Wetsuit Management

[zach619]

Every kid in every shop in SD told me that all I would need in San Diego is a 3 mil when I moved out here 10 years ago... I tried a 3 mil suit the first winter out here. I stayed out every day all winter no matter the size or temperatures, and I would get cold all the time.... If there is heavy morning marine layer... if there are stiff winds. In the winter, I am usually out on deep reefs where you are dealing with more open ocean types of conditions while you are in the lineup... Winter surfing in San Diego is not like surfing the beach breaks in the summer. You are out very far, usually for a few hours... and when you wipe out on a big ass wave in cold deep water, the comfort of the 4 mil and not being cold helps you mentally. So the water gets down to 56 degrees, and for me, that is not 3 mil temps....

I tried. It just didnt work for me.....

I know there are 3 mils that are super warm and could work, but my 3.5 mil Pyscho Freak is perfect all year.

[zach619]

I feel terrible for Zach. How do you manage only surfing 3-4 times per week with the newborn? We'll all say a prayer for you....haha. I only wish i had it that bad. unfortunately i've only been out ~10x all year due to a very busy work schedule, kids, travel to the beach.

i really hope you count your lucky stars ever single day that you have it this good!

i'm looking to double my sessions this year with a potential trip out to S. Orange county / N. SD county in Nov. You ever surf up in N. San Diego or do you stay South?

Trust me. I count my stars every time. I cant be picky when I go. I pay no attention to tide or size or anything. I just load a LB, a Fish and a shortboard in the truck and go the second my wife gets home, or early in the morning. My baby doesnt wake up until about 9:30-10:00 each morning. So I can sneak out while the wife is still sleeping if im quick... With methods like that around here, I still get lots of time in the water, just not always the right times. But the past two days I scored perfect mid-day conditions. It was quite rejuvenating. It felt like the best two session ive every had. I know it wasnt even close, but I took care of every inch of every wave out there for about 1 hour each day before sprinting back to my truck and racing home....

But I have to thank my wife for that. She knows how important it is, so whlie she will occasionally give me sh** over running down to the beachm she gets it, and she is a champ for holding down the fort for an hour here and there.... I havent had my old school 3 hour session in over 6 months, but fu** it... I take what I can get....

P.S. I work in LJ and Del Mar. I live in OB so I have been surfing mostly in those areas. The dog beach in del mar has been dredged a few months ago and it is freaking firing lately. Perfect barreling shoulders, one on each side of the little river mouth... Hollow and perfect out into a little pillowy face.... If you are around, I would check that out....

P.M. me before you come out and maybe we can meet up somewhere for a surf.... I can take the fam up for a day trip to trestles or whatever, but typically there are spots around my house just as good. hit me up.

[zach619]

For ever in my experience... I have already made threads about this topic, but I will give you the run down on how my wetsuit situation with Quiky started.... First of all, I paid for a Cell 6 about 4 years ago... That was the LAST time i paid Quik for a new wetsuit... Every year, for the past 4 years, at the end of winter, I have taken my suit into the shop where I bought it... Usually there has been wear and tear on the back panelling. It was a back zip.... So, for the first 3 years, about 3 weeks after I sent it in, I got a call from the shop telling me that "Dude, Quiksilver stoked you out and sent you a brand new 4 mil wetsuit. Come pick it up. FOR FREE"....

So, i have been amazed that Quik has not only taken the repairs, but sent me FREE brand new replacements every time... And they stopped Making the cell the year I bought it!!!! Years ago!

Fast forward to this fall. 1.5 months ago I took my Cell 6 (Which Quik stopped making 3 years ago) into my shop because the panelling was cracking. The guy at the shop was a di**head about it. He was like "Bro, this suit is like 4 years old. They dont even make it anymore... " ... So I basically said, I dont care, sent it to Quiksilver and see what they will do. I lied and told they guy I already called Quik and they were expecting me to send it....

It took a while cause the guys at the shop couldnt find my paperwork...

But the end result was a call 2 days ago about my brand new Quik Cyhper that is on its way... FREE....

So using this system, I got 3 FREE 4 mil cells, and now that Quik has no more Cells at the warehouse, they are sending me a FREE CYPHER!!!!

So one $400 wetsuit, turned into a total of 5.

