I treated myself to a new Adelio 4/3 integrated hood, Chippa Wilson Sketchy Tank designer wetsuit. Japanese limestone neoprene. What I really want is a 5/4, but this was a rare opportunity to get something that fits me.
I intended to wait a few months for the water to warm up, but I couldn't resist trying it and its had two arvo surfs. What a difference a new wetty makes! Something that fits seems to help too. Not much difference in warmth betweeen my 5.5 mm Xcel comp and 5/4 Xcel Drylock, but considerably lighter.
My Xcels were of course warmer when new. The 5.5 mm Xcel comp has seen one and half winters of up to 4 times a week use and started to leak. The Drylock has seen several seasons of 2 to 3 times a week use. The Drylock is not really leaking because of the external seam rubber sealer is largely intact. The neoprene on the elbows has collapsed due to the way I rest my elbows on the deck when duckdiving, but apart from that still intact, therefore it must be breaking down and losing its insulation.
I don't expect my Adelio to stay warm for more than a season and a half. Stitched wetsuits always seem to develop leaks before the rubber sealed types. Like all neoprene I have used, it will lose its insulation after 2 seasons. The wetsuit that seemed to hold its insulation best was my Yulex Patagonia. Real rubber seems to be harder wearing than synthetic neoprene, the penalty is that it is like wearing car inner tube. Despite that I liked my Patagonia, it made me feel rich and was purchased in that era when wetsuits sometimes went on sale. What happened to the Patagonia was that after 3 seasons the rubber seam sealer developed cracks which leak badly in the groin area and its now too cold.
A digression, but I have had some fun surfs yesterday and day before. Semi closeout beachbreak. Hardly anyone else out (or no-one). The waves I managed to make were super fast and I pretended I was in New Jersey. Rest today, more surfing tomorrow.