Expensive Wetsuits
Get online....some very cheap suits out at the moment. Quicksilver, Surfstich, Torpedo 7
example a base model 4x3mm back zip known brand Steamer $135 delivered and for around $300 a top line steamer taped seams etc.
Good luck trying to make your own, by the time you source the rubber, zip, glue, sewing machine......?
Have you looked at the Need Essentials Wetsuits ,quality and cheap..but the no warranty thing concerns me.
Making your own will surely cost more than $500. The sowing machines alone are rubber specific and costly.
I hear ya YonderMatt. I'm a long time lurker myself.
Get a 3:2 mm RC e bomb and an army disposal long sleeve thermal top ($15). Bobs your uncle warm as a 4:3 flash bomb, more flex and i just saved you $165 odd bucks. You're welcome!
http://www.tracksmag.com/wetsuit-guide/
I found this pretty helpful
I have always bought the known brands cheap suits, 3 2s, I dont live in a cold part of the world, but have no fat on me so dont have a high tolerance for the chill. I havent had a steamer last more than one season for the last six years. They havent fallen apart, except for a Rip Curl, but they just get cold.
So I thought I would try the expensive line this year after reading this review, figure if I get two seasons out of a suit its actually cost effective, though I do agree with initial post, its way too much to be paying.
I guess thats why I opted for the Peak. Exactly like the review mentioned, it does leak all over the place, but its also really warm. Will have to wait til next winter for the verdict.
Anyone else got something to add, am genuinely interested???
Some of those wetties in the link - the over $500 range can now be bought on sale for about $285
try needessentials.com
$180 for a 3/2 and $200 for a 4/3 and as good as any other wettie i've owned before
Got a quiksilver 3/2 cyper (sealed with the fleece lining) just $220
very lite and toasty so far
saltman wrote:Got a quiksilver 3/2 cyper (sealed with the fleece lining) just $220
very lite and toasty so far
Haha wellys choice suit
Saltman your live around 28 deg L don't you ? shit that wont get much use with your water temps.
true and might pull it out a handful of times
but I get over to NZ a few times a year
sydney regularly
WA occassionally
Just dont want to pass up a hit and run session because of the cold
Good quailtiy wetsuits are better than the cheap ones for sure ,way warmer, flexy comfortable but they seem to fall apart just a fast as their cheaper counterparts. 2 winters seems to be a maximum lifespan for a suit these days even shorter sometimes with the wetsuit "cancer"that you get in the extra stretchy parts under arms etc. The most expensive it seems it Patagonia and they are much heavier than the rest (3x heavier when wet) but look to last a bit longer as mostly constructed with mostly neoprene style material rather than smoothy and stretchy panels so maybe get longer life for your buck? Sucks really that most wetsuits which are all made in asian sweatshops cost nearly as much as actual surfboards (some of which are made in asian sweatshops also). bottom line you pay for the degree of warmth you need. The yanks pay heaps less than us (half price generally) so buy online if that doesnt bother your "buy local" mindset.
I always thought the mid-rangers lasted longer because they didn't use the more buttery, stretchier material which got cancer quicker. I usually get 3 seasons out of a wetty but I'm in the sub-tropics so they don't get more than 5 months use a year.
I got a quik 3/2 off that Torpedo 7 site which I've mothballed till next winter, get most of my other stuff off the local bloke :TripleX at Ballina.
Good idea about mothballing suits. If you buy at the begiining of winter prices will be at their highest. Buy at the end of winter or early summer and put it away. Also, nothing wrong with buying last years model.
I'll get slammed on this but buying from the US or the UK online is so much cheaper too and the size charts are pretty accurate.
zen , don't you Japanese have the best suits in the world??
I wouldn't necessarily say the best wetsuits but the neoprene has a reputation for being the best rubber, hence a lot of the manufacturers including 'Japanese neoprene' in their advertising blurb.
I usually have a preference for Billabong suits but the last suit I bought just a few months ago was an O'Neill Psycho III 4/3 which I bought after reading user reviews. In my opinion it doesn't live up to the hype. Sure it's flexy but it's nowhere near as warm as a 4/3 should be I think in addition to being quite pricey.
