Surfing Waves

Shopping for my first new wetsuit (I’ve been using a Hurley 4/3 chest zip which is at easily 5-6+ years old...I’m at least the third owner). Trying to decide between chest zip and zipperless. Right now I’m leaning toward the O’Neill Hyperfreak Comp 4/3 zipless, but I’m a bit concerned about durability and ease of use.

How well do the zipperless designs hold up over time? I’d be willing to sacrifice some flexibility and warmth if thats what it takes to get a suit which lasts more than a year. Also, how well do the fancy liners and neoprenes (like Technobutter) stand up to heavy use? I’m gonna be using it for probably 12-15 hours a week through the San Diego winter.

Micheal, I'm glad you asked this question and hope you receive good responses. I am curious about this, too.

Whatever you get, make sure it fits well and you can get in and out of it easily. I tried a zipperless Rip Curl 4/3 a few years ago, and I had to have my buddy help me out of it. That was in a warm, dry store and NOT after a long session. The salesperson tried to tell me that it would stretch over time and get easier. Maybe that's true, but I just imagined trying to get out of it by myself in a cold parking lot after a 3-hour session. It just seemed like more trouble than it's worth.

Keep in mind, too, that a lot of the strain on a wetsuit comes not from surfing but from pulling it on and off. So, a zipperless 4/3 surfing 12-15 hours a week? Good luck with that lasting more than a season, IMO.

In general, I think you should expect to get 2 years max out of a wetsuit if you're surfing that much. I can usually notice a drop in warmth after the first year or so. But in SD, you're probably only using a 4/3 for half of the year, if that. Now I'm not saying it won't still fit after 2 years, but the warmth factor will def drop.

Last of all and then I'll shut up - O'Neill suits don't fit me well so I don't use 'em. The more expensive brands like Matuse and Patagonia are above my pay grade. But over the years, I've surfed Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Xcel, Hurley, and Billabong. In my experience, the lined Billabong suits have consistently lasted longer and stayed warmer than any of the others, without sacrificing flexibility. I got a solid 3+ years out of my last Billabong Furnace chest-zip 4/3 - more than any other suit I've owned.

But like I said at the top, whatever you decide you should try it on first and make sure it's going to perform for you. Just my 2 cents.

I have a Body Glove zipperless 3/2 with the red cell lining. It’s REALLY easy to don and doff, and it insulates like a 4/3 due to the red cell. I’ve used it probably 30-40 times in the last year and it’s my favorite wetsuit.

I have billabong, quicksilver and Hyperflex chest zip suits as well... Hyperflex is the most comfy but I suspect won’t last quite as long as the others (which is fine, they are way more affordable), billabong are probably the best mid-level IMO, and the quicksilver suit I have is really well made, but ironically the zipper needed repair after just a couple uses. I bought that one through an online retailer known for low prices and I suspect it was on sale for a reason. So I’d buy another quicksilver in a second, as well as the above listed brands.

O’neill and Rip Curl don’t seem to fit me very well, so I can’t comment on those, but as far as I know they are high quality.

Tom

I bought a Hyperflex 3/2 a while back. It fit perfectly! Then I took it in the water and it leaked so bad I returned it. I could literally feel water running through the seams as the swell passed under my board in the lineup. Maybe they've improved since then but it sure left a bad impression. GTK, about the Body Glove suits, though.

Wait a minute, did you say the Hurley 4/3 is 5-6+ years old and been worn by 3 different owners ?? Well, damn, that's one of the best selling points I've ever heard. What more convincing does anyone need........ you should buy a Hurley wetsuit.

( by the way, I own a Hurley 3/2 full 4/3 full and 2/2 Spring. Fit is a bit strange since the calf area seems wider than most brands )

WKK, I thought the same thing!

LOL - good point WKK! Although... maybe it looks something like this?


http://www.starthrower.org/images/external%20links/M&B%20wetsuit%20front%20and%20back.jpg

got a new winter wetsuit in December, tried on the rip curl zipperless (like wrestling a gorilla to get off and on), tried the chest zip rip curl, billabong, ended up with an O'Neill psycho one chest zip with the technobutter, so comfy and easy to get in and out of and toasty warm.

I can't reply in direct answer to your question, because I've never tried zipperless, but in response to the above discussion on brands, I've tried loads over the years (I'm a beginner at surfing, but windsurf regularly and also SUP and scuba dive). I've tried so many because I have trouble finding ones that fit me. I swear by chest zip, because back zips limit flexibility and usually lets loads of water in.

Here's what I've found from the ones I've owned:

Gul: These fit me by far the best (mainly because they do a 'tall' option in their sizing) but the seams fray and stitching unravels after a few months, leaving you wanting a new suit after a season, or even sooner if you surf regularly. With a combination of patches and glue I keep them going though, just cause they fit so well.

O'Neill: Well made, but their surf suits don't fit me very well. Strangely I have a dive suit by them that fits perfectly and I've had it about five years without any obvious wear (other than the logos wearing off), but diving is a very low wear activity cause you're just floating around.

Pro-Limit (not sure they make surfing suits): Very well made, but just didn't fit well (they expect windsurfers to be short and stout, whereas I'm tall and lean).

Ion: Well made.

Neilpryde: Very well made, although their windsurfing suits are made of extremely fragile neoprene. The standard fit is awful on me (same as Pro-Limit above), but I had one altered to fit me.

Snugg (made to measure British brand): Wow - easily the best made suit I've ever owned; an obvious step change from off the peg. I've had a winter one for a few years of heavy use and it's almost like new, other than faded logos. They also repair wear and tear for free. The only issue I had was with the neck, which as standard fitted really loose and needed three trips back to them to get it anywhere near snug (pun not intended).

If I was starting again, I'd get a Snugg winter and a Snugg summer suit. It'd cost a lot, but I'd break even after 2-3 years I reckon (by which time I'd have been through 5 or 6 off the peg suits at £100-£200 each).