Wetsuit: attached hood, yay or nay?

[rgruber]

Good to know before I plop down $500+ on a new 5/4.

Both the newer Xcels I've bought (4/3 and 5/4) leak through the crotch which means you literally freeze your balls off when you're sitting in 40 degree water. I sent them both back to have them re-tapped but I think they now use narrower tape so when the seams stretch they become water permeable. My older suits with wider tape don't seem to.

 

[sh3]

Everyone's got an opinion. They're all good. Mine is Isurus.

Regardless, I highly recommend AGAINST anything that has "welded seams" or "fluid welded seams" or some such iteration of this for the seams. The material stretches and cracks over time, especially in the crotch and thighs, leading to cold water leaking in. IMO, this material has a seriously limited life span (like one year) and then you're back to spending lots of money on a quality suit. Just bite the bullet early and reap the rewards.

FWIW, my original Isurus 4/3 is still going strong. Have the new one, too, and it's just as great. Only difference between them is the way the zipper works. Highly recommend.