that wetsuit discussion...

[spork]

Its a newby from rip curl, best thing ever when the NE'ster blows up some cold water but the air is 40deg

[cedric]

SS few secondhand as new suits on gumtree Ballina Byron area in your size, medium ?
Need : taped 3x2 may be to warm for your location especially if youre a long arm springy wearer, hopefully they will start 2x2mm steamers soon .

[philw]

had 2 back zip oneil psycho 3's fall part at the seams in under 2 months (bad batch apparently). they've given me a chest zip replacement this time. seams look better but i've only used it a few times.

last 3 years i've had e-bombs. the oneil is neither as comfortable, or watertight. warmth is about the same, but it's less flexible. and i get more wash thru.

i only changed from e-bombs 'cos they generally only last me about a season.

not very happy, maybe this'll save someone making the same mistake.

[alakaboo]

Are you wearing them while jousting?

[Cpt.Caveman]

had 2 back zip oneil psycho 3's fall part at the seams in under 2 months (bad batch apparently). they've given me a chest zip replacement this time. seams look better but i've only used it a few times.

last 3 years i've had e-bombs. the oneil is neither as comfortable, or watertight. warmth is about the same, but it's less flexible. and i get more wash thru.

i only changed from e-bombs 'cos they generally only last me about a season.

not very happy, maybe this'll save someone making the same mistake.

I had the same problem with my Psycho 3 chest zip. They replaced the whole suit with a batch the has supposedly fixed the seams issue.

The new suit feels better already. More elastic, fits better, took less time to wear in and make it comfortable around the shoulders. They obviously made a mistake with the previous batch being too inelastic which made it all stiff and split easily. If all goes well with rock-offs I can see this suit lasting many seasons.

[Morgan The Moon]

I was a fan of the O'Neills - great fit, but I'm sold on the NEED suit.

I didn't want to get a chest entry suit - it always takes a month or more to stretch the neck so I don't wanna gag during a session, but this suit had no issues. One of the best fits I've had. Longevity is obviously yet to be tested.

What size do you fit in the Oneills ? what size did you go in the NEED ?

Cheers

Mate, XL in O'Neill, XL in NEED.

Steve

I usually go for the standard wetty, 300-400 retail, picked up in the sale for 150/200. That's my benchmark.

I've tried Quikky, Billabong, Excel, Radiator and O'Neill. O'Neill are just a better fit for me, and I've had no issues with their suits, other than the seams coming apart after a couple of years.

The Need suit is just really comfortable and flexible. I've taken it out a few times in the past week and gotten drilled a few times - I've had no water gushing in, haven't walked out after a session and had a leg filled with water (thanks Billabong). Suits are just getting better and better, but with the Excel I had, I noticed it wasn't anywhere near as comfy as the other suits and was chafing in all the wrong areas. That was about 5 years ago tho' and no doubt they've lifted their game too.

I've fixed the O'Neill with some cement but I'm reaching for the new suit every time, it's just more comfortable.

The only rubber part is on the inside of the neck, nothing on the chest or back so I imagine it might get a bit cool when there's some wind chill factor - my O'Neill is the same.

I've I had to pick a fault it's that the arms are a smidge too long, nothing drastic tho'.

If they had a long arm shorty in 2mm I'd snap one of those up too.

Hope that helps.

[DV8]

I was a fan of the O'Neills - great fit, but I'm sold on the NEED suit.

I didn't want to get a chest entry suit - it always takes a month or more to stretch the neck so I don't wanna gag during a session, but this suit had no issues. One of the best fits I've had. Longevity is obviously yet to be tested.

What size do you fit in the Oneills ? what size did you go in the NEED ?

Cheers

Mate, XL in O'Neill, XL in NEED.

Hope that helps.

Thanks mate , delving a little deeper , where do ya fit in the height and weight scale for a XL ?

[steve shearer]

Thanks Morgan will give it a go based on that recommendation

[Trev]

I bought a new wettie today.
End of season sale of last years styles ( )
CSkins, Steamer, XL, back zip.

$120.

On the hanger for next year.

[swvic]

You travelling, Trev?

