Warmest hooded full suit and favorite winter gear

[lovisa]

Bought one on the same deal. Great suit for PNW as stated. It's a little stiff compared to a sponge like O'neill. Much better quality though, and holds it temp rating for a long time, unlike previous mentioned sponge that's only good for a few months.

NY winter? No way. You'll freeze. I'd want a 6/5 Billabong or Xcell.

Thanks everyone - usually i'm in a 5 or 6mm drylock/flashbomb for the season but was curious to try something new out with the sale. I'm in the water alot and tend to blow through suits pretty quickly - lucky if i get two seasons at best on the thick ones.

I do have a needs 4/3 hooded that works really well through the end of December and v early spring if anyones curious.

 

[rgruber]

I'm curious. Need to get something to replace an ancient 4/3 hooded Xcel and my last two Xcels have leaked.

Thinking either a Needs or a Vissla 7 Seas hooded as I have another Vissla 4/3 that I picked up years ago which is still working pretty well. Not the lightest or stretchiest but warm.

I do have a needs 4/3 hooded that works really well through the end of December and v early spring if anyones curious.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Thanks everyone - usually i'm in a 5 or 6mm drylock/flashbomb for the season but was curious to try something new out with the sale. I'm in the water alot and tend to blow through suits pretty quickly - lucky if i get two seasons at best on the thick ones.

I do have a needs 4/3 hooded that works really well through the end of December and v early spring if anyones curious.

Spit hot fire and drop truthbombs on the Drylock vs Flashbomb. I had Xcels exclusively for years and yolo'd a Rip Curl zipperless springsuit a few years back and that thing is turbogummy and pretty warm. Some of the new ones look pretty dank.

The one thing I don't like about the Drylock is around 53 my hands have had enough, and that rubber gasket cracks/splits going over glove cuffs. I swooped some 1.5mm gloves but not sure the difference between that and 3mm will appease the vengeful Drylock Gods.

 

[lovisa]

I'm curious. Need to get something to replace an ancient 4/3 hooded Xcel and my last two Xcels have leaked.

Thinking either a Needs or a Vissla 7 Seas hooded as I have another Vissla 4/3 that I picked up years ago which is still working pretty well. Not the lightest or stretchiest but warm.

Definitely go needs over vissla - I've had the 7 seas and high seas recently and they both fell apart super quickly in 3/2 and 4/3. The needs are made WAY better, super warm, and aren't really stiff (but what wetsuit is nowadays?).

 

[Northern_Shores]

C-Skins. Everything else is trash.

Admin, please close this thread.

 

[rgruber]

Interesting. I've got a non hooded Vissla 4/3 I picked up in California years ago during a cold december when I was out there and brought it back to NY and use it as a backup suit and it's held up going on maybe 5 years. A little less flexible than my 4/3 drylock but on par warmth wise. But a friend recently got a Needs hooded 4/3 that he likes though said he gets a bit cold during a long session with stiff offshores.

Definitely go needs over vissla - I've had the 7 seas and high seas recently and they both fell apart super quickly in 3/2 and 4/3. The needs are made WAY better, super warm, and aren't really stiff (but what wetsuit is nowadays?).

 

[ChaseTMP]

Definitely go needs over vissla - I've had the 7 seas and high seas recently and they both fell apart super quickly in 3/2 and 4/3. The needs are made WAY better, super warm, and aren't really stiff (but what wetsuit is nowadays?).

Similar experience to rgruber. I haven't owned a Needs, but have been in Visslas for the last seven years and only had one issue that was warrantied. The lower part of the ankle on my High Seas no-zip 4/3 was starting to delaminate, probably due to overly aggressive pressure from my heel putting it on. My three year old North Seas 4/3 and four year old 7 Seas 4/3 are still alive.

I bought a Isurus 3.3 Shield hooded (no zip). The water hasn't been cold enough yet to wear it, but I plan on rotating that with my two year old High Seas when doing double sessions this winter.

My 3/2 is a freebie I got through RVCA two years ago. It's made by Excel and that thing is such a POS. I'd be really bummed if I had paid money for it. It gets very limited use and still has little leaks all over. I remember the seat leaking after only a handful of sessions.

 

[lovisa]

Similar experience to rgruber. I haven't owned a Needs, but have been in Visslas for the last seven years and only had one issue that was warrantied. The lower part of the ankle on my High Seas no-zip 4/3 was starting to delaminate, probably due to overly aggressive pressure from my heel putting it on. My three year old North Seas 4/3 and four year old 7 Seas 4/3 are still alive.

