Review Of The Billabong Furnace Carbon Pro Winter Wetsuit

Wetsuit Centre Reviews The New Billabong Carbon Zip Free Wetsuit.

Jeff takes a look at one of the most exciting wetsuits to hit the market in years. Billabong have created the new zip free Furnace wetsuit featuring carbon lining for extra warmth and the new chest entry system that uses a carbon lock to secure the wetsuit whilst you have it on.

Using Boa technology and super wicking quick dry carbon lining Billabong wetsuit continue to innovate this wetsuit is simply awesome..... The Boa tech allows you to totally seal the zip free chest entry, combined with the super warm, fluffy, quick drying carbon lining, dry max entry and Xero airlite foam

• Furnace carbon quick dry furry lining 

• Xero Stitchless seam 

• DryMax ZIP FREE Entry System 

BOA ZIP FREE entry system.

Review Of O'Neill Epic Wetsuit 2016

O'Neill Epic Winter Wetsuits Review 2016

The O'Neill Epic range is simply the best selling wetsuit that we stock. The Winter range features 100% super stretch material which is simply one of the most flexible neoprenes. This means that when you have the wetsuit on it stretches around your body so you for one do not get tired in the water and the fit is the best it can be. So what makes the Epic such a good seller you may ask? Well for one it is very well priced at sub £140 for the Men's and Women's versions. It also has a firewall lining which means body heat is reflected and retained in the suit. It is glued and blind stitched on the seams which prevents any water entering the suit. The range is made for Men, Women and Children so their is a suit for every gender which you can use in any water sport.

Why is Wetsuit Fit Important?

Given that the wetsuit is 100% super stretch this means that you can now achieve an almost perfect fit as the neoprene is designed the move with your body rather than leave gaps and empty spaces. Not only does this mean you will be less tired in the water but you stay warmer as the material will mould to your body shape. When buying a wetsuit you should ensure that you get the correct fit so the most important measurements for Men and Children is the waist and chest measurements. Once your get that correct the fit will be good. The only exception to that rule is if you are taller than 6ft 3 or shorter than 5ft 8 for men. For ladies simply go by your dress size as this is the best way to find the perfect suit. If you are a woman with a large top to bottom size then generally go for the large size as the super stretch material will shape to your body. When trying on the suit the most important area is just above your bum where your kidneys are, make sure your don't have a gap of material in this area as water can get inside the suit making your kidneys cold leading to your body cooling down faster. 

If you have any questions regarding sizing please call us at Wetsuit Centre for advice on 01202 302948

Let's take a look at the video review by Jeff at Wetsuit Centre for a in depth look.

O'Neill Psycho 1 Wetsuit Review 2016

O'Neill Psycho 1 Wetsuits Review

The O'Neill Psycho range of wetsuits has change for 2016 with the introduction of the new Psychotech range. This is the first chest zip wetsuit that O'Neill have produced and basically replaces the Psycho 3 with the addition of air light neoprene and technobutter 2 neoprene.

Looking into whats new with the Psycho one it benefits from the new Technobutter 2 neoprene which is O'Neill's neoprene that is designed not only to be super warm but is unique in terms of weight and touch. When the winter 5mm wet suit is on it it feels like wearing a summer suit in terms of flex and weight. This means you can stay in the water for longer and not get tired nut do stay warm. The neoprene has ridges on the inside designed to funnel water out of the suit rather than absorb the cold water. Psycho 1 is all about performance so it has very few panels meaning no restriction in movement. Better fit, more movement and better warmth.

This is also the first year of being chest entry again another performance enhancement in terms of movement. Being a chest entry it is without doubt more difficult to get into than a back zip suit. Once you have sussed out getting the wetsuit on you will not be disappointed as again movement is better. Getting a chest zip on is relatively straight forward once you know how. Firstly you get in through the top of the suit and get a good fit for your entire lower half then pull the suit up and pop in one shoulder which is the one away from the zip. Once this first shoulder is in then pop the second shoulder in and pull the top part over, zip and your away.

O'Neill Psycho 1 Video Review 2016

Jeff from Wetsuit Centre talks you through all the features and benefits of the new Psycho 1 wetsuit on this you tube video.

