Best Fullsuit?

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
1,329
113
I pee in my Xcels all the time and am not fanatical about rinsing and leave them in the sun when it's available and have never had problems with the tape on my lighter suits. Get a few seasons from them.

In my 5/4s and 4/3s I tend to walk right into my shower and it's too cold to dry in sun so they get treated better out of necessity. They usually last about 3 years.

Thinner suits seem to get more abuse and breakdown quicker.

xcels don't last long. If you even think about pissing in them the tape starts falling apart.

Body glove not worth the money even at cost.

Have a new rip curl 4/3 Im saving for when its actually cold.

Need to start a new thread "Best fullsuit for dumping beachbreak"
 

fishtank

Gerry Lopez status
Jun 20, 2010
1,335
84
48
xcel offering new "chanel flex" looking similar to o'neill technoblubber.
 

johnson7

Nep status
Sep 29, 2016
686
522
93
Hotlines always last the longest for me, I think its probably because they are the largest "cut" of XXl, so that means the least amount of abuse going on and off. Actually their newest Reflex 2.0 is a nice suit, I've got one in the rotation. I really wanted to try a Feral, but there was no way I was getting that thing over my shoulders, their sizing must be on par with rip curl, or patagonia.
 
Dec 27, 2014
65
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RE: Isurus

I paid a pretty penny for their 2/2/2 shortsleeve full a few years back. $280. Fit was decent.

The suit was warm - really warm - I was impressed.

Problem was after about 20 sessions the neoprene on the ass basically wore out and water would basically pass through. So the suit pretty much became a damp jumpsuit. from my midsection down. Not warm anymore.

As stated before, I'm meticulous and over the top with rinsing in a bucket and drying in the shade.

I wrote Isurus about it telling them how great the suit was but that I was disappointed in the quality of the tushy.

They never wrote a response.
I had the same thing happen with an older Isurus suit. The material in the seat just broke down and started leaking through and Isurus never really responded. The suits have gotten better but I don't like how if you look at their website every single review is 5 stars. That is complete bullshit and not honest. I believe somebody posted on here before about writing a review but Isurus didn't post it on there site because it wasn't 5 star. Also, there is no way to contact the company except email and I recently was going to purchase a suit from them and emailed them a legit question and never got a response. Maybe they should spend less money on marketing and more on customer service.
 

rts265

Phil Edwards status
Oct 19, 2007
6,190
1,307
113
I also rinse in hot water in the winter so I think thats a big part of it. I'm in the water on average 4/7 days of the week, I've been told I really can't complain.
 
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Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,261
19,085
113
Jacksonville Beach
$.02

East Coasters aren't good reviewers of suit durability for Californians except on the bottom end of failure.

Californians have much more stable water temps. Looks easy to have 9+ months between low-mid 50s and low 60s.

I might get three years out of a 3/2, but in reality, that's one California year, because the bottom end suit is a Dec-March proposition. Needing it right after Thanksgiving or up to Tax Day seems a bit of a stretch. If you're further North, replace 3/2 with 4/3, 5/4, 6/5, whatever it is, your suit for Indian Summer in early Dec is normally not cutting it in March.

Don't get me started on how much time they spend sitting, their feeble pleas of "but it was in the 40s or high 30s and the wind was all of 10-15mph I'm so Klondike", and the ubiquitous hoods.

Hoods. These people duck dove all of three times their entire session. These people's hands will be in the beginning stages of frostbite, like Eastern Front WW2 sh!t, blood basically saying "nah f--- it" and hanging a U-turn in the wrists, can't hold the board, can hardly pop up, forget leash cuffs, keys, or their own hooded wetsuit's zipper. You can practically smell the bacteria eating the sweat off their torso, and these people are huffing on their hands like it's a survival fire in the Arctic.

Of course as soon as the hood comes off, you get a good look at the Chugach Sasquatch beard and hair. Like, dude, the birds, pluraller than a motherfooker, natch, nesting in that sh!t have no down and you could summit Kanchenjunga in a blizzard without the chicks feeling a brisk breeze. Meanwhile, the hands are shaking, then the gasps of pain as the first drops of blood get back down the wrist and sensation returns.....
 

Waterlogged05

Michael Peterson status
May 14, 2005
1,923
1,822
113
im over here w my 5 year old quicksilver laughing. I treat it like sh!t.

I do live in Texas though and the coldest i've ever surfed here was 55
 

Waterlogged05

Michael Peterson status
May 14, 2005
1,923
1,822
113
side note, I grew up on unsealed suits so even my leaking "sealed" suit is 100x better than the old ass rip curls I had as a grommet
 

Waterlogged05

Michael Peterson status
May 14, 2005
1,923
1,822
113
Those old ass suits were tough though? Or am i looking through a lens of nostalgia?
I remember having these two tone rip curls, no seals. Back Zip. Wear them until you grew out of them.
I feel like something happened and I became a bitch in terms of cold sensitivity. Maybe I was just so stoked I didn;t care.
 

Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,261
19,085
113
Jacksonville Beach
I thought the 80s suits sucked compared to the 90s suits, and the 90s flat stitch back zips sucked compared to the 00s zipperless sealed...

I suppose 1960s crowds would make beavertails in Santa Cruz totally bearable.
 

surfysurfy1476

Nep status
Jan 27, 2018
907
231
43
Since I got burned buying that crappy Matuse 4/3 after everyone was raving about them here, it will a long time before I stray from my Xcel's again. There must not be any wind where you guys who liked the Matuse's surf.

5/4 and 4/3 Drylocks for real cold (30s-50s) and an assortment of Comps for warmer temps. I find the 3/2 Drylocks are overbuilt for what they are and aren't that good and would rather sacrifice a little warmth for some flexibility with the Comps. The ones with the TDC liners are pretty warm still. Just bought an all 2 mil Comp with a liner that is warmer than my old unlined 3/2 Comp but less flexible.
So 4/3 comp should be good for 50+ with wind? Is there something between a comp and a drylock?
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
1,329
113
No smooth skin on the Comps so I'd hesitate to recommend one if it's windy and cold air temps. I ditch mine once it's cold and windy.

They used to have the Revolt between the Drylock and the Comp but I found the Revolt was just a bad drylock. All the weight without the warmth.

There are probably better suits for the conditions you are describing.