Best Fullsuit?

Northern_Shores

Miki Dora status
Mar 30, 2009
4,485
4,403
113
I have tried Quiksilver, Excel, Alder, C-Skins and they are all the same. The suits last 2 winters and then disintegrate. Now I have a 6/5/4mm C-Skins and it will be done by March, and that is when the surf season ends anyway. All I do when buying a suit is to get the cheapest 6/5/4 suit I can get, because it will go to sh!t in two years.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,981
22,506
113
PNW
At the rate I surf and my penchant for getting cold easily I get about a year and a half out of a 5/4, max. Doesn't matter what brand, they all last about the same. I prefer the Oneill Pyrotech for fit and flexibility but they get more expensive every year with no substantial improvements and they are rarely discounted more than 20%. Also, despite supposedly being a "5.5/4mm" they are thinner and less warm than Xcel or Ripcurl. Trying a Billabong Furnace Comp at the moment and it's about what I expected. Not a bad suit, decent flex, warm and comfy. Really soaks the water and the chest zip isn't the most sealed. Dunno why companies still run horizontal chest zip when just an inch or two of slant seems to really solve a lot of the water ingress issues. Still about 10x as good as a Patagonia r4 for half the price. Got a fresh Ripcurl Flashbomb on deck which feels like a substantial suit and with all the fuzzy liner I think it will be very toasty. Trying to save it for summer time when the water temps really drop around here.
 

Northern_Shores

Miki Dora status
Mar 30, 2009
4,485
4,403
113
At the rate I surf and my penchant for getting cold easily I get about a year and a half out of a 5/4, max. Doesn't matter what brand, they all last about the same. I prefer the Oneill Pyrotech for fit and flexibility but they get more expensive every year with no substantial improvements and they are rarely discounted more than 20%. Also, despite supposedly being a "5.5/4mm" they are thinner and less warm than Xcel or Ripcurl. Trying a Billabong Furnace Comp at the moment and it's about what I expected. Not a bad suit, decent flex, warm and comfy. Really soaks the water and the chest zip isn't the most sealed. Dunno why companies still run horizontal chest zip when just an inch or two of slant seems to really solve a lot of the water ingress issues. Still about 10x as good as a Patagonia r4 for half the price. Got a fresh Ripcurl Flashbomb on deck which feels like a substantial suit and with all the fuzzy liner I think it will be very toasty. Trying to save it for summer time when the water temps really drop around here.
I agree the durability is about the same, but some details such as the liner material, hood etc. can make a suit better or worse than other.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aruka

chilly1

Nep status
Jan 4, 2010
734
1,094
93
First time this morning used my 3/2 Rip Curl Heatseeker with 3mm Xcel Drylock booties. Water temp 57ish.

When I first got in the water my first impression was this wasn't going to be as warm as a 4/3. I felt the water temp immediately when standing in waist deep water. Once I started paddling everything changed. The suit heated up quickly as advertised. I never once again thought about the water temp. During long lulls I would feel the wind chilling the suit but this would happen with any suit in blowing cold offshores. Legs never felt cold.

Neoprene is neoprene the the thicker it is the better it's going to insulate. What Rip Curl has done here is find a way to add a liner that does increase in heat with your body when you move through friction. It truly works. You can feel the suit heat up. In addition the suit does not saturate like many in the past so that helps as well. Very comfortable flexible suit. In no wind conditions I could see using this down into the low 50 water temps.
That's astounding a 3/2 in low 5os! I am intrigued, I have the fbomb standard zipperless and with a hood (rip curl also fbomb 2 mil and very nice feel!) but no booties pretty warm in 55 but would rather be in a 3/2! sound like this 3/2 could be a great nor cal summer suit
 
Last edited:

emmohl80

Nep status
Oct 17, 2010
677
495
63
Def agree the O’Neill’s feel a bit thinner. Thinking of trying the HyperFlex Vyrl Cryo. Apparently designed for NE waters. Only slant zips I can think of are the BG red cell suits? Can’t think of any others
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,981
22,506
113
PNW
Def agree the O’Neill’s feel a bit thinner. Thinking of trying the HyperFlex Vyrl Cryo. Apparently designed for NE waters. Only slant zips I can think of are the BG red cell suits? Can’t think of any others
Xcel and Oneill both have slanted chest zips at least on the suits I've had.
 

JDJ

Miki Dora status
Mar 1, 2014
4,827
5,075
113
The OC
I’m still digging O’Neills for their flexibility. Nothing comes close IMO. I’ll sacrifice a bit of warmth since a good 4/3 covers the coldest days around here, especially with booties.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aruka

emmohl80

Nep status
Oct 17, 2010
677
495
63
Xcel and Oneill both have slanted chest zips at least on the suits I've had.
Yes my Psycho 1 and PT are slanted compared to my Mutants. Only tried on a couple Xcels and have an old chestzip 2mm BG. That’s extent of my suit experience. The newer BG slant suits looks like they have more of an angle or just playing tricks on my eyes?
 