Review Of O'Neill Psychotech Winter Wetsuits

O'Neill Psychotech Wetsuit Review

O'Neill Wetsuits have produce a new wetsuit for winter 2016 in the Psychotech chest zip for Men and Women. 

We have to say it's really surprised us on how good this wetsuit is in terms of the construction and feel. For starters it uses the Technobutter which is O'Neill's light weight and fast drying neoprene. When you turn the wetsuit inside out you see the groves are in channels that are designed to filter the water out of the suit keeping you as dry as possible. It's really flexible and when you put it on it feels like you are wearing a summer suit instead of a winter. It also features air neoprene which is like hundreds of air bubbles in the chest panel, this retains body heat keeping you warmer. It also benefits from a firewall layer on the chest and kidneys and what this actual means is that a polypro thermal lining is attached to the neoprene. This lining reflects and retains heat inside the wetsuit so that you can stay warmer for longer.

How Does The Pyschotech Perform?

We took the 5mm winter wetsuit out for a test run to see how it would feel and perform. So getting the wetsuit on is always a mission and the key is getting one arm in first as it makes it easy to pop the other side over you shoulder. Bearing in mind it's September and the water is still warm, when I entered the water it felt super warm as you would expect. The entire suit is so flexible it really does feel like you are wearing a summer suit and you have complete freedom of movement. After a 3 hour surf i felt as warm as i did when i entered the water and i can say it is defiantly

one of the best suits i have ever worn. Last year i wore the Rip Curl Flash Bomb and as a comparison the O'Neill definitely felt more flexible and just as warm. I then hung the wetsut to see how long it would take to dry out and within 20 minutes it was dry. The weather was cloudy and about 15C so i would say on a winters day it would have to take more time to dry out.

In summary i give the Psychotech a big thumbs up and the first O'Neill wetsuit that i have considered to be one of the best suits money can buy. I hope this review helps.

When Is A Good Time Kids To Start Surfing

When is My Child Ready to Start Surfing?

With so many great beaches in the UK, a great number of us choose to spend our holiday right here at home. It’s often much cheaper than heading abroad, meaning we can stay for longer, or indulge in more activities whilst we are there.

 

The UK offers a great number of surfing locations to be enjoyed; including Cornwall, Ireland and the West Coast of Wales. Beach holidays are definitely a family friendly event – but at what age can you introduce your kids to surfing?

 

Surfing is a great sport for anyone to be involved in; it keeps you fit, is sociable and is often something you take from childhood into an adult hobby too. But it does have its risks, meaning we can be unsure just when it is safe for our kids to try it for the first time.

 

There is no correct age to introduce your child to surfing – you can stand little ones up on the board in waist deep water, always keeping safety in mind. As soon as they are confident in the water and express interest in the sport, you can look into surfing schools that specialise in children that age and get them out on their own.

 

Age six seems to be a good age for children to discover boogie boarding, and catch smaller waves – however all children must be confident, understand the dangers of rip tides and remain supervised at all times in the ocean. By age eight most children who love boogie boarding and being in the ocean will already be asking for a board.

 

Once a child has been exposed to boogie boarding and the open water for a year or two, a soft top surf board is often the next step. It is inevitable that they will bumped a couple of times by the board, so leave the hard tops until they are skilled and comfortable. 

 

A six foot foam style surfboard will be perfect for any child between 8 and 12 who is new to the sport.

Surfers: Using Social Media to your Advantage

Surfers: Using Social Media to your Advantage

In a world where even what we have for breakfast is shared on Social Media, an increasing number of people are joining the amateur photography movement in order to share their day to day lives.
Whilst the majority of Instagram users only post selfies, snaps of their meals and various views from throughout their day, for example, the morning commute, there is a new breed of social media “stars” who dedicate all of their posts to extreme sports.

Most people are unaware, but being smart about your social media, could open a lot of doors for you. If you’re into photography, film and most importantly social media – you could easily start to see great advantages of having a big following on social media platforms.

For example, once you have a specific number of followers, you may find you are contacted by big brands in the business who want their followers to see you in their clothing – a little advertising for them, a lot of free goodies for you.

Investing in a Go Pro can help you take the best shots whilst in action, ready to be edited and shared on social media as soon as you arrive home. Whilst you might not make enough to be able to live off your profits, not having to buy things like board wax, board shorts and branded tees can give you a little cash in your pocket that can be put towards other things like a new board or wetsuit!

