Looking to get a new 4/3 for the winter and was thinking about either a Matuse or Patagonia... Anybody got any reviews? I hear they're sopused to be super warm and comfy but I have heard some complaints about durability... Thanks for the input, John
I cannot comment or review those..but why wouldn't you just go with a brand that is known for their wetsuits such as Xcel, West, Quiksilver etc.
If you want to spend a ton of $$$$$$ on a wetsuit get the new Rip Curl H-Bomb....it's supposed to have it all...not yet available til Nov. and price has not been confirmed???
I have heard nothing but amazing things about the Matuse wetsuits. They are just really expensive. From reviews I have read and people I talked to I would go Matuse over Patagonia. Also I am not sure if Patagonia even makes a 4/3? A 4/3 Matuse is supposed to be like having a 5/4 but actually feels like you are in a 3/2....hard to explain on the net.
No offense to anyone who loves Rip's suits but I hate them. Talk about short shelf life... Anyway my number 1 suit right now is Hotline. Made in the USA, last forever, worm as hell with useing less rubber, stretchy, price is about right. Check them out great suits. I for one want to try one of those Matuse suits thought just to expensive right now. Had to plug. Just stoked on their suits: http://www.hotlineonline.com/ Wow, have not been to the site in a long time. Check out the clearance prices on suits... http://www.hotlineonline.com/Mercha...TGY&Store_Code=dhooker&Category_Code=outletmw
just so you know the h-bomb is trully a 3/2 but it has different heating levels 1st one is like bieng in a 3/2 next is like being in 4/3 and finally the next level is like warmer than a 5/4/3 since it was tested in the arctice circle. thats what i learned from the rip curl website.
yo man i like any suit i can scruch my d*** into! but whatever i only go out when its atleastly head high
do you honestly like the suits??there nice and flexible.??..i mean at 99 bucks for a 5 4whats the catch?
I find Xcel to be plain, simple, and consistent. I would definitely go with Xcel. I don't know the price comparison but I do know that it's not outrageous.
I work at a shop and the ripcul H-bomb comes in 3/2 and 4/3. We are only getting 4 of the suits in 4/3. K-coast isnt a dealer. Liquid is da only one on the eastern shore.
I think Matuse pretty much only makes wetsuits. never tried one, what i've read is that they have mind blowing flexibililty, comfort, each is custom fit for each customer (you send them like 20 measurements, then they build the wetsuit) the trade off for such light materials is they lack durabililty and have to be taken care of meticulously. Out of my price range for sure.
The site states that "As a general rule, you should be able to wear a H-Bomb wetsuit that is 1mm thinner than your conventional non-heated wetsuit(and feel toasty warm at the same time)." There are 3 different settings for the battery, but it more relates to how long you're going to be surfing. i.e. 1½ hrs, 2 hrs or 2½ hrs.
Hell ya. I actually only used to use Rip Curl and Excell, I also have a few O'niels. A few guys from CA where crazy about the Hotline suits. I like to try a lot of different things when it comes to equipment and I never heard of Hotline. Ever since I started using the Hotlines I never looked back. I am still using the same 3/2 from 3 years ago durability is probably the best I have ever had. Flex is on par with any suit out there. The difference I notice in them is that in a 3/2 it is as warmer my 4/3 Rip Curl so i am able to rock a 3/2 later into winter before I start thinking about busting out the 5mil. The deal with the 99 bucks for the 5/4 is because it is clearance, check out the prices for the normal line. They are around $300 - $500. Hotline usually does a huge weekly sale during holiday season and prices are cut massively but this is not the sale. maybe they are just lower tech suits from last year or the year before, so that is why they are marked down so much and are in the "clearance" section. No matter what you can't beat 99 bucks for a 5/4 when I saw that price my jaw dropped.
Dealers I work at a shop in oc and we are the only ones getting them in town. K coast is a dealer also but I do not believe they are getting any in. The 3/2 is going to retail for $1000 and the 4/3 is $1100. We had a demo tour come in and show us all the gear, cool idea but it needs to be refined before its giong to catch on
Yeah i heard the Rip Curl has a pretty detailed manual of how to get into the thing because the heating elements are so flimsy.