Surfing Wetsuits"Forget saving a few bucks for a surfing wetsuit that doesn't give you the best fit!" Surfing Wetsuits are getting better and better. 
I’ve had many surfing wetsuits since then, some better than others. Today I buy top of the line. You can get a good wetsuit for about $200, but I spend more for the flexibility. I bought Rip Curl Ultimates and O’Neill Psycho IIs for years and they were good. Now my favorite is the Matuse Hoplite. Same warmth as the others but even thinner and more flexible. (Update: Zipper broken on latest generation Hoplight after 6 months but Warranty repair was TWO THUMBS UP! No questions/no hassle. The suit was sent back to me after a couple of weeks ready for winter 09.) It’s hard to go wrong with the major brands as long as the wetsuit fits you right. When choosing a surfing wetsuit, forget saving a few bucks for something that doesn’t give you the perfect fit. Try several different ones and move around a lot. Too loose and water flows into the spaces. Too tight and you feel like your wearing a scuba suit. Since this is northern California, the wetsuit thickness I look for is always 3mm/4mm. Some days I wish I had a 2mm/3mm but those are rare and not worth buying a second suit. The Hoplite is actually a 2mm/3mm/4mm so it is close enough. My wetsuits last me about a year to a year and a half. When I feel one start to break down, I trade it in for about $60-$80 and get a new one. After a surf session, they’re supposed to be rinsed in fresh water and hung up to dry in the shade. I’m usually good about this but confess to skipping this step now and then. Otherwise my suits might last me longer. Just remember, it’s best not to fling the salty mass in the back of your Honda Element/VW van/beat up piece of junk for the next day. This thing is as important as your surfboard. I highly recommend using a wetsuit hanger. These hangers have very wide shoulders and really spread the wetsuit out. These simple devices reduce drying time by hours. I use the Ventilator which cost me around twenty bucks. There are more expensive models out there that have a built in motor to move air through the wetsuit, but that is probably overkill for most of us. I also don't feel like changing batteries or running a chord to the darned thing. If your purchasing a wetsuit online be sure to checkout WetsuitWearhouse.com Comment On Your Brand Of Wetsuit.Want to say something about your brand of wetsuit? Spill it here. What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
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