Best Men's Wetsuits for Winter

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Cold happens. What are you gonna do about it?

Lincoln Eather

April 5th, 2023

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Wherever you live, once winter comes to your doorstep it’s time to start thinking about some extra neoprene to keep you surfing through the chilly months. Should you upgrade? Should you get a brand-spanking-new suit? And if so, which kind? There are just so many options, but here’s some info to help make that decision a little easier for you, before you go spend your hard-earned cash.

I’ve personally worn, surfed and played around with all the 4/3mm wetsuits featured here (and then some). And to be honest, getting this list down to these suits was a challenge. A fun one, but still. If you think I missed something, feel free to email me and we’ll discuss. I’m always up for learning more about my second skin.

Explore Men's Wetsuits

Florence 4/3 Fullsuit

Performance

Everything about this suit screams “quality.” The neoprene feels buttery in your hand. You can see the workmanship in the seams and stitching. It’s very warm for a 4/3, and one of the only suits I tested where I didn’t get any pin leaks during my first few surfs. The only issue I had was the fiddly zipper.

Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty on workmanship and a limited one-year warranty on materials.

Vissla x AXXE

Editor's Pick

Vissla have been making specialized suits out of Japan for a while, and this one with AXXE is exceptional. It has one of the world’s best entry system designs, the U-Zip, which left me in disbelief at its excellence. At 3mm, it’s warm enough to at least get you through a winter in California.

Warranty: One year from purchase on all seams and materials.

7TILL8 Custom

Performance

7TILL8 offer custom wetsuits made with soft and stretchy Yamamoto neoprene. With specialized stitching and taping, it’s designed exactly how you want it to be and tailored to your measurements. If you haven’t worn a proper-fitting custom wetsuit, you will lose your mind in one of these. The saying “fits like a glove” comes to mind.

Warranty: Free repairs for the wetsuit’s life.

Xcel Drylock X

Warmth

Xcel might be the most low-key brand on this list, but they consistently deliver wetsuits that compete with the market leaders. The engineered fit is impressive. Photos won’t show it, you must try it on to understand. The Drylock X comes in full tilt with features like Celliant Black and infrared capabilities that increase your overall warmth.

Warranty: One year from original purchase date on all seams and neoprene.

O’Neill Psycho Tech

Performance

O’Neill have been making wetsuits since before most of us knew what a wetsuit was. The Psycho Tech has the FUZE chest-zip entry system, one of the best on the market, which means it’s easy to get on and off, even with ruined shoulders. There’s a bunch more features that make it worthy of inclusion here, but for me, the comfort of the TB4 is tops. It just feels so good in your hands.

Warranty: 12 months from date of original purchase.

Rip Curl HeatSeeker

Warmth

This is a dedicated cold-water suit that will keep you toasty while still allowing you to perform in the surf. Built with the latest version of Rip Curl’s super stretch neoprene, the HeatSeeker provides maximal warmth with minimal restriction while paddling. You also get thermal lining throughout the entire suit, internal seam taping, and a redesigned zip-free entry system that makes it easy to put on and take off.

Warranty: Three-year warranty on all stitching and a 12-month warranty on all materials.

Billabong Furnace Natural

Editor's Pick

When Billabong took Yulex and CICLO fibers and wove them all together into their product, that should’ve been a flag-in-the-sand moment for the wetsuit industry. It’s the new gold standard for eco wetsuit performance. This suit is every bit as good as any other suit on the market when it comes to stretch and performance.

Warranty: Three-year warranty on all stitching and a 12-month warranty on all materials.

Finisterre Nieuwland

Warmth

Eco

A new one to this list, I’ve been following Finisterre for a year or two now and I’m constantly impressed with their suits. Made from Yulex rubber, run with taped and GBS seams, with a nice, high internal thermal lining. Be aware — it’ll be a tight fit the first few surfs, then it’ll loosen up and hug you real nice.

Warranty: One-year warranty on all stitching and all materials.

*Calculated based on subtotal, certain products excluded.

FERAL

4mm3

Performance

Feral are running hot right now, with a number of smart collaborations after offering consistently reliable, warm and comfortable wetsuits year after year. One of the few independent wetsuit brands, they’re a great alternative. Buy one and you’re getting all the bells and whistles, like Yamamoto rubber (#40 and #39 for all my fellow rubber nerds) along with taped GBS seams, and a design that features less panels for more freedom.

Warranty: One-year warranty on all stitching and all materials.

Billabong Furnace Comp

Warmth

The Furnace Comp surprised the hell out of me and has been in my suit rotation ever since. This suit is amazing, offering one of the best balances between stretch and warmth on the market. While you’re paying close to top dollar for one, you’ll get all the fancy stuff like Airlite 4D, Graphene and SMART foam, which helps create a comfortable, flexible and warm wetsuit. (Plus a reliable warranty.)

