Guys i thought this question belonged in here.

Does anyone have any experience with these wetsuits? I'm looking for something sealed for the winter, and they claim that their 3/2 is as warm if not warmer than a 4/3.

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omega said...

Guys i thought this question belonged in here.

Does anyone have any experience with these wetsuits? I'm looking for something sealed for the winter, and they claim that their 3/2 is as warm if not warmer than a 4/3.

They have a 14 day no questions asked warranty so you could test them and find out. Only issue I have is the lack of ties on the feet so the likelihood of getting water shooting up your wetsuit leg is pretty high. Its one of the reasons the kite specific wetsuits have ties but unfortunately you'll pay a higher price for them.

i have had 1.5mm for a few years, good durability
excellent allround wettie, only go to the pyscho 2 if windy, predawn surfs in wa

dont know about 3/2 but mine is not well sealed at the neck and get cold flush duck diving

otherwise top marks

pyscho 2 is as good as a dry suit, nearly no water ever gets in but a the price of a heavier suit and less flexibility in the neoprene, tight at ankles and wrists but still get "elephant legs" if kiting with it on the odd occasion

get a Rip Curl 'H Bomb' nothing like it on the market has a built in battery operated heater with a temperate control up to 37c if you're on dawn patrol in July down Vic this winter you'll want one of these.
and this Rolls Royce of wetsuits comes with a high price but most likely worth every hard earned cent of it www.ripcurl.com.au/?hbomb

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surfoil66 said...

get a Rip Curl 'H Bomb' nothing like it on the market has a built in battery operated heater with a temperate control up to 37c if you're on dawn patrol in July down Vic this winter you'll want one of these.
and this Rolls Royce of wetsuits comes with a high price but most likely worth every hard earned cent of it www.ripcurl.com.au/?hbomb

You had me until I saw $1500. For that price I could buy a wetsuit and a drysuit.

just go the sealed E bomb, so light and no cold flushes down the back coz they have a batwing thing iside em

Yup,
Ripcurl bomb (or H bomb) is the way to go, it's warmer and waaayyyy more flexible than my older 4x3
I use a 3x2 and wear a radiator rashie underneath for colder days (3x2 alone will cook you in summer)

Hey Omega,,

Did you find out more about the 3/2. Would be great if it's as warm as a 4/3! Anyone used the radiator 3/2?

I have one coming next week. I'll let you know when it arrives.

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Saffer said...

I have one coming next week. I'll let you know when it arrives.

Thanks. Be interesting to hear if yo uthink it could get you through the winter OK;

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axis said...

Saffer said...

I have one coming next week. I'll let you know when it arrives.

Thanks. Be interesting to hear if yo uthink it could get you through the winter OK;

Wetsuit arrived today. Hopefully I'll get a test run in it today if the wind plays along but I don't think it will be cold enough to give it a full cold water test. It looks thin compared to my old 4/3 but on the up side the flexibility is substantially improved so it should be a perk on the water if it stands up to the claims of being as warm as a 4/3. The guy from radiator seemed pretty confident it was, he even suggested I take just the vest and come back afterwards to buy the wetty after I had a chance to test it so it seems like they have confidence in their claims.

I have a radiator long sleeve vest coming separately which should give me some extra warmth if it gets really cold but that's just because I am a scrawny bastard so not much body fat to keep me warm. The perk with the wetty/vest combo is the vest can be used on its own for cold summer days or combined with my shorty for extra warmth as a springsuit, or I could use just the radiator full length if its too cold for either of those and add the vest for the really cold days. So effectively I now have the following to combine in various combos: Shorty, Full Length 3/2, Radiator long sleeve vest (coming shortly). I'm hoping I never have to use all 3 together or I may feel like the Michelin man.

Someone commented on the neck sealing not being good, but its seems pretty decent on this compared to my old NPX wetsuit so not sure if they have improved the model since he last tried it or whether I just have low standards on neck sealing. I water test should answer this.

Off the cuff, the lack of velcro on the legs is still a concern, but I suspect it won't be much of an issue in winter if I wear my booties because my booties have fairly high ankle velcro. It doesn't solve the problem for days where I am not wearing the booties. I guess I could just get some separate velcro straps but I'll wait and see how much of an issue it is before bothering with that.

Compared to the Ion I saw at RPS, the Ion has more features (rib padding, ankle pads, leg straps) but I am not convinced I'd pay an extra $300 for just those features. I also prefer the idea of the titanium film being wind prove because the rubberised wetsuits tear easily. My old NPX rubberised looks like it was attacked by mutant gonorrhoea.

Not much else to say until I've tested it, stitching seems perfect quality and everything else on it seem good.

You're welcome to check it out if you live around StK. I'm based down in Port Melbourne so PM me if you want to check it out before buying.

saffer, i can wait to hear how the wettie holds up. I totally agree about the enormous gaps in price compared to radiator and oneil, ripcurl etc.

Looks like there isnt going to be any wind til thurs so take one for the team and just go for a swim in the bay!

Hi,


I read the h-bomb link, and Ripcurl states there is minimal electromagnetic field. Does this mean that the small electromagnetic field that is within the wetsuit would attract sharks?

This also changes the meaning of a wettie warmer. Great idea to Ripcurl. - shark bait

KR

I've got a Radiator rubber rashie. It works ok, but it's just a rashie. There's no way it could substitute for a wetsuit.

