It’s the season of Springsuits, the season I love, the season that gets ya knees out and about, the season that brings that chocolate tan line. It’s basically summertime on the Goldy already though, but I imagine some of you down south are still very much in 4/3’s. Either way, it’s time to shed some of that neoprene and slide into something a little more free and less restrictive. If you’re a fan of springsuits this guide should help as you transition from a full suit to trunks.
I’ve been testing rubber for some time now, and have been a fan of springsuits since I was grom – whether that’s right or wrong doesn’t bother me, I love a good springy. Tim, on the other hand, hates them, and will most likely come thru with a Summer Wetsuit Buyers Guide later for you covering SS Steamers and Vests.
The big challenge with this, and other guides is that we’re trying to pick from an online viewpoint only as most of us do research online before buying, or going in-store to purchase. And to be frank, what you find online from all brands is pretty bare fucking bones. I’ll blame AB testing for this one…
Couple of images, some bullet points about tech-features and a price. Not much to give you confidence, or a reason to buy online – which if that’s the strategy (to get you instore) then it’s doing its job. One would think with the increased purchasing behaviour online that brands would be developing better, more informative online stores to make it easier to buy from.
Anyway, ranting aside while I sit on the sidelines, here are my top picks for springsuits in 2019
Rip Curl
eBomb Zip Free
$300
E6, the newest neoprene from Rip Curl, is amazing. It’s not an incremental upgrade from E5, it’s a leap forward (having said that, E7 is another similar jump). You’ll also get GBS seams, critical taping & one of the best warranties in the industry. Plus you got that grade-A wetsuit reputation that Rip Curl has so you know this suit is top of the tree.
And the big win here is springsuits this year are $50 less than they were 12months ago. So if you’ve been on the fence about gettijng one, now’s the time to jump off and get it. I can assure it’s money well spent, their reputation is 30+ years strong of making amazing suits.
Billabong
Furnace Carbon
$300
Billabong wetsuits have come a long way from even a few years ago, these days Bong are mixing it up with Rip Curl and O’Neill in most regards – especially with their full-suits.
Their Furnace Carbon Comp springsuit looks real good, ships with GBS seams, liquid tape and has the Billabong AX1 neoprene. If you’re a lizard who feels even the slightest leak, this is the springsuit to get before you slide into boardies and vest.
$300 is a pretty fair price, and throw in the warranty that Billabong backs their suits with and you’ve got a solid option on your hands.
Patagonia
R1 Lite CZ
$300
A stretchy, neoprene-free spring suit made of 85% Yulex® natural rubber/15% synthetic rubber by polymer content, with 100% recycled polyester lining and floating front-zip entry; the natural rubber is derived from sources that are Forest Stewardship Council® certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
I won’t go into detail about the Yulex rubber being better than neoprene, or recycled jersey being better than virgin, but safe it say, it makes a very caustic product much more friendly for mother earth. The enviro aspect is now a bonus, instead of the main feature.
O’Neill
Hyperfreak CZ
$300
In my opinion, O’Neill has the best chest zip system on the market and when you combine that with Technobutter 3 you’re left with a pretty damn amazing springsuit.
Grab one of these and you’ll be in a GBS suit made from Technobutter 3 with the FUZE chest zip system, along with a nice 12-month warranty. The new Technobutter is wild, and a good upgrade from the previous version but I will say for the same price as the Rip Curl or Billabong I’d be leaning towards them unless you’re an O’Neill fan.
I wore one last spring/summer and it was a great suit until it got a touch crusty (I left it in the sun, salty, etc) after I’d been wearing it everyday for a few months.
XCEL
Comp-X
$250
If the Xcel Drylock X is anything to go by (which all reviewers loved btw), then their Comp-X Springsuit is most likely a great summer suit to add to your collection. Gushing aside, I’ll be honest in the fact I haven’t seen this suit, or worn an Xcel Springsuit previously – I’m going off historical data from how good their fullsuits are.
This one in particular runs GBS seams with taping and a furry internal. The big win with this springsuit will be the Engineered Fit Design that make Xcel suits so amazing. It’s also made with eco-friendly dope dye and limestone neoprene. It’s also less of a hit on your wallet compared to the three above (Rippy, Bong, Gonia) but only by $50.
Vissla
7 Seas CZ
$230
As the brand who took home the ‘best value‘ award in our Winter Wetsuits, it’d be remiss to not include them in our initial Summer run of suit breakdowns. The 7 Seas Springsuit from Vissla is pretty similar to the full-suit that we loved so much – limestone based neoprene with Dope dyed fabric constructed around a tailored fit with minimal GBS seams.
At $230 it’s damn good price for what we imagine is a great suit (if the 7 Seas Full-Suit is anything to go by) and should definitely be in your rotation of suits to pick from when going down the purchasing road.
It’s Winter up north and Vissla are pushing their full-suits right now, and just released this fun take on the Matrix – if you care to watch.
If reading our Buyers Guide for Springsuits has been too much, here’s something to give you some extra froth about surfing in the warming waters – Koa ‘This is Livin’ clip from Tahiti Trials when it was bombing. Tbh, might not get you psyched to surf Chopes, but it’s good viewing in trunks so there’s a weak line of correlation I’m pulling on…
If you’re about to run into winter cause you’re posted up north, hit our Winter Wetsuit Guides for a full break down on what to get > We pulled together three Winter Wetsuit Buyers Guides if you’re still a little undecided on what to buy:
*Above $500
*$300-$500
*Below $300