Warranty: Three-year warranty on all stitching and a 12-month warranty on all materials.

O’Neill Hyperfreak Fire

Performance

The Hyperfreak Fire is the newest suit from O’Neill and has the performance the Hyperfreak is known for, but comes in extra toasty with the addition of a TB4 Firewall. It also comes with the FUZE chest-zip entry system, but there is a back-zip option if you find them easier.

Warranty: 12 months from date of original purchase.

Manera X10D

Performance

Manera are new to the wetsuit market here, but by no means new to wetsuits. Their X10D is an impressive performance focused fullsuit. Along with all the bells & whistles, you’ll find an interesting ankle design to allow easy on/off as well as solid water drainage.

Warranty: Two years from date of original purchase.

Matuse Dante

Performance

The first time you slide a Matuse on, you’ll feel like you’re being kissed by angels. It’s fantastic and makes you think you should’ve paid more for it. For a mid-tier-priced suit, the performance of the Dante is impressive — plenty of stretch, yet minimal leakage or pin holes. Well worth it, especially if you’re chasing something different in the market.

Warranty: One-year limited warranty on stitching and materials.

Quiksilver Highline CZ

Performance

If there were an award for Most Improved Wetsuit, this suit would get it. A season or two of R&D has made a crazy difference for Quiksilver wetsuits. The Highline CZ was the biggest surprise out of all the suits I wore this year. However, try it on in a store first, as the fit can be a little weird for some people.

Warranty: One-year limited warranty on all stitching and materials.

Rip Curl E-Bomb

Editor's Pick

This suit is basically the F1 car in the Rip Curl matrix. Built for speed, hi-fi surfing and flexibility, it’s not meant to be their warmest option (that’s the HeatSeeker). The E6 rubber is as close as you can get to feeling like you’re surfing in boardshorts. The suit has GBS seams and some taping, but you’ll get some leaks for sacrificing warmth for performance.

Warranty: Three-year warranty on all stitching and a 12-month warranty on all materials.

Vissla High Seas II

Warmth

A relative newcomer to the wetsuit game, Vissla have outdone themselves in recent years. The High Seas features a soft, buttery rubber combined with thermal lining and taped internal seams to keep you cozy all winter. I did have some minor fit and leak issues, but nothing that really tarnished my experience. I’d happily recommend this suit to mates.

Warranty: One year from purchase on all seams and materials.

Buell DR2

Value

Buell wetsuits are great for people wanting an alternative to the majors, yet there’s still years of success behind this brand. Throw in Dane Reynolds’ endorsement and you have quite the pairing. The DR2 comes correct with stretchy neoprene, taped GBS seams, and a back zip for old-school devotees.

Warranty: One year on all workmanship and materials.

SRFACE Eco

Value

Eco

SRFACE have come a long way since starting up in the cold waters of the Netherlands, but their commitment to making good-value warmer wetsuits for every surfer is the same. Their eco-suit is made with Yulex rubber, which at 4mm adds a little more stiffness than its thinner counterpart, but don’t let that put you off. The inside is lined with recycled nylon that helps free it up a touch.

Warranty: One-year limited SRFACE warranty on workmanship and manufacturing defects.

Volcom Modulator

Value

Volcom are the most recent entrants to the neoprene world and they’ve launched with a respectable and affordable range. The Modulator rolls with thermal lining and limestone-based, stretchy neoprene, and all seams are GBS and taped for seal integrity. At $275, they’re well worth a look if you’re shopping on a budget.

Warranty: One-year limited warranty on workmanship and manufacturing defects

Vissla 7Seas Raditude

Value

The 7Seas Raditude is yet another example of what Vissla has achieved in such a short time in this market. It comes with Japanese limestone neoprene that allows for freedom of movement, and it’s a very affordable wetsuit, able to compete with pricier options from more established brands.

Warranty: One year from purchase on all seams and materials.

Patagonia R1 Yulex

Eco

Patagonia continue to deliver a bomb-proof, environmentally friendly option in the full suit world. The durability on these suits is top notch and is a suit you can have confidence that you’ll get mulitple seasons out of it. Built in a fair trade certified factory, with sustainable materials, you can also feel great about your enviro conscious purchase.

Warranty: Repairs for anything that appears to have

failed under normal use.

needessentials

Yulex Zipperless

Value

Eco

needessentials came out with their first Yulex wetsuit last year, pushing the envelope in sustainability beyond many established brands. The addition of more thermal lining means the overall stretch is sacrificed for additional warmth. It’s not as sprightly, but still flexes with the best of them, and it’s a toaster. Overall, this is perfect for someone wanting a more sustainable option without paying through the nose.

Warranty: Six months on all seams and materials.

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