Certainly some interesting replies here - Still feel like people are paying too much.
More to come :)
YonderMatt wrote:Certainly some interesting replies here - Still feel like people are paying too much.
More to come :)
Ha ha..that was a bit sneaky.
But I've actually heard good things about these wetty's and like the no logo etc deal.
My mate just bought one so we will check it out and see how he goes with it and in good time report back, he treats his wettys like crap and surfs like he is still a grom so will be the perefect guinea pig.
EDIT: After reading the below comments "need essentials" was the brand i was thinking off, good to see brands like this though giving us more affordable options.
YonderMatt wrote:Long time lurker... I surf a bunch and generally love the ocean. But I don't understand how brands can charge $500+ for wetsuits.
What exactly makes a good wetsuit? I've looked into the stitching, neoprene, glue and taping differences and there doesn't seem to be anything special (maybe the RC flashbomb quick dry stuff aside) between brands.
I'm a little sick of these silly prices and believe you can make a quality wetsuit that you don't have to mortgage your house for. So i'm thinking about designing my own.
From I'm thinking about it, to setting up an online shop in 2 weeks, your awesome.:-D Wish I had that work ethic. (na not really)
Are these need essentials rebranded? Warranty?Bit sus on the cheapies myself, was out surfing the other week in 12 deg. water and talking wetsuits and mate says another mate has needessential and was real happy with it, we both looked over to see him sitting there with his arms hugging himself freezing:-D)
"Are these need essentials rebranded? Warranty?Bit sus on the cheapies myself, was out surfing the other week in 12 deg. water and talking wetsuits and mate says another mate has needessential and was real happy with it, we both looked over to see him sitting there with his arms hugging himself freezing:-D "
I have one and love it. I surf in w/gong so the water is not freezing cold but also have 3 mates that have them and two of those guys have two each and all of us are happy with them. They are definitely not cheap from a quality perspective only from the price.
Having said that, if a wetsuit doesn't fit right it won't keep you warm and not all suits fit all people properly so it is possible that what I think is a great suit won't be liked by another person
YonderMatt wrote:Long time lurker... I surf a bunch and generally love the ocean. But I don't understand how brands can charge $500+ for wetsuits.
What exactly makes a good wetsuit? I've looked into the stitching, neoprene, glue and taping differences and there doesn't seem to be anything special (maybe the RC flashbomb quick dry stuff aside) between brands.
I'm a little sick of these silly prices and believe you can make a quality wetsuit that you don't have to mortgage your house for. So i'm thinking about designing my own.
I cant believe someone actually pays $500 plus given the competitive nature of the e market.
Dont fool yourself you can do much better than the commercial wetty designers with seasons of experience - they would be way ahead of you and me (a few brands are made out of the same factory, same materials are given different names for marketing purposes)
Needs connection for sure
Google: Ryan Scanlon Geelong advertiser.
Paul Morgan was chasing one recently, Morgs wettie report if youre out there ?
Well played YonderMatt, a very well phrased first question to start the discussion and lead the witness.
Anyway, I've got a question about mothballing wetties as per above. I've just bought a schmick 4/3 that was heavily discounted due to the change of seasons. Hoping to save it until next Autumn: What's the best way to store it? Folded? Hanging? etc. Any specific tips?
Hey leckiep,
I don't generally store wetsuits but otherwise I like to keep my most prized possessions out of direct sunlight and lower in a bucket of soap and moisturiser once a week or so.
Extremely important IMO .)
pointy wrote:"Are these need essentials rebranded? Warranty?Bit sus on the cheapies myself, was out surfing the other week in 12 deg. water and talking wetsuits and mate says another mate has needessential and was real happy with it, we both looked over to see him sitting there with his arms hugging himself freezing:-D "
I have one and love it. I surf in w/gong so the water is not freezing cold but also have 3 mates that have them and two of those guys have two each and all of us are happy with them. They are definitely not cheap from a quality perspective only from the price.
