You should be ok for a fair few months yet then !

On the market for a new winter wetsuit since last night. Yanked the zip up and it just came off! I've had it for 3 winters at this stage, was hoping to get another year out of it but looks like I'm going to have to spend.

put my 5/3 xcel on for the first time in donkeys yesterday...bordered on the too hot... but thne my the time the sun went down i was just comfortable... anyway, was getting a few flushes (which i welcomed yesterday) but usualy in the past the cut down on that by tighting the hood down around my neck if i am not waering it up... leave it loose when just paddleing and the weather is a bit warmer and enjoy getting a we flush of water here and there.......

My suit is the hoodless version.

too bad...not sure what to say there.... but thought that input might have been helpful.....


j

I think the design flaw is due to there transtion form the hooded version to the hoodless. Going by the size chart I match all of their Large measurements, including a neck measurement of 16". Maybe a MT would have been a better fit, I'm kicking myself now for not trying one.

Should have just got the hooded version.

I said the same sorry I didnt get the hooded one, The neck on mine seems fine I checked it out yesterday but still got a couple of flushes and they all happen in the same place down the left shoulder but suit seems fine, also I noticed a big ball of stitching sticking out on the knee while I was sitting on my board but It wasnt stiching coming loose, I forgot to have a proper look after I got out

well if i keep loosing weight I actually might fit in a large tall.... would be willing to buy it off you then... give me a few months to see if i can drop another stone.......

excel's long sleeve rash vest has an attached hood but the nice thing about them is that theres a 1mm flap that pulls down over the neck of the suit to avoid flushes. thats what i was looking at anyway

you know i have been reading about the new patagonia wetsuits and i am intriguied by claims like:

3mm = 5mm traditional
80% non petroloum nenoprene
organic mereno wool lining


well those are the three that stick in my head... sounds good might have to investigate when it is time for a new suit.

All the Carrolls jumped from Rusty to Patagonia a few years back (read it in Surfers Path) and the reason they gave for it was the opportunity to be hands on as opposed to faces for a label. Mr Patagonia (French guy whos name I cant remember) seems to have a real positive attitude towards doing things the right way and was at the time looking into materials that would make surfboards stronger and more environmentally friendly to make (that was about 2-3 years ago, so it doesnt look like it was economically viable).

Just on the Merino wool in the suit - wool is hydrophobic - water repelling - so Id be interested to see how it works - probably just be itchy

actually it was the malloy brothers.... they jumped off of hurley once it was bought out by nike....

as to yvon chouinard...the man is a legend not just for starting patagonia but also for being one of the orignal yosemite valley big wall climbers... also read a story about him taking mctavish up a wall, which scared the shite out of bob....so when yvon came to oz, mctavish took him out on a 12ft day to some bombie..... I say read his book 'let my people go surfing'... great insight into how to run a company by putting people and the enviroment first.

anyway, as to the more sustainable boards the label is calledpointblanks which are a handmade epoxy board. it is run by his son fletcher. very nice boards and the idea is that by being epoxy they will break less/ last longer, so you do not end up owning as many boards in the long run. have heard that lopez is now working as advisor to fletcher so that the shapes should be improved in the long run.

anyway, here is the patagonia press release about the wersuit.

and as to the itch factor you have not worn a mereno wool jumper then have you? ok showing my yuppie side again....

oops there all irish names anyway easy mistake

Either way, regardless of cost, having just read that spiel, I will try and make my next wetsuit a Patagonia! It'll be cheaper in the long run!

I have that as well, It will help to reduce the flush but it will still be there. Also, the idea behind getting the hoodless was having the option of wearing the hood. It is a serious bit of kit though, nice fleece lining to keep you warm. The neck of my suit is just too slack, the size charts say that for a large you need a 16" neck, which is what my neck measures. It only really becomes apparent when you surf in the suit, arching your back/neck during paddling opens a gap at the back of the neck of the suit. I think that either the size charts are misleading or that the suit is out of spec.

The patagonia suits sound good.

also, I have a triple stringer epoxy gun hand shaped by chouinard. Cost next to nothing off ebay from some school kid.