Good wetsuits that don't need repairs every 6 to 12 months

My understanding Udo, whilst i'm no Saul Goodman, regardless if offered a warranty or not you are covered in Australian via Consumer Guarantees.

https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees/consumer-gu...

Australian Law provides that there's always an implied warranty in products sold in Australia. Need state that they don't provide a 'consumer' warranty which I think is their way of saying "we don't provide a warranty over and above the minimum obligations we are required to meet by law."

Interesting link to the ACCC consumer guarantees Nochaser.

So if there's no formal warranty statement, then the consumer has a right to take action by suing for damages. Its a double edged sword for Need. If you provide a basic warranty statement and associated warranty repair service your customers are most likely to pursue a remedy following your process. If you don't provide a Warranty you are more likely to be exposed to an open-ended damages claim.

I am guessing being a 'no frills' company that Need are weighing up the odds of being sued as opposed to providing an overhead warranty service and are taking the chance that if they did end-up in court they could just wind up the company based on the legal fees associated with defending the case.

Then there's the question for the Joe bloe disgruntled consumer: if you paid $200 for a wetty that fell apart at the seams after 3 months, would you be inclined to pursue a damages claim for 6-12 months with a likely outcome of receiving $1,000 in compensation at best?

Craig , Cheer wetsuits ...your new suit .....any good....or water still to warm to try ?

Yeah great suit so far (worn about 5-10 times), but as you said still too warm unless it's overcast and the wind is howling from the south or crisp offshore as it will be tomorrow morning.

I've got the 2/2mm springy model, but it's much warmer/thicker and better quality than other 2mm springys I've had.

Fits real nice and happy with it. Will see how long it keeps me warm into winter, I think it should get me through until at least early June.

Footy jersey's work well

Went great in the chill this morning Udo, if not still just a touch warm (if always catching waves and paddling around) due to the really warm water temps at the moment.

You cunts for real? A decent wettie will cost ya..$500 or more for a decent steamer,are you that stupid to think that your $200 no name
brand is falling apart after 2 months? No wonder these days I shake my head at cunts

norchock wrote:

You cunts for real? A decent wettie will cost ya..$500 or more for a decent steamer,are you that stupid to think that your $200 no name
brand is falling apart after 2 months? No wonder these days I shake my head at cunts

I'm for real norchook! (most of the time)

Whats your favourite wetsuit brand and thickness norchock ?

What thickness wetsuit do you guys recommend for N/W W.A june july august....is a 3x2mm gbs steamer enough ?

Ha ha ok udo wetsuits technology has been very good in the last 10 years or more so unless your living in norway,fuck all waves there anyway a 3/2 or 4/3 sealed should do the job.oneill are the best dont ever buy a billabong,and fucken hell what do u expect ?look after it .and if your such a hard core surfie cunt buy one every year.and another thing ypu might be from tassie.in that case you shouldnt be so stupid to buy cheap but u are hardcore

What's wrong with Billabong wetsuits? I've had two Solution Platinums before my current SG5 and they were brilliant. Warm, flexible and comfortable. Usually get two to three seasons out of them before I replace them. My SG5 is in to it's fourth season now but I haven't been surfing much cause of a knee injury but the water I surf in is probably pretty comparable to Norway. Just replaced that one (which by the way is still in good nick) with an O'Neill Psycho III so I'll see how that one goes.

Are you writing off Billabong suits because it says Billabong on the shoulder or are you writing them off through experience? Because in my experience they make good suits for seriously cold water.

PS I have no affiliation in any way, shape or form with Billabong.

Yeah zen dont know about the billabong had 2 in the last 15 years dont rate them...but hey,im an overweight has been...did have an early days ultimate elasto that was very good lasted a few years in sw wa wouldnt buy a another rip curl.oneill are good what about patagonia?expensive but you get what you pay for...wot about the old rip curl? Insulators and dawn patrols...couldn't move in the cunts..still see them in the op shops though

/

I'm definitely an overweight has-been too trying desperately to hang on to my youth;) The biggest problem I've encountered with the Billabong suits is the knees (well the duckdiving knee) wear out quickly. But they addressed that with a new type of plastic. Also, on the chest zip ones the tape and stitching around the neck and upper arm seams comes apart after awhile but that's probably because I usually look like a retarded gorilla trying to get in and out of them. I put mine in locally to be fixed and the bloke fixes the stitching, re-tapes and glues and checks them over for other signs of wear for about $40.

