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The Great Unbiased Wetsuit Review Thread
- Thread starter silentbutdeadly
- Start date
Wetsuit Update:
Oneil Mutant with TB3:
Second season but only comes out when temps are in 40's so it's not a full time suit.
Extremely comfortable and the most flexible 4/3 I've worn. Not a single leak yet at all. Hood is a tad big for my small head so water comes in on hard falls and thrashings. I don't think it's the warmest suit available out there but it's plenty for the colder dawn mornings down here. Since the suit has loosened up over time, I have to cinch the chest zip strap down or water seeps in through the side. Not bad, just have to watch it. Overall a great suit and I would buy again. May consider a hyperfreak next time since I tend to get too warm sooner than I'd like for a fair amount of sessions.
The bad: The ankle has a tear in the techo butter 3 so I will have to get that repaired. Same thing happened to my buddy's mutant.
Feral 4/3 (no hood)
First season.
Good: Silkly smooth neo that's easy to get on and off and is really comfortable on the skin. Warm (warmer than my mutant) but not by a lot. The suit is really light and does not asbsorb much water at all. Dries in the garage in one day. There is no liner or smooth skin but the wind does not penetrate the suit.
Bad: First season it seeps a little bit of water. I wouldn't consider them leaks but it's not completely water tight. Even through the neck seems to fit good, I get occasional flushes on duck dives and significant falls. Not sure how long this suit will hold up without leaks. One part of the seems is splitting slightly but I don't notice a leak in that area. Will definitely send in before warranty is up. Suit is significantly stiffer than the oneil. Not horrible, just not as flexible as TB3 material. Would I buy again? Probably not.
Hope this helps for anyone thinking about these two suits.
I'm on my third oneil since coming back to them after a long haitus and I am really impressed overall
Oneil Mutant with TB3:
Second season but only comes out when temps are in 40's so it's not a full time suit.
Extremely comfortable and the most flexible 4/3 I've worn. Not a single leak yet at all. Hood is a tad big for my small head so water comes in on hard falls and thrashings. I don't think it's the warmest suit available out there but it's plenty for the colder dawn mornings down here. Since the suit has loosened up over time, I have to cinch the chest zip strap down or water seeps in through the side. Not bad, just have to watch it. Overall a great suit and I would buy again. May consider a hyperfreak next time since I tend to get too warm sooner than I'd like for a fair amount of sessions.
The bad: The ankle has a tear in the techo butter 3 so I will have to get that repaired. Same thing happened to my buddy's mutant.
Feral 4/3 (no hood)
First season.
Good: Silkly smooth neo that's easy to get on and off and is really comfortable on the skin. Warm (warmer than my mutant) but not by a lot. The suit is really light and does not asbsorb much water at all. Dries in the garage in one day. There is no liner or smooth skin but the wind does not penetrate the suit.
Bad: First season it seeps a little bit of water. I wouldn't consider them leaks but it's not completely water tight. Even through the neck seems to fit good, I get occasional flushes on duck dives and significant falls. Not sure how long this suit will hold up without leaks. One part of the seems is splitting slightly but I don't notice a leak in that area. Will definitely send in before warranty is up. Suit is significantly stiffer than the oneil. Not horrible, just not as flexible as TB3 material. Would I buy again? Probably not.
Hope this helps for anyone thinking about these two suits.
I'm on my third oneil since coming back to them after a long haitus and I am really impressed overall
My mutant (TB2) is on the cusp of it's third season and in the last month of heavy usage started leaking noticeably in the seat and the shoulders have thinned out. I wore it for most sessions in the winter and spring each year because I'm a wuss. It was insanely warm to start and stayed that way for a long time. No rips for me. Overall also super happy and will likely replace with a new mutant.
I'm starting my hunt for a new wetsuit top for the summer. It seems like most brands don't have a waist cinch which is a deal breaker for me. I bought a O'Neill top on sale without realizing it doesn't have a cinch and it really catches a lot of water/flips up a lot compared to my old Xcel. Most likely I will get another Xcel as I liked my last one but I'm all ears for other brands with waist cinches.
I'm starting my hunt for a new wetsuit top for the summer. It seems like most brands don't have a waist cinch which is a deal breaker for me. I bought a O'Neill top on sale without realizing it doesn't have a cinch and it really catches a lot of water/flips up a lot compared to my old Xcel. Most likely I will get another Xcel as I liked my last one but I'm all ears for other brands with waist cinches.
I've gotten like 6-7 years of use out of my Patagonia R1 top and it's still going strong. it has a cinch
Xcel review: They are garbage. Buy something else.
O'Neil has the proper LT fit for those of us with freakishly long torsos and the warmth and durability are Good +. 4/3 psychotech is perfect for fall, spring and summer. Found myself wanting a 5/4 during the coldest days of winter, especially mornings.
Xcel is warm and heavy and too short in LT. Also the chest area is really big and takes in water through the neck, which negates the warmth of the neoprene.
Xcel is warm and heavy and too short in LT. Also the chest area is really big and takes in water through the neck, which negates the warmth of the neoprene.