How to choose the right surfboard

What is the Difference between a Long Board and Short Board?

When choosing a new surfboard it is essential to choose the right one for you, so you can get the most use out of it as well as surfing to the best of the your ability. Often those new to surfing buy a board similar to the one they learned one – and whilst that isn’t a bad idea, sometimes opting for a longer or shorter board can improve your surfing skills.
When choosing whether to opt for a long or short board, it is important to take into consideration your height and weight – a long board for one surfer, might be a short board for another.

Long Board Pros:

    •    Often more stable than a short board.
    •    It is easier to lean on for direction.
    •    A lot easier to paddle and catch waves.

Long Board Cons;

    •    Less easy to radically turn (especially for those new to the sport).
    •    Rider will need to be confident with steeper waves.
    •    Rider will need to be able to generate speed.

Short Board Pros;

    •    Able to turn more radically.
    •    Better suited to steeper waves.
    •    A “pro” board – those who excel in the sport will perform well on a short board.

Short Board Cons:

    •    Much harder to paddle.
    •    Less stable especially for beginners.
    •    More volatile in terms of movement.

If you’re still unsure about what surfboard is best for you and your ability, ask your questions on our social media pages, or visit our website for contact details.

We Help You In Choosing The Correct Wetsuit.

How to Choose the Right Wetsuit

There are many factors to consider when choosing a new wetsuit; from where you wish to go to how long you wish to be in the water - there are many questions you need to ask yourself to ensure you make the most of your money.
For most people a wetsuit is an investment they hope to last a set period of time, choosing the wrong wetsuit can mean needing a new one sooner than expected – or worse, feeling disappointed from the start.
Firstly it is important to consider what time of year you will be taking part in water sports activities. If you don’t plan on being in the water in the winter, you can get away with a thinner suit – however if you plan on taking part all year round you might want to consider opting for two of varied thickness.
Secondly you need to consider the usage of your suit – will you be heading down to the beach every weekend with your friends, or will you only use it during your yearly holiday? The more time you spend in the water, the better wetsuit you will need – we offer a variety of wetsuits for a range of usages.
It is a good idea to look into the temperature of the water bodies you will frequent most, taking an average will ensure you choose the correct thickness for the water temperature. If the water is below 5c it is best to have a wetsuit of 6mm plus, whilst if it is under 10c you will need 5mm and in the summer months a suit of 2mm or 3mm will do the job.
Most wetsuits are designed to work for a period of three hours before they lose their warming ability, but choosing the wrong size suit can ensure it happens dramatically quicker. The wrong size wetsuit will cause cold water to constantly flush into the suit, displacing the warmed water – a perfectly fitting suit will not allow this to happen.
The perfect fitting wetsuit can make all the difference to your water sports activities – visit our site today to explore our extensive collection.

Rip Curl Wetsuit Saves My Leg

Michelle Forsbray, Tells Her Story Of How Wetsuit Saves Her Leg.

On Ssturday 6th Dec, I went for a surf at Bournemouth, it was a lush day with great surf.

Super Duper sunny.

However it all went wrong:

I remember making a decision before I went out on which winter suit to wear. I have a Rip Curl Flash Bomb, Rip Curl 5"3 from a few years ago & a O Neill Synergy.
All purchased at my local surf shop "Sorted" :0))

I nearly went for the Synergy as its not uber cold yet & want to get the full benefit of the G Bomb when it gets colder, as it is toasty, drys quick & I can stay in the water longer.

Haha.. I went for toasty G Bomb, im a light weight I know!

Well that decision probably saved my life!

I was on my way outback & a wave was just about to crash on me, I jumped with my board at my side but the sheer power of the wave took the board out of my hands. The next thing I felt was a big wrench to my leg and suit. I instantly knew it was bad!
I grabbed my leg and asked my friend to grab my board..

I could hardly walk & just wanted to put pressure on the affected area.

 

I asked my friend if my suit was ripped. I knew it was but couldn't look. She looked and said u need to get to the van & I will call ambulance it looks pretty bad.

I got to the van where her 7 yr old son was. He was wearing his life guard hoody. Bless him I said Leo u may need to be chief lifeguard now!