Like somebody else said above, the trade off for flexibilty is durability so if you can find that balance at the right price, I'd say go for it. We'll see how this O'Neill goes as it's my first one from them.

Zen I found the same things with billabong knees..but billabong sold out years ago and I would petsonally stay well clear .hey depends where you are how much you wear it.

Zen I found the same things with billabong knees..but billabong sold out years ago and I would petsonally stay well clear .hey depends where you are how much you wear it.

For me Patagonia are the best in warmth and durability. They are not as stretchy as the open cell neoprene like Rip Curl etc but they keep me warm and I grew up wearing long johns with vests so having a tighter feel is not a problem for me

I am in the water for up to 6 hours a day and have no issues with warmth, my first one is 5 years old and the original merino wool and still good, their new Nexkin looks very good and is due out in the next week or so.

No association with them in anyway although I would love to have one...

Would like to have a look at Matuse wetties and the Isurus looks interesting as swell, in my opinion and experience over the years don't buy the major brands, they don't last. O'Neill is the best of the big brands

Long after the price is forgotten the quality will remain

udo wrote:

What thickness wetsuit do you guys recommend for N/W W.A june july august....is a 3x2mm gbs steamer enough ?

3/2 will be fine Udo. It's just the wind that gets you in the early morning and the late.

I took a Rip Curl top of the line steamer and wore it there for a few months last year. Bought it brand new and wore it no where else.

Already rooted. The rubber is deteriorating around the shoulders . I'd be lucky to get another season out of it.
Of course I wasn't rinsing it as I had no spare water, but ....3 months !! What a hoax.

Super comfy, but I'd never consider buying another Rip Curl product.

Supposed to be the fastest drying wetty ever. In truth it was the slowest drying wetty I've ever owned.

If a wetty can't dry in 24 hours in the north west desert with zero percent humidity , 28 degree days and a wind akin to a hair dryer in its drying ability then something's going on.

Here's one....

http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newsbusiness/8981238/quiksilver-designs-we...

Nice one Morley. I reckon it'd smell like the back of my car.

CHEER Wetsuits:
http://www.cheerwetsuits.com/store/c2/FULLSUITS.html

Anybody tried them?

Hi Gilbert,

I have a Cheer 3/2. It's a pretty good suit - my only complaints are that the chest is neoprene material stuff rather than a sealed surface, and strong wind tends to cut through it, and also that after one winter season the point on the seams where the chest and arms meet has developed a hole. Am going to contact them and get it replaced under warranty. Aside from that it is fine. Warm - almost fully lined with that red stuff. Mine was a sale suit from the winter before last, so they may have fixed up a few issues.

To be honest, for what you pay, its a pretty solid suit - especially if you snap up one of the end of season ones at 40% off.

Awesome, thanks for the info. Yours is one of the older models yeah?
They are happy to service the warranty?

I'm considering a new season 4/3mm as opposed to a 5/3 rip curl flashbomb.
Sitting on the fence at the moment. The Cheer is about $100 cheaper.
Looks like the lining should be warmer, and the wicking tech looks fairly interesting. I'd prefer to see a 'slick' back panel (for the wind, as you mention). If I'm sitting with wind hitting my chest there's something wrong (i.e. it's onshore!)

I experienced the limestone based neoprene in the form of a Seventhwave wetsuit a few years ago. Seemed far superior in my eyes.. warmer, and didn't get as smelly as the others.

My last two suits have worn through the fabric around the shoulders from paddling. Both a seventhwave and a rip curl. All of the seams were fine.. just the fabric itself wore through. Wondering if I should go to a 4mm arm instead of 3 for longevity.

Might try out the cheer and can always add on a flashbomb vest or something if it's too cold

Had a Patagonia r2 (the green one?) for a few years now and it's been good, but the rubber seals are starting to come off and there's a tear in the neck that seems intent on getting bigger despite my best efforts.

A few years in, how is everyone going with Needs wetties?

My LS Springy lasted 3 seasons of getting heavily flogged, pretty much rooted now but I'm still wearing it.

Out of stock but I'll get another one when they come in.