[cedric]

Where did u buy the c skins steamer ? that's a good deal is it a 3x2 ? Thanks.

[Trev]

You travelling, Trev?

Nah. I use one maybe 20 days a year. The first couple of years I after I came home I didn't use a steamer at all, but gradually acclimatised. Normally only surf at first light for a couple of hours so the air temp can be single figures and a strong SW gets a bit uncomfortable.
With my damaged skin, I never surf during the day, except in winter, so I'll wear it then too for sun protection. But it gets a bit sweaty.

Where did u buy the c skins steamer ? that's a good deal is it a 3x2 ? Thanks.

Ocean & Earth
Address: 2 Bulcock St, Caloundra, QLD, 4551
Phone number: (07) 54913620

Never bought anything there before. I normally go to Beachbeat. But the guy was pretty good to deal with. Bloke in the surf this morning told me about the deals there (he bought one yesterday). There's probably a couple of dozen wetties on the sale rack outside. Not a big range of sizes though. Only 2 or 3 XLs.
If I'm reading the coade right on the label it's a 3/2. Pretty light and flexible though so maybe it's all just 2mm.

[spork]

To Quicksilvers credit, they have replaced my Fuseflex 3-2 steamer within a week of me sending off to them. The new one is the same model, but appears to have different rubber on the seam seals. It is a more matte looking rubber, rather than the shiny stuff that failed on the last one. Here's hoping it last more than 12 surfs!

[Trev]

Update on the C-Skins above.
I gave it a run today.
I've never paid a lot of attention to wetties before. Just put em on and go.
This one is easy to get on (dry) and off (wet). Longer sleeves than I'm used to which is a good thing so no flushing up the arms. Nice and snug around the neck so no flushing there and not so tight I'm tugging at it to breathe.
Pretty bloody good actually.
Definitely the most comfortable I've ever had.
Hope it lasts/

[swvic]

Wore the Needs Essentials 3/2 today. Had not been expecting to for quite a while, but I'm in Mallacoota. Felt great. Super flexy with no restrictions. Warm as for the whole 2 hrs which may also reflect from whence I come and the very nice sunny windless day. Got one flushing in 2 foot surf, but that was no prob given water/air temp. Only possible neg was the seemingly stretched left leg when I got out of the water. I'm a leggie under wettie person, but I might not do that again. Problem with that is a leg full of water as per my shitty old Bong Foil 3/2. All in all, this is a much better suit than that was and I'm quite happy with it

For Legion, it fits taller than I 1st posted. Whether that translates to your Too Tall frame, I can't say. My shoulder loved it. Whether that's because I'm (not) used to a 4/3 or it's really good, I can't yet define. From just one surf, I'd buy it again and still think I got a very good deal

[godsavetheking]

Well seeing as everyone else is doing wettie reviews, I might as well too. Got a 4/3 top of the range from last season Xcel the other day for about half price. My old 4/3 is an ebomb which too be honest has never felt much different from a 3/2. It's supple, comfy, light but not particularly warm. The Xcel is boiling hot, far too hot for the conditions I used it in the other day (16ish degree water, air temp down to about 14 with a fresh offshore wind), but based on the weight and comparative thickness of the suit it doesn't seem like there's any magic involved, just that Xcel's idea of 4 mil neoprene is rather different to Rip Curl's. This will see me pretty deep into winter, maybe all the way through in tandem with the heated vest if it's not too bitter. Longevity is the big question mark, of course. Experience of my winter suit would suggest one season of full seam integrity and then some water ingress in the cock region. We'll see

[BA]

I have my Needs Essentials suit now. Ordered in the afternoon and arrived the next morning. I'm impressed for the $160. Nice and stretchy, fairly light weight, and quality seems as good as my last E-Bomb. Easy enough to get into too. Not yet water tested and it'll be dark when I get home so wont be happening today despite what any of those pro-daylight savings cultists would have you believe.

If it holds up for more than three months I'll be ordering again next time.

Review when you get out in it please MF.

[BA]

I could wear it up to the pub tonight after work I suppose.

No worries. Make sure you get some beer thrown at you to test it properly.