Kokua, They sell for up to $600.00 for a 4/3. If you can get that deal jump on it! I know a couple of guys with them and they really like 'em. The wool liner seems to work quite well. Hope this means you are working your way back into the water. Take care of yourself.
I still find the excel fits the best. I use 6/5/4 in Oregon. No seam problems, save a little bit at the joints of panels, and by the knee pads - which seem to come from the knee pads being dense and so the soft panels around it seem to pull away (I’m trying to be careful not to pull hard in that area on my new ones.)
The thing I’ve found with the new soft/stretchy neo is that it “breaks down”/“colapses”/“cruches” in @ a year and a half… it gets thinner and baggy = cold. I haven’t tried other suits for years, but I’ve tried all kinds of boot and gloves and that soft/stretchy stuff just smooshes away…
Here in Jersey all I wear is Hyperflex Amps, going on my 3rd year with my 3/2, 4/3 and 5/4/3. A lot of room in the shoulders and chest especially for bigger guys.
Hwzit tblank, Whenever I would come over for vacations and stay with my nephew and niece we would go to the Patagonia factory and they have store there and the surfing clothing and wetsuits are all there and I would pick out what I want and she paid and got the discount. I would pay her back sometimes but sometimes they would pay since it would be my Xmas presents. One trip I got to meet The son who runs the shaping machine and one of the Brothers ( can't remember any names right now) that surf for them. Class act there and by now the whole place is solar powered I think. 2 years ago they were already half solar powered. My niece has the last say on what goes on the market and they were getting ready to make her Vice Pres also, but they have a few of them. Aloha,Kokua
Hey Kokua, How Ya Feeling? Hope things are getting better for you. Good gig for your niece, great gig for you. Fletcher, Chouinard’s son makes the boards under the “Point Blanks” label. All three Malloy’s do R&D for the surf products. They are home boys and great watermen. Very nice also, no swelled heads. The outlet store is called Cheap Sports where they sold their seconds, but is now no longer “cheap” nor inexpensive. Mort of their stuff has been priced out of my range however, it is quality gear.
ps. Ever surf Mary’s/Pitas while you were here? Right hand point break. Home for Chouinard and Malloy’s.
Hwzit tblank, You have a better name memory than I and I can't even blame it on age since I have always been bad with names, I never forget a face or a story, just name even 30 secs after meeting a person. As for my health, I have good days and bad days and the medical care here is not as good as I got on Kauai. I have been frustrated from my eating problem and the doctor gave me some antidepressants and he said it would take about a month to kick in but anything that helps is good because I have been tired and get headaches due to the low blood cell count. I just take day by day and after a couple of cups of cofee in the morning I finally wake up but then I am tired by 1 in the afternoon and take a nap. I met Fletcher and the blonde Malloy brother nd another guy who was in the shapiing area,great guys and were stoked to meet somebody who lived and built boards in Hanalei. A few years ago I stopped taking boards with me because my main base was here and not Seal Bch where I would stay pre 2005. Never heard of those spots let alone surf them because I was usually more south. What I think is great is when Chouinard the owner calls the factory and tell them to take a long lunch because the surf is good. I also like how the employees keep boards in the main entrance to the factory.Aloha,Kokua
Aloha Kokua, Take all the care you need to get better. Hell, I haven’t been through what you have and I get tired by 1:00 pm.! Naps are happenin’! Working at GPIW (Chouinard) is a good gig for anyone. Used to see Shaun Thomson surfing the point a lot when he worked there and he still had it, he still rips!
@TaylorO - your findings are exactly the same as mine. As the 'ice cream head' season is approaching rapidly - I need to make a choice fast.
Anyone tried the O neill 'Psychofreak' - does it live up to the hype?
Timmy Reyes wears the Psychofreack in big cold Ghost Trees in Northern California. If you want to stay warm and still surf loose the Psychofreak is the suit to own during the winter. In fact that is the same suit I’m getting for this winter. I have 7 Quicksilver wetsuits that are just out dated and I know their new suits are improved since however Timmy, Jordy, Bobby (Cold Water Surfers) all love the Psychofreak. I don’t think you will be disappointed. Nice to be warm and still surf flexible. I’m doing Booties and a hood this winter as accessories this year.
It’s 54 degrees in Huntington Beach and it’s only the 24th of Nov?
