Tired of faulty rubbers... (The OFFICIAL why new wetsuits generally blow THREAD)

[SurfFuerteventura]

Hate getting new wetsuits. Mostly because, over the decades, it's been a noticable decline in their quality.

I still have an ONiell from the 90's that's intact and is the warmest most flexible 4/3 I've ever owned.

However after that, it seems they just fall apart at the seams, the inside tape seals come off, the zipper area has a malfunction, the wrists or ankles fray, the shoulders thin out to were your lycra top is thicker, etc, etc, etc...



What gives with wetsuit quality decline, and is there any manufacturers who've maintained quality over time? Forget the usual, Rip Curl, Billabong, ONiell, etc...

Are those vissla things, or the rvca, or hurleys worth a try? Or will it be the sure let down that all the rest are? What about those custom Japanese jobs, Yamamoto, etc .... worth the price?

Illuminate me oh great wealth of erBB wisdom.

Also, anyone else stocking up on new rubbers?

 

[GromsDad]

I've had great luck with mid price range Rip Curl suits. They are very durable. My boys like to get the high end super flexible suits and they fall apart in a single season.

 

[Mr J]

Vissla, Hurley, Adelio, Billabong, Quiksilver, Xcel, Narval are all ok. However I refuse to believe that any winter wetty can retain most of its warmth after 2 seasons.

PS. You could support a Spanish wetsuit company. Narval come with the rubber sealer on the external seams, I have a 3/2 and 4/3 which I am happy with.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

There's about 100 pages on this over on the design forum.

There are still companies making quality wetsuits. But very few. And very few of the major manufacturers are doing so.

In short:

Marketing has sold people on thinner neoprene being just as warm with "new tech" (it isn't, and it wears faster)

Smoothie has been removed from most suits. No more wind protection.

Poor glues and stitching.

Your wetsuit isn't built to last.

 

[Waterlogged05]

like i said 100 times, this is wack

my old ass quicksilver suit is just now failing had it for years, went and looked at some new Xcels and the stitching looked stressed already.

 

[CutnSnip]

always had good luck with rip curl and they fit me well with the MT but...they havent been in stock anywhere. I also dont think you need a crazy expensive suit here in socal. mid range - good booties youre fine.

I just ordered a need essentials because they were in stock. rolling the dice on something new

 

[gbg]

A suit lasts one year.

 

[gbg]

always had good luck with rip curl and they fit me well with the MT but...they havent been in stock anywhere. I also dont think you need a crazy expensive suit here in socal. mid range - good booties youre fine.

I just ordered a need essentials because they were in stock. rolling the dice on something new

Decent suit but not as good as Vissla.

 

[PRCD]

A suit lasts one year.

I got one in DEcember and the seams were parting by the end of the winter (3 months) The water-based glues suck and the wetsuits need stitching or forget it. THis is why the mid-range seem to last longer. The mid-range suits have fabric on the neoprene that can be stitched and adds to the durability even if the glues suck.

Like Casa said on the other thread, get a custom from a local maker who stands behind his work.

 

[santacruzin]

A suit lasts one year.

If you surf every day and dont baby the sh!t out of it yes for sure. I used to blow through 1-2 Oneill suits a year.

Now I keep a wetsuit shampoo bucket and a water rinse bucket at the house. clean after every session and suits last way way longer.

 

[Havoc]

ripcurl suck. crotch blows out after 1/2 a yr

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

Rinse with fresh water until your wife yells at you some bullshit about droughts, wasting water, put noise canceling headphones on and rinse it some more.

Dry in the shade. Hang on a thick hanger and flip the legs over the shoulders.

Never EVER let it dry without a thorough rinse.

Anyone complaining about modern wetsuits either didn’t surf cold water before 1990 or doesn’t take care of their sh!t.

Wetsuits have never been better than they are today.

 

[Aruka]

ripcurl suck. crotch blows out after 1/2 a yr

fckin havoc always bragging about his massive dong

 

[PRCD]

Rinse with fresh water until your wife yells at you some bullshit about droughts, wasting water, put noise canceling headphones on and rinse it some more.

Dry in the shade. Hang on a thick hanger and flip the legs over the shoulders.

Never EVER let it dry without a thorough rinse.

Anyone complaining about modern wetsuits either didn’t surf class ps water before 1990 or doesn’t take care of their sh!t.

Wetsuits have never been better than they are today.

wrong. I followed all these care instructions.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

90s wetsuits sucked ass but were better than 80s wetsuits.

I am amenable to the suggestion xcel slipped a step in the past few years. But give me the dank hew hyphy, my wizards.

 

[One-Off]

I have an old Xcel that I keep as a midseason suit. It's got to be at least ten years old. The rubber is probably porous but the seams are still holding and it has not fallen apart.

My current suit is a 4/3 Ripcurl back zip that I got for $150. You can't really go wrong at that price. I'm about to start my third season although last season it got light use due to injury. Some of the tape is peeling but I figure I can get through another SoCal season.

ps wearing a hood makes cold water much more tolerable no matter the suit...and helps you avoid the surgeon's drill or chisel...

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

wrong. I followed all these care instructions.

 

[PRCD]

Has it dawned on you that water-based "eco" glues are not the right solution for aquatic applications? Would you build a boat with Tight Bond II?

This attitude is why you got flamed for your Tyson take.

 

[Northern_Shores]

get a custom from a local maker who stands behind his work.

Roy Stewart. Standing behind his work.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

Has it dawned on you that water-based "eco" glues are not the right solution for aquatic applications? Would you build a boat with Tight Bond II?

Don’t buy “eco” wetsuits

This attitude is why you got flamed for your Tyson take.

I got flamed for a misrepresentation of what I said as opposed to what I actually said.