“The Rip Curl E-Bomb 1.5mm Long Sleeve Wetsuit Jacket offers maximum flexibility for longer sessions. This wettie top was constructed entirely of E6 neoprene, and sealed seams with an added stress point tape. They also added a boardie loop and a low profile collar detail.”

A $200 vest might have you choking on your food, but when it’s a Rip Curl vest you can think again. Decades upon decades have gone into their wetsuit department, and every year they continue to punch the best wetsuits on the market. It’s comfortable, easy to get on/off and comes with GBS seams so those first few surfs will be pretty nice from the nuts up.

This is the vest if you want the best of the best, and/or have money to burn. You rarely go wrong with Rip Curl, so rest assured even at $200 you’re still getting an amazing piece of rubber.

“Featuring a zipperless entry system, so you can throw it on when the waves are right. Made from premium, eco-friendly neoprene and Superflex Recycler Plus with added stretch for optimum mobility, this men’s’ wetsuit jacket features long sleeves and durable, watertight seams for added protection throughout.”

Out of all the vest’s I’ve managed to squeeze into, it’s the Billabong one I’ve found most comfortable, easy to get on/off. Granted that will change from person to person, so odds on you’re different. The one thing I love about the Bong one is the 2m option and GBS seams – something most other vests don’t, especially the seams

A little cheaper at $170, the Billabong vest is a good alternative to the Rip Curl if you’re chasing the best of the best but need that extra $30 for a Friday night shout. Other alternatives include the Mikey Wright Quiksilver piece or the Patagonia vest for the sustainably minded.

If you’re wanting a no frills but still high-grade vest at a super value price this one is the go and we’re here for this one, it’ll be your best value purchase. They’re crazily priced at $80 and I know ISC use great quality rubber because I used one of their suits a little while back for testing.

Running all the bells and whistles you need in a vest – stretchy rubber, GBS seams, elasticated waist, etc this is a great value vest from a brand you don’t know much about.

You don’t hear a lot about ISC in the surf world, mainly because ISC keep to themselves and just pump out great quality suits for a bargain price. The only catch is making sure you get one…

If ISC doesn’t tickle ya fancy but you like the price, have a look at Project Blank and/or needessentials – both have a great vest for $100

“The Rip Curl E-Bomb 2/2 provides top of the line stretch and a new ziip free entry system to keep more water out. Seams are sealed with added stress point tape, while the glide skin collar detail offers more comfort.”

Hard to keep Rip Curl out of the top spot for most wetsuit categories, and I’d find it hard to argue with anyone about it. It’s just a fact. Their springsuits with E6 (and probably soon E7) are deadset amazing. Comfortable performance suits, that’s why it’s got a $300 price tag. If you’re a Rip Curl guy you know the drill, if you haven’t for some reason tried an RC suit, try this

“Featherlight pre-stretched TB3-X neoprene, combined with our hydrophobic super stretch TB3 neoprene. This exclusive technology allows you to perfrom at the highest level with construction so light, you’d swear you were surfing naked.”

O’Neill springsuits are something else, won’t lie. I don’t know what it is, but I love them. Have since I was 20 or so I reckon. Maybe they just fit my little dim sim body really well.

You get all the specs in this top line springsuit – stretch, GBS, etc etc – for the same price of the Rip Curl one. This isn’t zipperless tho, but it does boast – imo – the best chest zip closure on the market.

Alternatives if these two don’t tickle ya include Billabong, of course, Xcel or Vissla.

Would it be a Wetsuit Buyers Guide if we didn’t include needessentials on the value list at least once? Probably not, and that’s because it’s hard to avoid them when talking value for money.

This, their springsuit offering, is straight-forward and full of solid features. GBS with full taping internally, stretchy rubber and a chest zip. It runs for $180 which kind of surprised me, but then the full internal tape had me feeling ok.

I haven’t used their springsuits, but if they’re steamers are anything to go by you should be sweet with quality and not need that recently lengthened warranty they introduced.

“Featherlight pre-stretched TB3-X neoprene, combined with our hydrophobic super stretch TB3 neoprene. This exclusive technology allows you to perform at the highest level with construction so light, you’d swear you were surfing naked.”

My guess is this would be a very amazing long sleeve springsuit. O’Neill chest zip opening, which I love, combined with all the bells and whistles that come with thier Hyperfreak range of suits – GBS Seams, Technobutter, etc etc.

If you’re a Long Sleeve Springsuit lover, who isn’t Slater, then this would be a great top of the line choice. If you’re a Rip Curl die-hard, you can grab their option here as an alternative.

“The Revolution Series utilizes premium wetsuit innovations and materials, creating a suit that delivers both performance and signature style. New for the season, the Revolution now features Billabong exclusive Graphene lining at the front and back panels.”

This is a solid suit on paper and is up there in price with the O’Neill and Rip Curl options. Rip Curl is the only zipperless option tho, I should mention that. I like this option from Billabong though, it looks nice and my experience with ‘bong suits of late (hello Yulex steamer) has been great. So I imagine this would be a good suit.

Alternatives, if the O’Neill and Billabong options don’t work for you, include Patagonia, Volcom and Vissla.

“Supreme stretch eco-limestone wetsuit neoprene is warm, light, durable & flexible. Chest-zip entry makes getting in and out of the suit a breeze. GBS seams combined with our Radiator Thermaflex taping & reinforcement dots mean your suit will last longer, be more flexible and keep you warmer.”

This Long Sleeve Spring, for $220, is pretty damn good value on paper. You’re getting the ‘same ingredients’ that you get from the big boy brands but at a much affordable price. Obviously once you get the suit you’ll have differences – cut, fit, quality, etc. Might be better, might be worse. I really need to try one to get a grip on what they’re doing.

But, overall, on paper this is a steal.

“The E-Bomb 2/2 Zip Free Short Arm Springsuit is the ultimate high-performance springsuit. Featuring Rip Curl’s latest E6 neoprene, with Thermo Lining throughout the entire suit, combined with our newest zip free entry system for maximum paddling freedom and water seal.”

Funny thing about this suit, it’s actually hard to find on the Rip Curl store online. I had to google it to find a direct link to it. Found it though and here we are. The Rip Curl Short Arm Steamer, E-Bomb.

Hard to beat as a performance based short arm steamer, the only catch is the price. At $400 it’ll scare a lot of people who use a short arm as a transition season suit, for those who live in short arm water most of the year it might have more value.

“The Revolution Series Short Sleeve Fullsuit is a modern take on the heritage wetsuits of the past, with a minimalistic approach to aesthetics, updated with functional modern materials design techniques.”

At $70 cheaper then the RC, this would be the premium buy in the short arm space. Billabong have the rep now as a very reputable source of quality wetsuits and this Furnace Revolution Short Arm Steamer has all the bells & whistles you need in a short arm – stretch, GBS and taped seams, etc. You do have a chest zipper with this suit vs zip free on the RC…

Alternatives, if a RC or Bong wetsuit aren’t for you, include Vissla, Xcel and Quiksilver (yes, Quiksilver – it’s the short arm version of the Mikey Wright we reviewed a while back)

Given we trash short arm steamers pretty quickly, or don’t use them as regularly as our other suits, we sometimes don’t want to spend that much on them. This is where needessentials (and others) enter the conversation.

The short arm steamer option from needessentials is pretty solid for $220. Cheap, it works and you aren’t gunna be too fussed if you forget about it in the back of ya truck for a month.

Like the rest of their suits we’ve mentioned here, you’ll get 100% stretch rubber; chest zip opening, GBS seams and internal taping. Pretty much all you need in a short arm. Hard to beat at $220