NorthOC75

OTF status
Feb 5, 2010
344
40
28
I have an O'neill psychotech 3/2, last years model. Its falling apart but now, but it was a pretty good suit. Not the warmest, but definitely the most flexible suit I've ever had. Also just got a Feral 3+ mm with the hood. Very very warm with the hood on. The yamamoto neoprene is really nice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Havoc

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,272
113
San Diego, CA
I decided to use my Vissla 4/3 North Seas again for the chilly mornings. it's 2 years old, but I only used it maybe 10 times and considered it a dud. I thought it was way too stiff and figured I should have sized up form my usual LT in a 3/2. But... now it seems to have stretched enough and is now pretty darn comfortable. The way they have criss-cross flaps under the chest-zip open up easily & wide to get in and out. Might be good for people who hate chest zips. Guess I rushed to judgment on it. YMMV
 

Havoc

Phil Edwards status
May 23, 2016
7,680
12,214
113
in da hood next to paradise
I have an O'neill psychotech 3/2, last years model. Its falling apart but now, but it was a pretty good suit. Not the warmest, but definitely the most flexible suit I've ever had. Also just got a Feral 3+ mm with the hood. Very very warm with the hood on. The yamamoto neoprene is really nice.
U think the feral is a better purchase over the O’Neill psychotherapy?
 

NorthOC75

OTF status
Feb 5, 2010
344
40
28
U think the feral is a better purchase over the O’Neill psychotherapy?
It's too soon to tell as I've had the Feral for less than a month. The materials and workmanship seem top notch. Definitely not as flexible as the O'neill. I intended to use the Feral as more of an up north/sub 55F suit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Havoc

JeffRSpicoli

Nep status
Aug 9, 2019
568
693
93
I really like the Dawn Patrol 5/4, very warm as warms my Xcel but more flexible. Its lasting a long time too.
Agree. My 5/4 hooded Dawn Patrol, 2nd or 3rd season, still works great. Maybe at the price point you are not expecting great things, but the write up on the updated version makes it sound even better. Just a dependable suit.

And man am I learning to dislike Xcel, which I have mostly gravitated to but no more.

Around the same time that I got my Dawn Patrol, I paid the fortune for the 6/5 Drylock to make it though the coldest part of the New England winters, waste of money. Inside of the thigh area already leaks like crazy, left sleeve is tearing and the chin cup is way to small, and I take good care of my gear.

The Rip Curl is holding up much better, dries much faster.

I'm going to replace my Xcel 6/5, the Vissala Seven Seas at $289.95 [Cleanline offering 10% off right now] seems way to appealing would love thoughts on it.

Generally speaking my core stays warm, what forces me out of the water, around the 2 - 2.5 hour mark, are my feet and hands...

Cheers
 
  • Like
Reactions: nowayout

PeterDj

Legend (inyourownmind)
Jul 11, 2018
467
340
63
My ripcurl heat seaker started falling apart after one year. I think my old billabong zero lasted longer. The liquid tape that goes on the outside of the suits are pure sh!t. I don't think that goop stretches enough to match the flexibility of the neoprene. They spend so much time and effort into developing fancy limestone neoprene and heat generating liners only to ruin it with crappy tape. However, rip curl did offer to retape it, it's a hassle though to ship it to them. I just bought the vissla 7 seas 5/4 because it is limestone neoprene, but does not use the liquid tape on the outside, just normal stitching. It is much warmer than my old heat seeker, but it is also brand new so who knows what it will be like after a year. It's a little stiffer too, maybe it needs a couple more surfs to break in.
 

chilly1

Nep status
Jan 4, 2010
734
1,094
93
Isurus all 3M hooded zipless review(I also have 4/3 hooded-too warm and stiff normally for where I surf in it NorCal) : Water 54 ish. Pluses-Fit perfect, perfectly flexible off the bat (I expect this to improve as these suits require breaking in), perfectly warm in 2 hour sesh, very light... after rinsing it felt like i was hanging up a 1 mil full suit! Minuses-I was unpleasantly flushed a few times from the zip free entry down my right arm and back, I thought I could cinch it down but it wont stay(maybe I need to tie in a knot). Anyways even with the flushes I was pretty happy still (much colder water that would be questionable).

I also have a Rip Curl Flash bomb 4/3 zipperless and will say RC enty set up is more dialed in having never been flushed(no hood, maybe is why) but the quality and weight of isurus suit is superior to RC IMHO.
 
Apr 6, 2015
142
139
43
Picked up a last year's Billabong Furnace Revolution 4/3 for half price recently, and I have to say, it's a surprisingly well made suit - super flexible and light, very warm, fits great, dries quick.

Definitely better quality than the lower end O'Neill suit I tried - that barely lasted a season. Much better fit and quality than the off-the-rack 7 till 8 I got last year (that ripped almost immediately, and wasn't all that warm). Perhaps not quite as toasty as the Xcel Drylocks I used to regularly buy for nearly $400, but damn close. And so far, seems to be holding up just as well. For the price ($105), it was a ridiculously good deal.

Note that I am in So Cal, where all the liberal pu##ies,, like myself, live. None of us have any idea what real winter water feels like...
 

SeaFoamGreen

Gerry Lopez status
Apr 10, 2009
1,250
681
113
NorOR
Switched to 5/4 Oneill Hyperfreak (no smoothie) from same millimeter Psycotech this season. Been on the banging techno house rubber for years now. Boom boom boom. Easily the lightest and flexyist 5 mill I've ever owned. Dries super fast too. Not as warm as Psycotech, but suffices very nicely and over a 100 bones cheaper. We've really only had one stretch of close to freezing temps and cold offshores this season, back around Thanksgiving and stayed pretty warm albeit it was brand new. Probably not the best 5 mill for New England, but should suffice from north of the Gate to Van Isle and maybe AK.