Having said that, if a wetsuit doesn't fit right it won't keep you warm and not all suits fit all people properly so it is possible that what I think is a great suit won't be liked by another person
- I was looking at these the other day and reviews seem pretty good, can you tell me what the sizing is like (ie. Normal or bigger/smaller than expected) and what the inner lining across the chest and back is (ie. Fleece, neoprene only, etc)?
Cheers
saltman wrote:YonderMatt wrote:Long time lurker... I surf a bunch and generally love the ocean. But I don't understand how brands can charge $500+ for wetsuits.
What exactly makes a good wetsuit? I've looked into the stitching, neoprene, glue and taping differences and there doesn't seem to be anything special (maybe the RC flashbomb quick dry stuff aside) between brands.
I'm a little sick of these silly prices and believe you can make a quality wetsuit that you don't have to mortgage your house for. So i'm thinking about designing my own.
I cant believe someone actually pays $500 plus given the competitive nature of the e market.
Dont fool yourself you can do much better than the commercial wetty designers with seasons of experience - they would be way ahead of you and me (a few brands are made out of the same factory, same materials are given different names for marketing purposes)
I paid around $500 for the last wettie I bought 5 years ago, the seams cracked after 8 months so they gave me a new one, after another winter there was a small hole and I took it back and asked if they could repair and I was willing to pay, considering it was a replacement, but I got a replacement for nothing:-) new model with all the design faults fixed and I have had this one for 3 years and still in good nick, my only complaint about it is that it did not fall apart after 8 months of constant surfing as I enjoyed a new wettie at the start of each winter. I really take good care of my wetties if they aren't in a bucket in my car being preserved in a mixture of salt water and urine it is hanging over the fence till the next surf, on average they last about 3 years with such gentle care.
I understand the logic in buying a cheap wetsuit online, it only lasts a year but the next year you get the same buzz from scoring a bargain buying another one.
Cheap doesn't always mean bad quality and expensive doesn't always mean good quality.
Its quite obvious we are being screwed over big time with wetsuits when you see the difference in price paid OS to OZ, sadly with the AUD$ so weak i can't go buying my wettys from OS for a fraction of the price anymore when you add in delivery etc, so personally i will be looking elsewhere for cheaper options and will check out these guys wettys for sure.
I think fins are worse though, getting totally screwed over on those id love to know how much the cost to produce i bet under $20 a set.
"- I was looking at these the other day and reviews seem pretty good, can you tell me what the sizing is like (ie. Normal or bigger/smaller than expected) and what the inner lining across the chest and back is (ie. Fleece, neoprene only, etc)?
Cheers"
mpow98 - Sizing is fairly normal but I can't compare like for like as I lost 18kg from what I was when I bought my last suit to the Need suit and so dropped a size.
The lining is neoprene - no fancy quick dry stuff but it does dry quicker than my old E-bomb and is easy to slip on and off
pointy wrote:"- I was looking at these the other day and reviews seem pretty good, can you tell me what the sizing is like (ie. Normal or bigger/smaller than expected) and what the inner lining across the chest and back is (ie. Fleece, neoprene only, etc)?
Cheers"
mpow98 - Sizing is fairly normal but I can't compare like for like as I lost 18kg from what I was when I bought my last suit to the Need suit and so dropped a size.
The lining is neoprene - no fancy quick dry stuff but it does dry quicker than my old E-bomb and is easy to slip on and off
Thanks for the info. Interested re the flexibility also? Am tossing up getting a spare 4/3 but a little nervous re the stiffness given the low price...
Thanks
mpow89 wrote:pointy wrote:"- I was looking at these the other day and reviews seem pretty good, can you tell me what the sizing is like (ie. Normal or bigger/smaller than expected) and what the inner lining across the chest and back is (ie. Fleece, neoprene only, etc)?
Cheers"
mpow98 - Sizing is fairly normal but I can't compare like for like as I lost 18kg from what I was when I bought my last suit to the Need suit and so dropped a size.
The lining is neoprene - no fancy quick dry stuff but it does dry quicker than my old E-bomb and is easy to slip on and off
Thanks for the info. Interested re the flexibility also? Am tossing up getting a spare 4/3 but a little nervous re the stiffness given the low price...
