Spotlight on Innovation: Surfing

Buying a wetsuit is the single most important, and probably the second most expensive purchase after your board in surfing or your board and sail in the kite world. Often that decision is based on price, some years we can go top of the range, some a notch or two down. What many of us do not realise though, is the less expensive suits are not re-branded suits from years gone by, they actually contain new tech and innovative ways of keeping you warm, just at a budget level that suits you.

Lets have a look at three wetsuits from two of the best brands in the game and you'll see what we mean.

Good

Sitting up at the top of the wetsuit food chain, you can get yourself the reassurance of quality and features that come with the O’Neill name without the hefty price tag. For example, take the O'Neill O’Riginal. In this mid-level suit, O’Neill manage to include their super dry and innovative F.U.Z.E. chest zip entry with 100% stretch UltraFlex neoprene, a carbon firewall and double neck seal, all for less than £180 (3mm) / £200 (5mm).

Better

The O'Neill Mutant. Standing out from the rest, this innovative suit takes some of the great features from the best-selling O’Riginal and tops them off with the unique modular zip closure, either functioning as a regular 5mm chest zip for those cooler spring/autumn sessions, or swap in the zip-on hood and you’ve got a hooded 5mm suit for those plain cold winter sessions. Two suits rolled into one, O’Neill’s three season Mutant will help keep you on the water on a budget through all but the coldest conditions.

Best

Not only the best that O’Neill have to offer, but amongst the best wetsuits money can buy, the O'Neill Psycho range earns its place alongside the warmest, most comfortable and innovative wetsuits available. All made from the latest update on O’Neill’s infamous TechnoButter neoprene, this is the lightest, warmest, most comfortable version ever made – you really have to feel the TechnoButter wetsuits to appreciate the R&D that goes into them. When matched with their high-tech, hydrophobic thermal lining and stitchless (yes, stitchless!) construction, it’s hard to find a warmer, more comfortable or innovative wetsuit than the Flagship Psycho Freak.

Whilst keeping your core warm is number one priority, the extremities come a close second and you certainly won’t want to neglect them for those colder sessions. Thankfully, many of O’Neill’s great features are filtered down into their gloves, boots and hoods ranges, creating the ultimate in warmth, comfort and flexibility. None of us enjoy donning a hood or gloves, but the quality of materials in these accessories make this necessary evil much more bearable.

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Good

The Dawn Patrol has been one of Rip Curl's go-to suits for discerning surfers for years, with a price point and continuing innovative features making for an attractive winter suit.

This year, the upgrades come direct from the top-of-the-range suits, with E5 neoprene present in the arms and an E5 flash lining mesh chest panel.

The E5 neoprene exclusive to Rip Curl offers 25% more stretch, a low profile and lighter lining, making for an ultra-flexible and ultra-warm suit.

Better

The E-Bomb is the ultimate suit when it comes to flexible minimalism.

Consisting of E5 neoprene throughout, this is a high performance suit offering the ultimate in freedom of movement with Rip Curl's exclusive E5 neoprene, the stretch and comfort factor cannot be beaten.

The only non-E5 panel in the E-Bomb is around the critical kidney area, where Flashlining and mesh have been added to offer further protection from the wind.

Best

The Flashbomb is arguably the ultimate winter wetsuit. World-famous Flashlining covers 3/4 of the suit in its revamped, warmer, lighter and quicker-drying format.

Add to that an updated E5 neoprene, with extended areas of E5 liquid mesh panel for increased warmth in the coldest of offshores.

Aquaban Plus tape features a low bead to increase stretch performance, acting as a barrier to cold water and increasing the integrity of the seam. This is one of the most versatile suits known to man.

When it comes to accessories, Rip Curl have you covered as well - their Flashlining has been added to both vests and the legendary heated vest, meaning you can upgrade a thinner suit when needed. You’ll also find Flashlining in boots and gloves to keep your extremities as warm as the rest of your body.

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