The Great Unbiased Wetsuit Review Thread

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
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For me I find a 3/2 useless in NE. There's like a week in the fall and spring where you might wear one and then it's either too cold or too warm.

Conversely a hooded 4/3 is the most versatile suit I own. Can wear it from a cold, windy October day where air temps are in 40s through New Years before the water gets too cold and then again in the spring. I've got a like 2 4/3s and a 4/3 hooded and then a 5/4 hooded and a spring and an all 2 mil full which is also really versatile.

Spend money on the 4/3s and 5/4. Then others buy on sale. Xcel comps are good enough.

Just ordered a 4/3 Isurus as my first Japanese rubber. Fingers crossed.

In the NE you need a pretty big quiver of suits to surf year round and take advantage of swells. I typically have 2 5/4’s (back up is usually a 2-3 year old suit), 4/3, 3/2 and a summer suit. I get a lot of use out all my suits other than the 5/4’s which I seem to wear out within 2-3 years no matter what brand I try. It’s a pretty expensive place to be a committed surfer in all honesty.
 
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manbearpig

Guest
For me I find a 3/2 useless in NE. There's like a week in the fall and spring where you might wear one and then it's either too cold or too warm.

Conversely a hooded 4/3 is the most versatile suit I own. Can wear it from a cold, windy October day where air temps are in 40s through New Years before the water gets too cold and then again in the spring. I've got a like 2 4/3s and a 4/3 hooded and then a 5/4 hooded and a spring and an all 2 mil full which is also really versatile.

Spend money on the 4/3s and 5/4. Then others buy on sale. Xcel comps are good enough.

Just ordered a 4/3 Isurus as my first Japanese rubber. Fingers crossed.
Where in the Ne are you? In NY/NJ zone I actually feel that if I were to omit a suit it would be a 4/3. I actually have two 4/3’s one hooded and one not but could live without them easily.
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
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Long Island.

Jersey gets a bit warmer earlier and maybe stays a bit warmer later I understand.

Maybe the hudson canyon funnels colder water in to us?

Different strokes...

Where in the Ne are you? In NY/NJ zone I actually feel that if I were to omit a suit it would be a 4/3. I actually have two 4/3’s one hooded and one not but could live without them easily.
 
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casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
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Petak Island
Just an example.

Have fun with a 2mm neo hood in tropical water/weather lol
Not the hood - the 1 mil neoprene

- with a decent wind blowing you can get cold quick.

Evaporative cooling is a thing and even in the tropics you can develop some degree of extosis.

It's great for a top in the tropics in winter
Interesting - they advertise it as a neoprene hood but the pictures look like lycra and the description reads otherwise.
 
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manbearpig

Guest
Long Island.

Jersey gets a bit warmer earlier and maybe stays a bit warmer later I understand.

Maybe the hudson canyon funnels colder water in to us?

Different strokes...
Weird. I’d overheat in my 4/3 on the tail end of spring and fall. I do like the hooded 4/3 and think it’s an underrated suit.
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
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Feels like water temps go from the high 40s to the 60s and really quickly in spring and fall tends to have air temps drop into the 40s even when the water is still in the 60s with cold north winds. I don't have much body fat so prefer a warmer suit generally.

But in any case, yeah when I bought my first hooded 4/3 it was a total game changer. I don't mind putting it on as much as a 5/4 so will wear it as far into winter as I can and ditch my 5/4 as soon as possible in the spring once the water temps get into the high 40s.

Weird. I’d overheat in my 4/3 on the tail end of spring and fall. I do like the hooded 4/3 and think it’s an underrated suit.
 

jtourito

Nep status
Jul 29, 2024
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Land Of Adult Learners
Feels like water temps go from the high 40s to the 60s and really quickly in spring and fall tends to have air temps drop into the 40s even when the water is still in the 60s with cold north winds. I don't have much body fat so prefer a warmer suit generally.

But in any case, yeah when I bought my first hooded 4/3 it was a total game changer. I don't mind putting it on as much as a 5/4 so will wear it as far into winter as I can and ditch my 5/4 as soon as possible in the spring once the water temps get into the high 40s.
Next time you over heat imagine So CA bro braaa in 4/3 hood and booties h20 lower 60s air around same :shrug:
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,867
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PNW
Was curious who was making the Florence Marine X suit and received help from "expert" support from Sam T.
View attachment 191526

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Jesus Terry, no need to go unhinged weirdo Karen on some underpaid customer service guy.

You are the first person in the history of universe to take the, "gear expert" title literally.