I bought a Isurus 3.3 Shield hooded (no zip). The water hasn't been cold enough yet to wear it, but I plan on rotating that with my two year old High Seas when doing double sessions this winter.

My 3/2 is a freebie I got through RVCA two years ago. It's made by Excel and that thing is such a POS. I'd be really bummed if I had paid money for it. It gets very limited use and still has little leaks all over. I remember the seat leaking after only a handful of sessions.

My Vissla issues were ones I've bought in the last two years (3/2 ankles blew up; chest bungee piece fell apart; 4/3 crotch blew out real quick). The first 7 seas i've purchased 5+ years ago was really well made and got a few years out of it, hence why i bought more. Maybe i'm too rough?

 

[rgruber]

Maybe like Xcel the quality went downhill? Think maybe Xcel changed ownership or something. Not sure about Vissla.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

I (as well as others I know) left xcel years ago after being a devotee.

leaky seems within the first few sessions and just kept falling apart from there.

 

[daave]

Had better luck with vissla than needs. The 7 seas is pretty comparable to the needs. Both get heavy when wet but decent suits for the money.

I like the zipper less high seas 4/3. Stretchier than needs or the 7seas.

 

[Northern_Shores]

I (as well as others I know) left xcel years ago after being a devotee.

leaky seems within the first few sessions and just kept falling apart from there.

Had an Xcel two seasons ago and it damn near had me killed. Those leaky seams got me good.

 

[rgruber]

I'm trying to leave Xcel but having trouble finding anything as warm.

I spent like $500+ on a Oneil 5/4 Psycho tech last season and got cold when the when blew and it was in the 30s so switched back to my (leaky) Drylock for the coldest days.

 

[ChaseTMP]

Had better luck with vissla than needs. The 7 seas is pretty comparable to the needs. Both get heavy when wet but decent suits for the money.

I like the zipper less high seas 4/3. Stretchier than needs or the 7seas.

The 4/3 High Seas no-zip is a great bang for the buck wetsuit IMO. I don't think I would have had the warranty issue that I did if I was more careful. I surf some rocky fronted areas and changing in and out of suits is pretty tough on them. I should bring something to stand on that buffers between the rocks and the suit.

Vissla turned around the repair really quickly. I didn't love that they didn't replace the entire lower leg, but the repair seems to be holding up fine.

 

[germs]

Would an xcel drylock 6/5 be warmer than the drylock x 5/4? Anyone try both? I realize it would likely be stiffer, but I can accept that if it’s going to give me another 5 Fahrenheit.

 

[jkb]

I'm trying to leave Xcel but having trouble finding anything as warm.

I spent like $500+ on a Oneil 5/4 Psycho tech last season and got cold when the when blew and it was in the 30s so switched back to my (leaky) Drylock for the coldest days.

Quit fvckin around and get a Japanese suit already.

 

[oeste858]

Quit fvckin around and get a Japanese suit already.

I don’t care what anyone says, you are totally pulling of this beige suit, bro!

 

[menobrah]

wore a needs 5/4 all winter in ny nj last year no problems. On our absolutely coldest days I was fine. Im not the biggest fan of 6mm suits, off the rack they all feel like suits of armor to me. Thinking about getting a custom japanese suit for this winter, someone needs to start a wetsuit quiver thread.

 

[live4swell]

I'm trying to leave Xcel but having trouble finding anything as warm.

I spent like $500+ on a Oneil 5/4 Psycho tech last season and got cold when the when blew and it was in the 30s so switched back to my (leaky) Drylock for the coldest days.

same.. thinking about going to a 6/4 or 5/4 flashbomb.. 6/4 sounds toasty. never worn one b4. 5mm drylocks were always my go to but they just don't fit me as well as other brands

 

[rgruber]

I'm a bit skeptical of the Japanese rubber as the one person I know who got one here isn't a huge fan. Said they talked him into going a little too tight and it wasn't particularly warm. He just bought a few Needs, a 3/2 and a 4/3 hooded. Think he bought a Cyber when out in CA but not sure.

I'm not a RipCurl fan but was considering a Drylock X (maybe that fixes the leaky seams?) or a Needs or Vissla. Probably try a 4/3 hooded first and then maybe replace my 5/4 Drylock.