The Great Unbiased Wetsuit Review Thread

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,625
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Anyone tried the Xcel Drylock X vs the standard Drylocks. Someone here mentioned the seams were not leaky which would be improvment over my last 4/3 and 5/4 Drylocks but don't want to throw down $600 and be sitting in water again. No other suits seem to cut it in really cold air/water despite the seam leakage.
 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,613
1,048
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Just picked up one of the new O'neill Hyperfreak Fire fullsuits today... I had my eye on the PsyhcoTech for awhile but they've only had all Black in stock for years now and I always prefer a small bit of color on my suits... Inventory has been slim pickens for years, and you cant expect to wait for a late season deal for the more popular sizes / colors, so I swooped.

I dont think I'll miss the smoothskin, but a previous suit had the Firewall insulation in the chest + back, and I miss it. This one has it in the chest +back + thighs + butt.


 

Your Moms Dildo

Michael Peterson status
Jan 17, 2014
3,322
2,994
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Next to the Lube
Just picked up one of the new O'neill Hyperfreak Fire fullsuits today... I had my eye on the PsyhcoTech for awhile but they've only had all Black in stock for years now and I always prefer a small bit of color on my suits... Inventory has been slim pickens for years, and you cant expect to wait for a late season deal for the more popular sizes / colors, so I swooped.

I dont think I'll miss the smoothskin, but a previous suit had the Firewall insulation in the chest + back, and I miss it. This one has it in the chest +back + thighs + butt.


That's the one I've been looking to order. Update your post when you get a few sessions in it and decide if you'd buy it again.

Did you go with the 3+ 2+?
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,779
23,630
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Tower 13
so despite my buell being pretty comfy with no leaks so far... it flushes like a mo fo as I've stated before. But it's gotten worse. every other duckdive lets water in and I had one where it was literally like someone opened the neck of my suit and poured in a half gallon of water. Fits perfect so I know its not that. They really need to put a cinch in that suit. If I tug on the shoulder seam when sitting in the lineup you can see how water gets in.

Gonna be worthless when the water hits 60 or below
 

Mr J

Michael Peterson status
Aug 18, 2003
2,261
1,468
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Regional Vic, Australia
I have a buell RB2 5mm hooded, just been through a winter in it - actually still using it for morning sessions. Water is about 14.5C. We get a lot of bad weather and more often than not I am surfing in windy onshore conditions.

Best fitting wetsuit I ever had - the hood notably is not pinching anywhere and not loose and flushing either. Unlike your experience @silentbutdeadly no flushing through the front zip either. Very happy with it, although as noted by @rgruber nothing seems to beat a new xcel drylock for warmth for a given thickness of rubber - before they start leaking.

Purchased on the buell us website and sent from Santa Cruz with a shipping cost of about $100. I got interested when Buell started shipping out of Victoria last year (at a cost of $10). This is not as stupid as it sounds @santacruzin was happy with his buell and I like the way they keep the rubber thickness on the arms to 4. The reason for this overseas purchase is just the state of the market in Aus, nowhere near as much variety as US. No 5mm buells sold here, other companies such as O'Niell and Adelio sell 5mm, but none in my size. So when I was browsing the technical info on the aus website, the rb2 link took me to the US website and when I arrived there a message said something like "hey we can see you are from aus, we ship there". So I got a J16. Junior sizing is cheaper than adult sizing and I was right in that size category. At 5' 7" I am on the upper end, although under the weight range. I also have a long neck which means my body is more like a 5' 6". I suppose an extra cm of length on the sleeve would be better, but hardly a major issue.

It has rubber sealing on the outside seams, so I expect it to get through at least another annual winter/spring/early summer before that starts to crack and leak.
 

sushipop

Michael Peterson status
Feb 7, 2008
3,380
5,971
113
The Dagobah System
so despite my buell being pretty comfy with no leaks so far... it flushes like a mo fo as I've stated before. But it's gotten worse. every other duckdive lets water in and I had one where it was literally like someone opened the neck of my suit and poured in a half gallon of water. Fits perfect so I know its not that. They really need to put a cinch in that suit. If I tug on the shoulder seam when sitting in the lineup you can see how water gets in.

Gonna be worthless when the water hits 60 or below
Which suit is it?
 

casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,688
18,197
113
Petak Island
so despite my buell being pretty comfy with no leaks so far... it flushes like a mo fo as I've stated before. But it's gotten worse. every other duckdive lets water in and I had one where it was literally like someone opened the neck of my suit and poured in a half gallon of water. Fits perfect so I know its not that. They really need to put a cinch in that suit. If I tug on the shoulder seam when sitting in the lineup you can see how water gets in.

Gonna be worthless when the water hits 60 or below
It's a $270 suit, you get what you pay for.

Even so I'd contact them and complain, tell them the suit is basically worthless and you're pretty disappointed.

An OTR suit was a custom suit for someone else; in your case whose build probably prevented all that flushing.

IMO a chest zip should always have an inner gasket to redirect any flushing. Otherwise it's a gamble.

See what they say and update us here. The worst that could happen is what happened with my waterlogged Manera booties - "Our booties are designed to allow water in.":roflmao:
 
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gbg

Miki Dora status
Jan 22, 2006
3,970
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Bought a 4/3 Dawn Patrol. Scored it on sale for $219. Warmer than my Vissla. I dig it.