Global warming?
Global Freezing is more like it!
Those Quick Cell suits are super warm and stretchy.
I have a patagonia R2 back zip that’s been going on around three winters and getting ready for its forth. Its the best suit I’ve owned and has lasted really well. I totally abuse my suits and there haven’t been any seams breaking or any tears. I have however worn the rubber down to just backer cloth around the neck. Sometimes I get little balls of geoprene stuck to my neck after a surf. It’s part due to lots of neck movement and the fit being a little large for me. It also gets worn from the velcro getting stuck to the rubber near the neck and pulling off tiny chunks. Over three years its gotten worn down but a front zip would probably last much longer. I also heard they’ve been making them even better lately. The best thing about the suit is the wool lining. Its in sort of a grid pattern and traps little air pockets that keep the wind chill off. The wool also helps getting the suit on and off. I just put it on like a pair of pants. It’s a really good idea to rinse the suit after a surf as the wool likes to hold onto that pee stench. Sometimes i feel like the michelin man wearing it too, but the resistence of the suit is really quite nil and once the adrenaline’s going I don’t really feel it.
Ding,
Same here in Schevening man, just froze my balls off today.
No more christmas decorations this year !
Today was pretty good surfing here too, very happy with a big barrel i got, oh yeah.
That was in the second hand o-neill suit i got. still great!
BTW: dont buy the 5 mil billabong gloves, they freaking LEAK. not watertight. Absolute rubbish.
Wouter
http://www.maplandia.com/netherlands/zuid-holland/scheveningen/scheveningen-google-earth.html
Your pretty far north. I once saw some good surf in Denmark 1991. No one out and it was perfect?
The girls were pretty and perfectly fit. I did not see one over weight girl at the beach there. I think I was the only surfer at the beach at this time?
They must have good dental because they all had straight white teeth. It was like being on a different planet. No Crime and all the cars were clean.
When I was in Holland it was the same way. Crazy Places! Good Crazy!
i got a 4/3 Matuse Hoplite and absolutely love it. It’s insane how stretchy it is and it’s the softest “geoprene” i’ve ever felt without contest. I’ve only had it a couple months but so far it still looks like new. And as expensive as it was was still cheaper then some of the O’neill suits.
erehkopf1
Most of the Wetsuits today are pretty well made compared to the Neoprene of the past.
I’ve only had it a couple months but so far it still looks like new.
And as expensive as it was was still cheaper then some of the O’Neill
suits.
There is no such thing as expensive when it comes to wetsuits.
A wetsuit is just as important as your surfboard. If your not warm and comfortable your not going to enjoy surfing in cold winter conditions. 8 months of the year you need a good suit were I live here in Southern California and if you surf North of the County line good booties, hood and gloves are in the mix.
If you make the dash down to CHILE to surf the Perfect Left Points down there it’s even more critical.
When a surfer uses the term (Still Cheaper) it shows that surfing is a low priority on your list.
Surfing is a cheap sport in general.
**$10,000 per year is what you should spend as a minimum budget towards surfing. **
2 New Surfboards per year if not more
Every Year:
Winter Suit and Gear
Every 2 years:
Short Sleeve 2Mil full suit for Fall and early Spring,
Every 3 years:
Spring Suit Long Sleeve and Spring Suit Short Sleeve 2Mil, Long Sleeve 2Mil summer Top Only, 2Mil Vest)
Every Year:
At least one good set of fins that are interchangeable with your quiver of boards.(you should have at least 3 sets if not more)
Once a year:
A good 2 week surf trip some were warm with consistent good surf (minimum to no crowds)
Every Two to Three Years:
Boat Trip
Every Winter:
One Week trip to cold water macking surf.
If your girlfriend doesn’t understand that dump her. If your married and your wife doesn’t approve of your surfing life style you married the wrong wife but you made your bed so your stuck with her.
This is a poor attempt at humor however a good way to set your priorities!
However I do cringe when someone uses words like cheaper or less expensive when discussing things for surfing. Surfing should be a priority regardless.
**Surfding
**
Surfding,
I think you may be my new motivational coach. That was great and a very good attempt at humor. I think most of the manufacturers are pretty comparable and which you pick will probably come down to warmth and fit. I wore my hooded Body Glove 543 today for the first time this season. The water is warm compared to the air. I love this time of year. Mike