So if I send back the Cypher next year, they will either repair it or send me a new one!!!

This is not a joke... You have to do a little social engineering. Free wetsuits all day! Sponsored by Quik! haha!

[bushwood]

a bit off orginal topic, but not out of context now, but I had a pair of Cypher boardshorts that the metal eyelet where the tie comes thru , came apart from the shorts, I contacted Quik via emial at customer service they said they would forward my email onto the warranty department and still havent heard anything back, I think its due to the guy out in SD that keeps taxing them for a new 4/3 every year. lol

[RobG]

Zach, that's sick! I have two Quik Cell 5 suits, a 4/3 and a 3/2 maybe I'll have to try that. Only thing is I bought them from an eBay store, they were brand new and I still have the receipt but I dunno if Quik will go for that. I guess its worth a shot though!

[zach619]

a bit off orginal topic, but not out of context now, but I had a pair of Cypher boardshorts that the metal eyelet where the tie comes thru , came apart from the shorts, I contacted Quik via emial at customer service they said they would forward my email onto the warranty department and still havent heard anything back, I think its due to the guy out in SD that keeps taxing them for a new 4/3 every year. lol

haha. I feel you. I have been buying wetsuits from them for years before this started. Like I also said before, my wife spent $500 large on my psycho freak last winter through my local shop. So the local shop isnt affected and quiksilver apparently has wetsuits to spare... so hey =)

I think a lot of the reason it is so easy for me is because i send mine out through the shops. I assume because they push so much product for Quiksilver that they always do good by their customer....

Ripcurl does basically the same thing. My friend has sent his f-bomb back twice and got a freshy both times.

I have never thought of sending boardies back. I didn't think they had warranties.

[zach619]

Zach, that's sick! I have two Quik Cell 5 suits, a 4/3 and a 3/2 maybe I'll have to try that. Only thing is I bought them from an eBay store, they were brand new and I still have the receipt but I dunno if Quik will go for that. I guess its worth a shot though!

Send them direct though... My shop has never asked me for a reciept or for the tags or warrantly. They just jot the info down and send it in. So I would try and find the largest local distributor of Quiksilver and see if they will send it out for you....

I know if you mail it to their warehouse direct for repairs etc, they will send it right back to your house (usually a new one if its real surfer wear and tear) but you have to pay for shipping... When the local shop sends it out for me, the shipping is always free. They just send them back when the Quiksilver truck shows up. Bring it back on another shipment.... But Quiksilver is also only like an hour north of me and that is main hub of where they store product, so its pretty easy and quick. I mean Quik =)

[goofy footer]

So, 2 months ago, I brought my 3 year old Quiksilver Cell into my local shop and had them mail it back to Quiky for re-seal and repairs on the back panel.... Long story short, they lost my suit, and now Quiksilver called me and they are sending me a brand new 4/3 Cyhper....

So here is my question: As far as managing your wetsuit.... What do you guys think the best plan of action is?

a) Continue using my 3.5 mil every day through the winter, and store the new Cyhper in my closet somewhere... And just keep rocking the Psycho Freak until the wheels fall off in a year or 2....

or

b) Break out the new cypher as well, so every session is cycling into a dry suit, giving the other suit time to dry and stay OUT of the water....

Advice?

Zach,

You must eat "Lucky Charms" I go with Plan "b" use the new Cypher, give it a work out then send it back, with your luck they loose it again and send ya another new one

[iwrider]

Wish all i needed to wear in the winter was a 3.5!!!!!

[RobG]

Send them direct though... My shop has never asked me for a reciept or for the tags or warrantly. They just jot the info down and send it in. So I would try and find the largest local distributor of Quiksilver and see if they will send it out for you....

I know if you mail it to their warehouse direct for repairs etc, they will send it right back to your house (usually a new one if its real surfer wear and tear) but you have to pay for shipping... When the local shop sends it out for me, the shipping is always free. They just send them back when the Quiksilver truck shows up. Bring it back on another shipment.... But Quiksilver is also only like an hour north of me and that is main hub of where they store product, so its pretty easy and quick. I mean Quik =)

Thats a good call. I'm gonna look into some shops around here and maybe give it a try next summer. Thanks for the info dude!