I looked at them today and I can honestly say…Phooey!!! The seams are folded in and sewn with a nice 3 or 4mm ridge, on, the, INSIDE!!! Remember frankenstein stitches from wetties up through the 80’s? The long john design is OK but the beaver tail? Who wants to get slapped in the back of the legs when you’re trying to surf? With todays technology, wetsuits are warm, flexible, rash free and extremely comfortable. Why go back?
Good marketing idea for the retro crowd. Shame on the silly people that buy them.
Sorry to rant, I’m just bored and want to get out of the office.
I suffered through the envolution of wetsuit design from the mid-60’s. Being a diver also, I endured this on two fronts. Anyone who remembers the powder, tearing, stiffness, rashes, etc. always has a laugh when they see someone wearing a retro or vintage suit. Real retro is wearing long johns and then dancing around a pile of burning tires when you come in after becoming hypothermic.
Well, I hope the “new” retro suits fit better than the old ones. I’ll keep my new suit. No rash. No rash guard.Warm. More quality time in the cold water.Flexible. Fits like Spiderman’s suit. Mike
Logos aside, doesn’t the raised seam on the inside bug you? I mean those things have been out of the industry for at least 15 years. (thing used to give me wicked rashes.) I can understand recreating the retro styles because like it or not, there is a market for it now. However, why not use modern technology to make these suits?
Randy’s a great guy, it’s good to see local support for his shop. He’s also done a nice job of renovating it.
I suffered through the envolution of wetsuit design from the mid-60’s. Being a diver also, I endured this on two fronts. Anyone who remembers the powder, tearing, stiffness, rashes, etc. always has a laugh when they see someone wearing a retro or vintage suit. Real retro is wearing long johns and then dancing around a pile of burning tires when you come in after becoming hypothermic.
Ohhhh yeah, Pete. Paddling in a badly fitting suit with the arms bending the wrong way, heavy rubber and coarsely done seams, and if you got in the New England winter water regularly and for any length of time in the old 1/4" suits you’d wind up with these Lovely Little Craters chewed into your skin here and there.
With apologies to Bert, we called 'em Burger Pits and the guys my age who surfed then all have scars from 'em to this day.
And no, that’s one thing the digital camera definitely doesn’t need to document…
Yeah, retro is something I can very easily live without…
Im fairly new to surfing and was reading the vintage wetsuit thread and just want to know if anyone has any pictues of them? I would just like to see what they actually look like with these “Beavertails”. Thanks Dave or maybe just post a link i can read up on.
I cannot think of one redeaming feature of those old wetsuits. When I use to wear them I was always cold and the rashes… I can understand why somebody would want retro boards, shorts … but wetsuits, no way!
Go buy yourself a modern set of wetsuit sleeves. People used beavertails because thats all there was and they probably saw somone in a magzine riding them. Let me ask you a question: What exactly is a beaver tail going to do for your surfing other than bring to the attention of many that have been surfing awhile that you would be a fashion victim?
Even the name of the company: “Vintage Soul” is packaged. While I agree having soul is Vintage. What do beavertails have to do with having soul. In fact if you look back at the term soul as referred to by surfers, then Vintage Soul wetsuits simply does not fit the bill. It’s main purpose is to capitalize on a few bills. At the expense of some impressionable teenagers or mid life crisis crew who want to re-live their childhood.
Nothing wrong with it as long as you keep it in perspective.
Man all you guys need to relax and let people do their own thing, do you get angry at girls for wearing uncomfortable shoes? In the summertime when it is warm these wetsuits are essentially just a fashion statement, similar to the one you are making with pinlines, resin tints and cutlaps so relax take a deep breath and let the children play.
I hope you don’t wear the tail buttoned like the picture shows?
Those original beaver-tail suits were not designed specifically for surfers. They were for Diving. Like people have already said…there was nothing else at the time…so they used what they had available. The tail was initially intended to keep the suit secure. The old wetsuits were actually two pieces: The beaver-tail jacket and a pair of pants. What surfers found was that the tail was ill-fitting and uncomfortable, so they just let it flap behind them…hence the name “beaver-tail”.
That being said…I see nothing wrong with vintage wetsuits. If it makes you happy…I say go for it. I think people who grouse about it are being petty. Would you tell someone who enjoyed camping that they were stupid to go out in the woods with a tent & cook their food over a fire because nowadays we have houses and stoves? Would you tell someone who restores a classic car that they’re being duped by the Classic Car industry trying to make a buck off their desire for nostalgia? Are they suckers for rebuilding that old Holley Carb because now we have such advanced fuel-injection systems?
Personally…I do ride a retro-style longboard…but I love my new, warm, flexible, modern wetsuit to death