A mate of mine recently bought a Need front zip steamer. 4/3, I think. The suit looks and feels really nice, and the MT generally fits his lanky 6'1 well, but the neck is huge, as in there's a 2cm gap at the back of his neck just bending forward a bit. Flushes like a mofo.

Any of you experience that with Need, and how are they re returns?

my experience with Needs is that they are slightly lower in quality than the name brands i’ve had, last not quite as long, but are probably better value for money all up. had really good customer service from them from the start and have continued to buy their wetties over a number of years and will continue (waiting for one to arrive atm)

... but never returned anything so can’t speak to that

I've had a 3/2 steamer for 1.5 seasons now. Very comfortable suit, but not particularly high quality build - on par with Rip Curl / Billabong / Quiksilver, but not as good as O'Neill in my experience. With mine, I have quite a bit of leakage through the seams - a bit of a surprise as the seams are fully taped with fabric (i.e. not liquid taped).

Given the price, I think they are still great value and would order another.

The great wetsuit debate goes on. It's the usual story of the big name dominators, their heavy advertising budgets and overpriced often mediocre wetsuits. If you're really looking for high quality and longevity to keep toasty with room to breathe it's available from a small family business in NZ called Seventh Wave. Outstanding custom fit service (or off the rack). Yamamoto rubber is used and you'll stay gonzo comfortable from Tassie to Ireland to storm ice-floe surf in Norway.

Ocean and Earth make a good repair kit. I just glue the patch on and don't bother with ironing it, but I have a Rip Curl 3/2 halfway through its 4th winter thanks to a patch under each arm.

That client that even after having it all explained says "it's not the money, it's the principle of the thing!"

Anyway, "warranty" has become an integral part competitive marketing in the automotive industry in recent years as we see the time and distance continually increasing. Some of that has influenced the wetsuit industry too. Need are just saying we are not playing that game. These bigger warranties come at a cost and get factored into the price. I rather not need to have one, than, have one and keep needing to use it. That said, I did get a couple of QS zipperless Ignite steamers and one the piping was falling off and the seems starting to tear at the front joint, they replaced it with a newer AG47 model quickly. QS never used that fused external sealing ever a again. I've found QS are very good and quick at honoring their warranty. Again, unless you are like me and keep a number of wetties on the go at once, you don't want your wetsuit disappearing for a couple of weeks on a periodic basis.

I surf nearly every day and I probably know you burgsurfer but I keep 4 steamers just so I can minimise the possibility of ever having to put on a wet one. Right now early morning offshores are like ice. Another brand I don't see mentioned here and made in the Gong, is Zion. I know a couple of guys that have them and say they are equivalent to Rip Curl but half the price - and I guess made well. The story I heard, they are a bunch of guys that worked for Rip Curl and decided to offer something better.

Other cheap wetsuit sites Hyperride (NZ) and Wetsuit Warehouse (QLD) just google.

I've never had anything thicker than 3/2 but as I'm recovering from a bout of pneumonia I am thinking about a 4/3 just from those coldest offshore mornings - probably don't need it, a hood, booties and maybe gloves might be all I need. After having the ear done recently I probably should get a hood.

Second that for the O&E repair kit, glue holds well.
Recently copped a fin underwater across the lower back, 5" cut to wetsuit and it has held strong for the past 2 months of use and should get me through the rest of winter. I did cheat and also added an inner patch from the wetsuit samples you see on the tags of suits, so raid you local shop for a sample patch for larger repairs.

i had a Ripcurl flash bomb , still in warranty , split at a side seam and zip puller thing broke while surfing in tassie , on our way back to south oz i stopped at Ripcurl head office in Torquay , walked i with my 3 daughters explaining the situation ....saying i was still surfing on my way back along great ocean road . They wouldnt fix it , wouldnt replace it and told me i had to take it back to where i had purchased it and send it to them .... go figure ? That left a sour taste in my mouth , Ripcurl products and customer service are definitely not what they used to be . If it was my business and that scenario had happened , i would have tried my hardest to get the customer back in a wetsuit for the remainder of his trip and thrown a stack of stickers and posters at the 3 young girls standing there.... the positive stories would of been endless .... instead of a story like this one ...

i had a Ripcurl flash bomb , still in warranty , split at a side seam and zip puller thing broke while surfing in tassie , on our way back to south oz i stopped at Ripcurl head office in Torquay , walked i with my 3 daughters explaining the situation ....saying i was still surfing on my way back along great ocean road . They wouldnt fix it , wouldnt replace it and told me i had to take it back to where i had purchased it and send it to them .... go figure ? That left a sour taste in my mouth , Ripcurl products and customer service are definitely not what they used to be . If it was my business and that scenario had happened , i would have tried my hardest to get the customer back in a wetsuit for the remainder of his trip and thrown a stack of stickers and posters at the 3 young girls standing there.... the positive stories would of been endless .... instead of a story like this one ...

