The Great Unbiased Wetsuit Review Thread

[Sauce]

New 4/3 flasbomb was toasty in 45 degree water, 33 degree air and sunny with 10-15mph offshore today in the obx. Super stoked how quick it dries and my ripcurls in the past have been excellent ,but ive been in an xcel drylock that's falling apart after year 3. My feet and hands got cold being in 2 mm gloves and leaky 7mm boots but my body was cooking.

I'm 5'11 and 170 and got an xl on sale. It fits perfect everywhere except an inch long in the legs. Definitely snug and harder to get on/off than the xcel but there's no flushing at all. The zipper is a bitch I will say having to hook the zipper from the outside then zip inwards.

 

[VonMeister]

New 4/3 flasbomb was toasty in 45 degree water, 33 degree air and sunny with 10-15mph offshore today in the obx. Super stoked how quick it dries and my ripcurls in the past have been excellent ,but ive been in an xcel drylock that's falling apart after year 3. My feet and hands got cold being in 2 mm gloves and leaky 7mm boots but my body was cooking.

I'm 5'11 and 170 and got an xl on sale. It fits perfect everywhere except an inch long in the legs. Definitely snug and harder to get on/off than the xcel but there's no flushing at all. The zipper is a bitch I will say having to hook the zipper from the outside then zip inwards.

IMO flashbomb is far and away the best suit out there.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

I've used a lot of marine glues and cannot for the life of me figure out why they're so bad in wetsuits.

It's funny to read the brands advertising they're using water-based enviro friendly glues like it's a good thing.

 

[PRCD]

It's funny to read the brands advertising they're using water-based enviro friendly glues like it's a good thing.

Oooof! "Please see our eco-friendly line of water-based marine adhesives"

 

[ReForest]

@Aruka is this the changing poncho that most people up north use? lol.

Surf Inspired Hooded Poncho with a Towel-Like Inside - VOITED US

Stay dry & cozy with our hooded poncho - Towel-like on the inside & waterproof on the outside. Made from recycled bottles. Perfect for all adventurers.

voited.com

 

[silentbutdeadly]

"extreme sight seeing"

You can get one of those for free if you by a 4/3 Evade from Isurus

 

[rgruber]

Same. My 2015 Xcel Drylock 5/4 got me through that really cold 2015/2016 winter.

The one I bought in 2020 to replace it has been leaky in the crotch from the get go. Unfortunately the 5/4 Psychotech that everyone was raving about, is just much less warm than the Drylock even if better made. More stretch = less warm?

Probably try Vissla next.

The suits I see here in the NE in winter are mainly Xcel, Hyperflex and Vissla these days. They all seem to fall apart fairly quick which sucks balls when you just spent $500 on a new Drylock and you get a season out of it. The Vissla's and Hyperflex's are cheaper so it stings less I suppose. Pal buys oneill's only and swears by em, his suits seem to last for a long time but the technosplooge seems to stretch out making the suit eventually unusable. Up til 2016 or so Xcel drylock 5/4 was the goto for almost everyone I know, then something changed and they started falling apart.

 

[PRCD]

Same. My 2015 Xcel Drylock 5/4 got me through that really cold 2015/2016 winter.

The one I bought in 2020 to replace it has been leaky in the crotch from the get go. Unfortunately the 5/4 Psychotech that everyone was raving about, is just much less warm than the Drylock even if better made. More stretch = less warm?

Probably try Vissla next.

I'm seeing a lot of Buell lately. Does anyone have any comments on these?

 

[ChaseTMP]

I'm seeing a lot of Buell lately. Does anyone have any comments on these?

I was all set on getting the Subdivision DR1 4mm and was turned off after trying one on. Buell trims the top portion of the inner flap with nylon, greatly reducing how wide you can open the thing up to get over your shoulders. I found it to be one of the most difficult suits I've ever had to put on. The neck was super tight, where I felt like Fat Bastard's doppelgänger. I'm 6' 165lbs and tried on an MT. With that said, numerous shop guys (early 20's) from my local shop love the Subdivision line.

 

[rowjimmytour]

@Aruka is this the changing poncho that most people up north use? lol.

Surf Inspired Hooded Poncho with a Towel-Like Inside - VOITED US

Stay dry & cozy with our hooded poncho - Towel-like on the inside & waterproof on the outside. Made from recycled bottles. Perfect for all adventurers.

voited.com

Braa it packs into a travel pillow dude

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I have an RB1.

Pros: Super soft and flexible

Cons: Not the warmest suit. Seam taping binds a little bit in the shoulders but it doesn't really affect anything. No cinch cord. You have to thread the zipper.

I call it a decent suit for the price but I think Visslas seem better built for about the same price.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

Pal buys oneill's only and swears by em, his suits seem to last for a long time but the technosplooge seems to stretch out making the suit eventually unusable.

If buying techno blabber I recommend buying on the tighter side due to this.

 

[sdsrfr]

If buying techno blabber I recommend buying on the tighter side due to this.

I had the issue on my hyperfreak 3/2. Medium tall quickly became baggy and flushed regularly within a year.

my psycho1 4/3 does not share the issue. Medium tall going strong on 2 seasons now.

my 3/2 may have been TB-2, not sure but likely, that or og-TB.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

pshycho 1 is such a great suit. Wish they'd make it with chest panels. I guess that's the pshychofreak though

 

[Swallow Tail]

I'm seeing a lot of Buell lately. Does anyone have any comments on these?

The consensus in these parts is that they’re garbage unfortunately

 

[sdsrfr]

pshycho 1 is such a great suit. Wish they'd make it with chest panels. I guess that's the pshychofreak though

I think they do that for flexibility. Less panels less stitching less stiffness.

it’s the best 4/3 I’ve owned in a while. I have a hard time believing it’s as warm as it is as I never get “hot” like some other 4/3s but I have never been cold in it.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I've owned a 4/3 and 3/2 before. They were awesome but once the seams started to go, they went downhill fast.

 

[menobrah]

Tried out the 8mm solite boots today...heat molded them last night and used the 1mm socks that come with em. Air low 30's water 40...they fit kind of amazing after the molding and are by far the warmest booties I've ever known. 3 1/2 hr session with some long lulls and my feet never went bad...usually after hr 2 or so I start to feel it with 7mm drylock boots. That said the soles are really hard, and it feels a lot like wearing shoes while surfing, which is definitely not cool... I am going to give them one more session but the shoe feeling is a bummer.

 

[rgruber]

Thanks for the update. My feet were really cold after 2+ hours in my 7mm Drylocks yesterday. I could probably live with the hard soles if I could feel my feet.

Do you size up or down. I'm a 10.5 and I wear 11's in Drylocks and they fit great. Solite recommends going down but I was thinking with the 1mm sock should I go up? I guess doesn't matter as they are sold out. Got a note that my size was back in but they must have just had 1 pair because by the time I clicked it was gone.

 

[menobrah]

Thanks for the update. My feet were really cold after 2+ hours in my 7mm Drylocks yesterday. I could probably live with the hard soles if I could feel my feet.

Do you size up or down. I'm a 10.5 and I wear 11's in Drylocks and they fit great. Solite recommends going down but I was thinking with the 1mm sock should I go up? I guess doesn't matter as they are sold out. Got a note that my size was back in but they must have just had 1 pair because by the time I clicked it was gone.

Size down! The molding will expand to fit your feet, but not shrink at all.