Before I sat down zoe said I need to see your leg. I took down my suit, saw a glimpse of the inside of my leg & couldn't look any more.
Zoe then looked, grabbed the phone and called 999.

I just held my leg as tight as I could. I had my Rip Curl Flash Bomb wetsuit on over it, which added pressure and cover it, & also put on my Wave Project Hoody to keep warm.
I could not look at the wound and knew I had to stay in control
& not go into shock.

Zoe was finding it hard to get a good reception when talking to A&E, I was getting worried and said please get Tom from Surf Steps.

 

Zoe's son Leo knows him & Zoe asked him to get Tom, a member of the public was walking by at the time & said I will go with him.

Leo went straight to the office where and said my mums friend is injured we need Tom. Tom was in the water taking a lesson, his colleague called him in & he ran straight to me with Leo.

By the time Tom got to me another member of the pubic, who was a A&E nurse from up North was with me,.(She was a life saver) Thank you :0)

Zoe was still on the phone.
She said I need to see your wound so I can talk to paramedics.

I let her take down my suit..
I could not look & just squeezed Toms hands..

She then spoke to them and said its pretty deep. She said to me, I may need to stay overnight as it is quite deep & may need washing out properly. (Worst case scenario)

Both Tom & the lady said we need to get the wetsuit off otherwise it will be cut off..

It's a thick suit & very tight, apparently it was not a easy job as my leg was stuck to it & flesh coming out of my leg. I saw some on the floor of the van. Gross!!!

They got it off plus my 7mm Flash Bomb Boots.. (Which I struggle to get off myself)

Toms circulation in his hands had pretty much been cut off by the time they had finished as I squeezed them so tight.

I kept calm, In fact we all did.

The nurse then got dome dressing until a&e turned up.
Firstly a quick responder then the ambulance.

I was then taken to hospital.

I had 10 stitches... & it then bled a lot once at hospital and no pressure on it.

The Doctor said I was really lucky as it was right nr my artery & very deep.

The next day I got an infection and after speaking up my sister who is a Doctor went back to A&E.
They re dressed the wound, gave me stronger antibiotics and crutches.

9 days later I had my stiches out! I didn't want them out. But it was time to.

I then cried for the first time!
Baby I know, I locked myself in the toilet at the Docs & cried!
Haha... I just wanted the stiches to stay in. It felt safer.

Part of the wound was still open & by the next day I was back to the nurse as more of it had opened.
I had the sticky stitches on for 2 weeks & had them taken off on Xmas Eve.

I have also got three blood clots in my veins above the wound, where I think the area was traumatised as that part was very bruised after the accident. I am going to request a ultra sound scan as I am a Airline Stewardess & a bit worried re flying.

Tom has fixed my Flash Bomb wetsuit.

The hole in my suit is in the lower part if the leg, right near a seam. Nowhere near the injury.

I think my suit saved my life! If that seam had not been there, I would have been in a much worse state for sure.

The fin must have wrenched itself up & then injured me.
The injury is on the upper inside of my knee to half way up my leg.

I have looked at my other winter suit & keep doing so, as honestly if I had worn that I perhaps would not be here now.

Thank you Rip Curl for making such a great suit.

Wetsuit Review Of The O'Neill Epic Wetsuit 2015

Wetsuit Centre Reviews The New O'Neill Epic Wetsuit.

O'Neill from the humble beginnings of Jack O'Neill making his very first wetsuit have never stopped in the quest to produce the best and warmest suit to keep you in the water for longer.

The best selling suit is still the O'Neill Epic and for very good reason. It simply keeps getting better and better in terms of materials used and warmth features added each year. Now for summer 2015 O'Neill have yet again stepped up the game on having the best suit on the market at the best price point. As this year the suit is using 100% super stretch material throughout the entire suit. This means that you have unrestricted movement in every panel of the suit and the more flex you have the better it fits and the less tired you become in the water. As O'Neill are all about staying in the water for as long as possible this is certainly a suit worth considering.

Wetsuit Centre takes a look at what is new for the Epic 3mm wetsuit in 2015 and what this means to all of us that use the products. We try to give this review an unbiased view on what is good and bad with the suit and get some time to explain the jargon and technical features. We test all the products as year on year they do change so it is useful to find out what is new.