My old rip curl flash bomb split at side seam too! after only wearing a few times and within a year of purchase.. And like you they didn't want to fix it. They used to be a great suit. Now I wear an O'neill and am pretty happy with it.. will see how it goes. Need are also great value but not as stretchy.

Derevko 4/3. Rubber has no stretch. Feels like an 80s suit.
Arden 3/2 doesn’t have the warmth in winter. Feels more like a 2mm. Nice rubber just lacking warmth. Quick dry and great fit.
Need. Bought used 3/2. Totally rate the suit. Had for at least 3 seasons. This last year for some reason the ankles have fully stretched out. All sub $250.

None of them have had issues with durability at seams. Look after them. You seriously don’t need a $500 in most places east cost oz. if pushed...arzen best rubber but not warm enough. Would by a Need again in a flash.

Best suit I’ve had was a $120 Hifi which they no longer sell. Were an offshoot of Agent Eighteen (bodyboard) 5 years with zero issues on a 4/3 till this year and exterior taping is cracked. Rubber was awesome and warm. Would have bought 10 of them if I knew they would no longer be available. I surf 3-4 times a week. If not tied to wearing a ripquikbong then much better suits around.

Norchock there are plenty of good suits around that are sub 300 that will last years for east coast Australian winters.

I have exactly the same problem as you Craig. Actually I use 2 wetties which I alternate so I've always got a dry one and I only wear steamers from may to november so essentially I'm only getting 1/2 a season out of them before they start wearing out. Pretty shit. So I only get seconds ones from the outlet stores. I pay under $200 for my wetties. If I pay more I feel ripped off. I try not to pay more.

Wtf....1/2 season ..are you acid washing them .

Excel 4/3, warm as toast in the Vicco winter not a drop in through the wrists and ankles. Always looked after it and the lining is just starting to show some signs of old age. Billabong 3/2 Furnace for summer and had the chest zip fail after 18 months so technically out of warranty. Sent it back to Billabong who said they couldn't fix the zip ???? and they gave me a $500 credit for their on line store, which I thought was a pretty good outcome.

uncle_leroy wrote-
Do they slide on nice and easy ?
I always thought open cells was warmer than closed cell, thats spearfing suits but your in the water all the time so weight is not an issue
cheers

I have a 2/2 steamer by Isurus, hands down the best suit I've ever had. Warmer, lighter and more flexible than anything else. Not cheap, but not ridiculously exy either, and I'm happy to pay for the above mentioned quality factors.
The only thing I cannot guarantee is how long it will last as this is my first season with it.
Cheers

Three winters in a Need 3/2mm very happy with it but due for a new one. Got my $$ worth, that’s for sure

How does the Vissla short sleeve long leg wettie go in a vicco summer ?

Rip curl flashbomb pluss 3:2 has been perfect during winter even on the coldest mornings and so far not showing signs of aging, been used about 2-3 times a week since July

My 5-year old Patagonia (the old merino wool design) is still going strong. Had one repair to the calf last year. One thing with these suits, yes uncomfortable for a winter or so, but after that I think it reaches perfect mobility (or as perfect as you'll get with 4/3+ suits).

Only issue I have with it this winter is the seams must be giving, the suit lets in a LOT of water now, which has made this winter much colder than usual.

Has anyone done seam sealing or had it done somewhere?

I tried to seal the outside seams of my old unsealed wool-lined Patagonia with some liquid plastic stuff but it didn't work. Got an xcel drylock last year and it is half the weight and warmer than Patagonia ever was. Still like new after 2 vicco winters too

I just got one delivered from here and looking forward to giving it a crack: https://needessentials.com/

guy that started it used to work at ripcurl and uses same factory (or somethign along these lines), looks like real good quality