I'm sceptical about claims of the Radiator suits being warmer than all the other major brands. They've all been making titanium, heat reflective suits for donkey's years.

Most of the major brands get discounted by 40% at sales that happen at the end of every season. You can usually get a top of the range wettie for $300-400.

Rip Curl's warranty service is fantastic. It's sort of good and bad that every Rip Curl suit I've owned has had a warranty claim on it but they do an excellent job on the repairs with no hassles. The lifetime seam warranty is seriously good.

BTW. I hate velcro leg straps. There's nothing worse than forgetting to undo them when you've got your wettie down around your ankles. Tucking the legs into booties is warmer and you can't forget they're on.

Got a chance to test it tonight and its definitely warm, but given the day today (wasn't really cold) it would be difficult to say it would handle winter. Call me a sceptic but I'm inclined to believe I'll need the vest or a shorty underneath for extra cold days, but as I said, not exactly the coldest of days for a test and I didn't feel cold at all so a hard day for a comparison.

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Saffer said...

Got a chance to test it tonight and its definitely warm, but given the day today (wasn't really cold) it would be difficult to say it would handle winter. Call me a sceptic but I'm inclined to believe I'll need the vest or a shorty underneath for extra cold days, but as I said, not exactly the coldest of days for a test and I didn't feel cold at all so a hard day for a comparison.

Any updates Saffer? I'm still thinking about one.

with the temps plummeting, i went down to Torquay and purchased a rip curl Core fireskin 4/3.

After tossing up the Radiator idea i jumped in the car to see what i could get at the seconds stores. Theres not much there guys, and anything decent tends to be only slightly cheaper than buying from the retail outlet, and you dont get the 12month warranty that you get from a new purchase.

Anyway, this thing is really flexi and very toasty. Didnt feel any of the wind chill that the westerly and rain was throwing at me.

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axis said...

Saffer said...

Got a chance to test it tonight and its definitely warm, but given the day today (wasn't really cold) it would be difficult to say it would handle winter. Call me a sceptic but I'm inclined to believe I'll need the vest or a shorty underneath for extra cold days, but as I said, not exactly the coldest of days for a test and I didn't feel cold at all so a hard day for a comparison.

Any updates Saffer? I'm still thinking about one.

Yeah. Tested it at Torquay a week back. Didn't even feel the water temp through the wetsuit so it does seem to insulate well (and the water was bloody cold, we wheeled a jetski into it before I put my wetsuit on) but the air temp was warm so no feedback on the wind chill. Unfortunately, I also popped my shoulder on the trip so it put paid to any short term kiting while I sort that out.

As I said before, you're welcome to have a look at it before you buy it if you want, or if you're a similar size, you can try it out on a cold day and see for yourself.

Just a quick tip for anyone thinking about getting an H bomb wettie...

they are good ..really good but dont buy one if you want to surf in it as well...as they are waaay waaay too hot ....YES EVEN IN VICTORIA IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER .... with the amount of paddling involved with surfing you will very quickly heat up until your head feels like a hot pepper and you will find yourself deliberately flushing small amounts of water down the neck in order to cool down.......Even the F Bomb gets to hot .....I would opt for the E bomb if you are considering this line of wetties... ....

On the otherhand the H bomb could be perfect for kiting as you are not generating as much body heat and you are more exposed to the wind....

just my personal experience with the BOMB series of wetties.... unreal product just make sure you get the right one for your chosen sport

i have a radiator thermal vest and believe me the wetties are warm. the vest is fully titanium lined and if you werar it in the morning early in summer you will bake in no time so much so its unbearable. so thats a yes to they keep you warm. i have tried a mates 1.5mm radiator wetsuit and it is warmer than my west 3x2 wettie. and far more light and flexible. the main advantage is the flexibility i would say because you required less thickness to keep warm which is great

Some more feedback on the Radiator for anyone looking to get one.

First off, while you are in the water they are definitely as warm as any 4/3 I've tried however, I'm not 100% sure they are worthwhile for mid winter in Vic for the sole reason that they don't hold the wind chill quite as well as my previous 4/3. I had a session last week and I could definitely feel the cold after being off the water for a while although I didn't feel too cold on the water while I was riding, but it wasn't a mid winter day so I suspect it may battle in the really cold days. I can't test it side by side with my existing wetty because its broken, but I don't remember shivering like an epileptic as much out of the water as I did this time. Anyway, to answer some questions:

1. Yes it is as warm as a 4/3 but only while you in the water (you don't seem to feel the water against your skin at any stage
2. No it doesn't handle the wind chill as well as a 4/3
3. Yes, it probably will work for Vic but you will be cold although probably manageably so
4. No, I wouldn't stay out of the water for long before getting dressed or you will be shaking like a Comanchero at a Hell's Angels meeting,
5. Yes a rubberised thicker wetsuit which is more wind resistant may be a better option
6. Yes, the Radiator is more flexible than thicker wetsuits

Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, but I've decided to keep this wetty as a spring suit and I had a drysuit delivered today (thanks krudd bonus) which I'll use for the really cold days. Mystic Drysuit was A$400 landed (including the wool undersuit) in Aus so it wasn't far off the cost of a cheap wetty and still cheaper than a Ion or one of the premium wetties which go for $600. I figure I'll be happier on the water when I am dry.

I'll provide some feedback on the Mystic drysuit when I get a chance to test it out in colder conditions, but I'll do that as a separate review.