“First, some details about me: I am a male, 1.75 m tall, weigh 63 kg (BMI: 20.24), and surf mostly in the Algarve, Portugal without gloves, boots, or a hood. This review is written on November 26th. Today, the water temperature was 17°C and the midday air temperature with sun was around 16°C.
As long as I keep moving in the water, the wetsuit keeps me perfectly warm which is mostly the case. However, when spending a lot of time sitting in the lineup waiting for waves, I felt a bit cold, especially if it’s cloudy or windy. I am quite skinny with a low body fat percentage (12%), which might also be a factor.
The wetsuit feels very comfortable on the body, is relatively easy to put on (a plastic bag really helps), and looks well made. Personally, it feels a bit tight across the chest. My chest measurement exceeds the recommended maximum by about 0.5 cm, which might explain why paddling feels slightly harder. It may loosen a little over time, but after about 10 sessions in the water, it still feels somewhat stiff around the chest zipper. Sometimes, the fit around the groin feels a bit snug as well, so maybe that’s something to be aware of, gentlemen ;)
There is no water entering the suit unless a big set rolls over you.
Overall, it’s a good wetsuit. I can not yet say anything about the durability since I just used it for 2 weeks. However, if your BMI is similar to mine and you often spend long periods waiting (beginners) in the lineup, you might want to consider a thicker suit for winter in Portugal or add boots, gloves, and a hood for extra warmth. If you want to avoid tightness maybe one size bigger would do the job.”
