fill with water and leave for a few days. This will then loosen it again. Not sure if it works but can't hurt to try

[saltydog]

I been told by a mate that if you havent used your suit in awhile to throw it in the laundry trough or bath and fill with water and leave for a few days. This will then loosen it again. Not sure if it works but can't hurt to try

I’ve heard of rehydrating wetsuits by soaking in water but it didn’t work for a 10 year old rip curl. Neoprene might have an expiration date of sort, unless I didn’t soak it long enough.

[saltydog]

Rinky, how's your 4/3 Oneill Heat working out? My kid is looking into getting one. Is it warm enough both in water and against the wind?

[Beginner77]

I been told by a mate that if you havent used your suit in awhile to throw it in the laundry trough or bath and fill with water and leave for a few days. This will then loosen it again. Not sure if it works but can't hurt to try

I’ve heard of rehydrating wetsuits by soaking in water but it didn’t work for a 10 year old rip curl. Neoprene might have an expiration date of sort, unless I didn’t soak it long enough.

I can't see how that would work. All rubber degenerates over time and loses its stretchiness due to exposure to the air; water will certainly not rejuvenate it. Rubber is actually completely waterproof, so completely unaffected by water. When a wetsuit gets wet, the fabric covering on the neoprene will soak up water (both sides if double lined, one side if single lined), but the neoprene won't. That’s actually the whole point of a wetsuit; the neoprene contains air bubbles which insulate you and because neoprene is unaffected by water, those air bubbles remain as air to do their job.

[jaffa1949]

He probably did not have a clue from the knee pads? At least there is nothing that indicates that he's carrying a surfboard with fins on backwards at the same time...

[surf patrol]

It would be best to look for a suit with as much rubber versus material (neoprene) as possible in terms of performance. There will be different grades of rubber (which will also affect the price), but the less material, the better. Material on the outside of a wetsuit is heavy and will soak up water over time. The best zip for a surfing suit is the most flexible and comfortable and best price: the chest zip, not the basic back zip. I bought my suit now and it is still in perfect condition.

[sterobe]

Hello ! I'm looking for some wetsuit advice.

Pretty new to surfing but keen to start improving and getting out more. Decided its time to buy my own wetsuit.

I'm based in Scotland. My question is, do I really need two wetsuits or can I surf in a 5/4/3 all year?
Will I boil in the warmer months?

If I can get away with one suit, should I buy hooded and surf with the hood down when I don't need it, or is that not a good idea? Am I better with detachable?

Next question is, which suit? I'm paralysed by choice,. There are so many options! I understand the difference between back , chest, no zip and I know ill need to factor in gloves, boots, hood.

Does a do-it-all suit exist? Am I dreaming?

Any advice appreciated!