The Great Unbiased Wetsuit Review Thread

[jkb]

Anyone know why zipperless entries went away in the 90s?

I liked the Rip Curl zipperless wetsuits in the 90's. I was bummed when they discontinued them.

I imagine the older generation wasn't buying very many of them as they were harder to get into. Obvs the material wasn't as stretchy back then. Just a guess

 

[mundus]

I had the Rip Curl zipfrees back in the day, great when brand new but durability was poor.

 

[mundus]

DBL

 

[mundus]

3x

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Rippy has zipperless suits. I have a spring and a short sleeve full. The key pocket is weak sauce and the rest of the durability is a lil' suss, but they're nice and flexy and light and decently warm.

 

[slipped_disc]

Yes, it’s where I sit. Suit is a good fit

If it’s normal wear then I would get another….looking for a new 2 or 3/2 for spring.

That wouldn’t be normal for me. Does this happen on your other suits? how did the longevity of this one compare to your other suits?

It seems that most people here like — even love — their Isurus suits for the warmth, flexibility and longevity.

 

[sdsrfr]

what’s the perk to zipperless, less stiffness across the shoulders?

I had a zipperless O’Neil TB2 that ballooned out real quick. my twig with broad shoulders tends to wreck the entry seams.

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

I have a (probably 5 y/o) 2 mil short arm full from Rip Curl that is Zipperless.

I didn't trust the entry in a thicker suit. Felt like it would be tough to get on/off after a short amount of time. It's no problem with the 2 mil. I could be wrong.

 

[rgruber]

Remember a friend had a zipperless RipCurl in the 90s and he had to twist himself into a pretzel to take on and off. Then it stretched out and was worthless.

Been using chest zips for 20 years. No issues. Why complicate things?

That Vissla zipper looks good. Seems like they had some sort of deal with Axxe.

They must be limited in some way from putting it on all their suits otherwise why not?

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Like BobDob I have 2mm zipperless. They're not hard to get on/off at all.

I saw one in the store and it felt light and flexy and I needed a springsuit. I think Xcel only had the dogshit backzips or maybe that's all they had in stock. I tried it on and swooped.

It's not like it's night and day better than an Xcel chest zip, although I think the zipperless is a little easier to get on/off. But I'd probably get another Xcel over another Rip Curl just on the key pocket alone.

 

[stringcheese]

what’s the perk to zipperless, less stiffness across the shoulders?

I had a zipperless O’Neil TB2 that ballooned out real quick. my twig with broad shoulders tends to wreck the entry seams.

not having a zipper across your chest is a nice feeling. Less is more. It stretches out, yeah, but nothing lasts forever
The best suits to wear have always been the ones that last one year and fall apart. The 2mm no zip is the single4/4 glass job of wetsuits

 

[sdsrfr]

not having a zipper across your chest is a nice feeling. Less is more. It stretches out, yeah, but nothing lasts forever
The best suits to wear have always been the ones that last one year and fall apart. The 2mm no zip is the single4/4 glass job of wetsuits

hard pass. unless the armpit seams hold up better without the extra stiffness in the area I can’t make sense of the perk.

 

[nickpheous]

DO you feel like it is much easier on the shoulders for paddling? I'm in scotland, Won a voucher in the board upcycling contest and looking for a new winter suit so its between the v zip and the northseas suit 5/4 hooded.

Maybe just a tad better than my Isurus, Feral or Rip Curl Ebomb suits. What's really nice about that closer system is you won't get any kind of flush in the upper body area

 

[daave]

Maybe just a tad better than my Isurus, Feral or Rip Curl Ebomb suits. What's really nice about that closer system is you won't get any kind of flush in the upper body area

I have a 5/4 on the way. No flush on a winter suit would be pretty damn good.

 

[stringcheese]

hard pass. unless the armpit seams hold up better without the extra stiffness in the area I can’t make sense of the perk.

you’re in NCSD though, just wear a T-shirt?

 

[oeste858]

hard pass. unless the armpit seams hold up better without the extra stiffness in the area I can’t make sense of the perk.

Well, as someone who has developed a shoulder/neck issue (also why I can no longer paddle a 5’6 for long periods anymore), it makes a significant difference. I wore a chest zip 2mil (otherwise same Isurus suit) last month and my shoulder was sore for a day after an hour session. It’s also the easiest suit to get in/out I’ve had. Third year for my 3mil and impressed by the durability. Feels like you're just wearing a rashguard. For me, it’s 100% worth whatever minor tradeoff for the increased mobility while paddling. But everyone’s needs and priorities are different.

This Isurus is night and day better than the only previous zipfree suit I had, RC Flashbomb+, about 8 years ago. That was great for 1.5 years but as others said, stretched out. As someone mentioned, I think the quality of the rubber makes the difference.

 

[sdsrfr]

Well, as someone who has developed a shoulder/neck issue (also why I can no longer paddle a 5’6 for long periods anymore), it makes a significant difference. I wore a chest zip 2mil (otherwise same Isurus suit) last month and my shoulder was sore for a day after an hour session. It’s also the easiest suit to get in/out I’ve had. Third year for my 3mil and impressed by the durability. Feels like you're just wearing a rashguard. For me, it’s 100% worth whatever minor tradeoff for the increased mobility while paddling. But everyone’s needs and priorities are different.

This Isurus is night and day better than the only previous zipfree suit I had, RC Flashbomb+, about 8 years ago. That was great for 1.5 years but as others said, stretched out. As someone mentioned, I think the quality of the rubber makes the difference.

yammie zipperless : rawdogging
normie-prene chestzip : russian rubbers

fair enough. I don’t kno I’m ready for a feeling I’ll never feel again

ps how to peeps store their nice wetsuit quivers? pulled my 2mm ss yammie out just now and it is creased up like a mofo

 

[jkb]

ps how to peeps store their nice wetsuit quivers? pulled my 2mm ss yammie out just now and it is creased up like a mofo

I store them in my portable hyperbaric oxygen chamber, of course.

 

[tedshred5]

yammie zipperless : rawdogging
normie-prene chestzip : russian rubbers

fair enough. I don’t kno I’m ready for a feeling I’ll never feel again

ps how to peeps store their nice wetsuit quivers? pulled my 2mm ss yammie out just now and it is creased up like a mofo

Getchu a coupla these:

HangPro Slide Wetsuit Hanger

Prolong the life of your wetsuit with a HangPro Slide Wetsuit Hanger. Aside from rinsing your wetsuit and keeping it out of the sun you'll also want to hang it correctly and you do this by hanging it at the waist point rather than a traditional hang from the shoulders. You'll apapreciate the...

www.cleanlinesurf.com

 

[oeste858]

Getchu a coupla these:

HangPro Slide Wetsuit Hanger

Prolong the life of your wetsuit with a HangPro Slide Wetsuit Hanger. Aside from rinsing your wetsuit and keeping it out of the sun you'll also want to hang it correctly and you do this by hanging it at the waist point rather than a traditional hang from the shoulders. You'll apapreciate the...

www.cleanlinesurf.com

Definitely hang them folded at the waist like that. SBD has about 32 fullsuits in the current rotation, so whatever he says

BTW. Think today was the last day for the 2mil full. Definitely got chilly waiting during a lull. #WWRowJimmyDo