Also, as if someone couldn't be both a mountain biker and also know enough about a wetsuit to sell them.

I know the surf has been flat down there but seriously there has to be another hobby that is more healthy and constructive than making fake accounts on various websites to harass people who are just living their life.
 
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jtourito

Nep status
Jul 29, 2024
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Land Of Adult Learners
Jesus Terry, no need to go unhinged weirdo Karen on some underpaid customer service guy.

You are the first person in the history of universe to take the, "gear expert" title literally.

Also, as if someone couldn't be both a mountain biker and also know enough about a wetsuit to sell them.

I know the surf has been flat down there but seriously there has to be another hobby that is more healthy and constructive than making fake accounts on various websites to harass people who are just living their life.
Solitaire
:shrug:
 
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sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
6,394
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San Diego
Jesus Terry, no need to go unhinged weirdo Karen on some underpaid customer service guy.

You are the first person in the history of universe to take the, "gear expert" title literally.

Also, as if someone couldn't be both a mountain biker and also know enough about a wetsuit to sell them.

I know the surf has been flat down there but seriously there has to be another hobby that is more healthy and constructive than making fake accounts on various websites to harass people who are just living their life.
Can we pause and appreciate the fact that he used a pseudonym no less?

how many fake handles does this guy have? I’m wondering if I actually met casa or if it was a paid shill.

freaking love this place. :roflmao:
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,699
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Just picked up an Isurus 4/3. I'm 5'10 and about 160 typical surfer build of wide shoulder and narrow waist and have always been a solid medium in every other suit. This one feels especially tight. Do I need to size up or is this the "compression" factor?
 
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Swallow Tail

Michael Peterson status
Oct 6, 2017
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Your Mom’s House
Jesus Terry, no need to go unhinged weirdo Karen on some underpaid customer service guy.

You are the first person in the history of universe to take the, "gear expert" title literally.

Also, as if someone couldn't be both a mountain biker and also know enough about a wetsuit to sell them.

I know the surf has been flat down there but seriously there has to be another hobby that is more healthy and constructive than making fake accounts on various websites to harass people who are just living their life.
TBH, I find the most disturbing part of this is that Casa’s first name is Terry. WTF
 

urchined

Nep status
Jul 20, 2019
828
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NCSD, CA
Just picked up an Isurus 4/3. I'm 5'10 and about 160 typical surfer build of wide shoulder and narrow waist and have always been a solid medium in every other suit. This one feels especially tight. Do I need to size up or is this the "compression" factor?
Your LS with them
 

Leonardo

Legend (inyourownmind)
Aug 10, 2020
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I like my new feral 3/2 but I wish the fit was better. 6ft 170ish and the L is a little short on my limbs. Visslas L fits me way better.
Thought of getting the MT but I don’t think it would work good… the L is already tight on my chest and shoulders and hard to get in and out.
 
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casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
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Petak Island
Jesus Terry, no need to go unhinged weirdo Karen on some underpaid customer service guy.

You are the first person in the history of universe to take the, "gear expert" title literally.

Also, as if someone couldn't be both a mountain biker and also know enough about a wetsuit to sell them.
Guy is a nonsurfing mountainbiker.

But claiming to be an expert in surfing gear.

And I'm sure plenty of people actually think they're getting expert advice on the overpriced items they're buying.

Which is a business model that I despise - pretending to know what you're talking about in order to give the customer confidence in purchasing the product.

No, I wouldn't trust him to tell me about surfing wetsuits.

Going "unhinged" was just fucking around.



I know the surf has been flat down there but seriously there has to be another hobby that is more healthy and constructive than making fake accounts on various websites to harass people who are just living their life.
Overthink.

If you're on the Marine X website a little box pops up in the corner that tells you you can speak to an expert about the product.

You just type in a fake name (how much fun would a real one be?) and get on with it.
 
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Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,867
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Guy is a nonsurfing mountainbiker.

But claiming to be an expert in surfing gear.

And I'm sure plenty of people actually think they're getting expert advice on the overpriced items they're buying.

Which is a business model that I despise - pretending to know what you're talking about in order to give the customer confidence in purchasing the product.

No, I wouldn't trust him to tell me about surfing wetsuits.
No one else is dumb enough to take the "expert" label literally. An expert in surfing gear isn't even a thing. There isn't like some governing body that tests and certifies you on your surfing gear expertise before you can sell wetsuits and boardshorts online.

Do you go into Best Buy and harass employees when they can't tell you exactly which Chinese factory a TV was made in?