Thanks
Hey, I think that the flexibility is good but it is my 1st 4/3 so I can't compare it to another 4/3
It's stiffer than a 3/2 but not to the point where I consider it a problem - it's about what I expected out of a 4/3 - if that helps?
What suit best handles excessive urination??
You need the tefloncrotch pissbomb I think Wharfjunkie
Yonder, do you have a approx arrival date for your next container of suits from China ?
Heard good things about the new rip curl p-bomb pro - good flow and stretch allowing for maximum urination
Patagonia, the woolen lining soaks it up like a nappy.:-D
The biggest problem with the modern wetsuit is their urine absorbent capacity they hold piss and soon become rancid after hanging on the gate in the sun post 3 hour surf. Theres only two logical solutions 1. A piss flap that can be stretched open when necessary or 2. The patented rip curl white lightning man nappy.
WJ you need to stop eating sooo much asparagus.
Narval wetsuits chest zip 4x3 - $168 from surfstich.
I picked up a ATTICA 4/3 for winter admittedly I’m not an everyday surfer but get down a couple times a week during winter. After struggling in a quicksilver 3/2 the previous year I decided to try a 4/3. Not wanting to spend a fortune I decided on a ATTICA never heard of the brand but after hearing some good things from the guy in the surf shop (taking his word with a grain of salt) I decided to give it a go. Set me back $260 which seemed to be a relatively good price and was on sale. It has ticked all the boxes this winter just gone.
Carapice customs..Im a strangely shaped little human who has never found a suit which fits properly..Legs always too long to substitute width i need through shoulders ect..Tried aleeda but found i didnt like them so have generally just put up with it for years until i saw these guys.
Seems they are now out of stock of 4/3 ... you were lucky. Look good from their pics and description too.
Willow995 wrote:I picked up a ATTICA 4/3 for winter admittedly I’m not an everyday surfer but get down a couple times a week during winter. After struggling in a quicksilver 3/2 the previous year I decided to try a 4/3. Not wanting to spend a fortune I decided on a ATTICA never heard of the brand but after hearing some good things from the guy in the surf shop (taking his word with a grain of salt) I decided to give it a go. Set me back $260 which seemed to be a relatively good price and was on sale. It has ticked all the boxes this winter just gone.
That needessentials site looks great. I love the idea of paying just for the product.
Out of 3/2 medium at the moment, almost tempted to get a 4/3 at those prices, but can't say I need one. Bought a top of the line something or other big name brand at half price in the spring sales of 2014, so that's only had one winter and will definitely get another out of it, or two.
While the 4/3 is a good idea, I'm trying to go the other way of dealing with cold my becoming a bit more resilient rather than finding the perfect suit to keep me warm in antarctic conditions. Will let you know how I go with that plan. :-)
At those prices though, a backup suit is a very viable option.
If the product is any good I may never buy a brand wetsuit again!
Noticed on Needs site - now added USA and Europe .....
Hi Swellnet,
Thanks for this reviews page and a great surf/surf forecast site! I haven't posted before but thought I'd jump in. I had a good read of the comments above, at the beginning of this winter, before getting myself a new steamer. I wasn’t keen to pay for a big brand suit again...
I ended up getting recommendation and got an Arzen 3:2 steamer and it has been amazing...$220 delivered to my door, 1 year warranty I have been surfing for the last 30 years and always forked out the cash, usually out of season, for a Ripcurl e-bomb or O’Neil Psycho...
Another mate of mine got a Need Essentials 3:2 and it’s not as good in quality, he said it’s a little leaky.
Long time lurker... I surf a bunch and generally love the ocean. But I don't understand how brands can charge $500+ for wetsuits.
What exactly makes a good wetsuit? I've looked into the stitching, neoprene, glue and taping differences and there doesn't seem to be anything special (maybe the RC flashbomb quick dry stuff aside) between brands.
I'm a little sick of these silly prices and believe you can make a quality wetsuit that you don't have to mortgage your house for. So i'm thinking about designing my own.