Xcel Durability

My 5/4 drylock is going on its 5th winter. So far its held up pretty well. like others have said the fit of the suit is very important. I have has the same experience as Mr.Belmar with some of the ripcurl suits. The lining on the inside would start to bubble and separate.

 

xcel ride or die I have never even considered another brand.

 

I have been wearing xcel for about 20 years since they first became available locally. I've gotten many years out of most of them and found the 5/4 hooded to be very warm and durable. 4-5 years of use.

Last year I bought an Xcel infinity 4/3 and a Rip Curl e-bomb 3/2 chest zip. Both had ****ty zippers that never really worked right and broke within 10-15 sessions. I'm not hard on my equipment, convinced both suits had lousy zippers from the go.

 

Two things:
1) thank you for not calling it a "wetsuite" It's so gay, (not that there's anything wrong with that)
2) If you go to Santa Cruz DON'T wear boots and gloves or you'll be pegged as a non-local as soon as you paddle out. And that's not a good thing. If you know what I mean. . .

Three Xcel's and the DryLok 5/4 Revolt is the best of that bunch, The 6/5 Infiniti is a bear, but somewhat prone to flushing, the 3/2 is well. . . a 3/2. So it is what it is. Two O'Neill's, one Psycho 3.5/4.5 and one 3/2 Psycho on which the collar is shot and shredded, The O'Neills don't hold up as well as the Xcel's, and one short sleeve Billabong 3/2 fullsuit whose rubber is quite stretchy. No word on durability just yet, but like others have said, wash it out each and every time and dry it with cool air-flow in a shady spot. Sun works havoc on neoprene, regardless of the suit. For boots and gloves, I'd swear by Xcel's Dry Lok, and swear at O'Neill's boots AND gloves that leak like sieves. Word, and that's 51 years of surfing talking there from my first Central Skindivers custom tailored beavertail suit in 1964 to now. Oh, and one HyperFlex Voodoo 5/4, and a short sleeve 3/2 Hyperflex. Avoid Hyperflex, they're cheap in price, and are generally the worst fit and flushing of the bunch. But at $125 for the Voodo, it's okay.

Note that my avatar is from 1974 at Punta Rocas in El Salvador, no wetsuit needed.

 

*aviator