CARVE Surfing Magazine

Inside Info

It may seem like wetsuits don’t change all that much, but it’s amazing how your old suit will seem stiff and thick when you slip into a new one. The changes made each year by the manufacturers are often pretty subtle, but the time and effort that goes into feedback processes, design and testing really makes a good suit stand out from an off-the-market one.

Wetsuit designers use feedback from real surfers as the number one tool in refining their suits, starting with pro surfers. Warren Valentine from Gul says, “The bonus of using team riders is generally they surf so much more than anyone else. Therefore the suits can be put through a year’s worth of abuse in as little as month.” Mark Brown from C-Skins agreed: “Our testing usually takes place 10 to 12 months prior to the release of a particular suit. We use the best surfers like Gwen Spurlock and Alan Stokes to give the suits a rigourous testing — after all, you would expect them to be in the water more than anyone else. If the suits hold up well with team riders using them every day, we’re pretty confident about bringing them to market. Testing in advance enables us to iron out any glitches or future weak points on the suits.”

And customer feedback isn’t forgotten, as Warren Valentine notes: “Gul’s main source of feedback is our independent retailers. The sales assistants talk to customers and discuss the things that they liked and didn’t like. This information gets passed on to the designers through our reps.” Tiki go one step further, as boss Phil Bridges explains: “In our last catalogue we had a feedback page asking customers to rate our suits on flexibility, warmth, durability and value.” Wetsuit design departments generally contain at least a few surfers, and their feedback is also invaluable.

Feedback and nice stretchy neoprene in hand, the team get down to the actual design. All the designers questioned agreed with Warren Valentine from Gul's tech team that, “Striking the balance between performance and durability is the most difficult part. Mid-range, 50% stretch, flatlock wetsuits last forever…as you might have seen when Dads bring out their neon vintage suits each summer! With super-stretch, blindstitched, performance suits, as soon as the seams give up and flush starts getting in, then the suit’s life is essentially over.” So look at your budget and decide what you can afford within the parameters of durability and warmth. John Westlake from Alder voices another common concern: “Ensuring that we are up to date with the materials can be difficult because it moves so fast. We tackle this by visiting our material suppliers on a regular basis and encouraging a strong relationship with them.”

So, once a wetsuit has been designed, how is it tested? Phil from Tiki says: “Our manufacturer works hard to get the best materials; it’s something that we’re pretty tough on. When the samples arrive we have our team try them out, then we tweak them and repeat the process. We also have a piss test, but I won’t describe the details!” Francois Liets from Billabong agrees that testing is of paramount importance: “Every new model will have different stretching properties and different critical parts in it, which requires extensive testing to find what works and what doesn’t. This takes a lot of time.”

As for what’s in the future, along with the enduring themes of flex versus durability, manufacturers like Bodyglove, Alder and Gul are starting to look at more eco-friendly materials such recycled polyesters. Who knows what we’ll be surfing in in a few years’ time…

Design Fault
When wetsuits go wrong!

John Westlake, Alder — “I once saw a prototype inflatable wetsuit. It was designed for tow-in surfing and included its own cylinder of compressed air.”

Francois Liets, Billabong — “Yesterday I saw an old local making his way to the lineup with his wetsuit on inside out — you could read the size, warranty information and so on on his torso! He was embarrassed, but said it was still okay like that!”

Phil Bridges, Tiki — “One sample came in looking like something out of a Buck Rogers film. I’m still not sure whether it was quirky, cool or just weird.”

Warren Valentine, Gul — “One suit we produced about ten years ago had a zipperless entry — the principle was great but after a few hours in the water, getting out of the suit was near impossible. It felt great to surf in though! Also, once as a joke on the operations manager, the warehouse mocked up a new suit with the word Ocean spelt incorrectly on it. They pretended they had made two thousand like it…we’re still not sure if he really saw the funny side!”

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