New Wetsuit recommendations

My last two wetsuit purchases have been fro Decathlon, a couple of ¾ leg 'skiff suits' and a short sleeved summer dinghy suit. The former have been used for 9 summers, one drying, t'other in use and are still pretty good (TBF 9 year old neoprene is not going to be as soft and flexible as when new). The dinghy suit has had less use over the 6 or 7 years I've had it and is still soft and very nice to wear. they all have knees and bums reinforced with what looks like a coarse knitted nylon outer skin which has proved very hard wearing indeed. Skiff suits were about £30, dinghy suit £60ish IIRC.

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 21 Aug 18 at 1:24pm

I would personally avoid ION for main wetsuits, they are all super heavy compared to O'Neill's technobutter ranges - although their accessories are fantastic, so I'm not knocking the brand across the board.

Originally posted by Jack Sparrow I really like Magic Marine. https://www.magicmarine.com/products/wetsuits-longjohns

I really like Magic Marine. https://www.magicmarine.com/products/wetsuits-longjohns

Unfortunately my go to brand has closed, Spartan. But there are lots of good brands Ion, Oneil, are two that immediately spring to mind. I notice those skiff suits you were looking at have no arms, what's the reason for that other than to build less suit for more money? All the sports outside of dinghy sailing have far greater reliance on arm movement, wind, kite and surfing why is it dinghy suppliers think it's a great idea to call a suit a skiff suit charge more money yet not provide arms? I'd love to hear the BS they come up with for that.

For the sort of money they are asking you could go to Snug in Cornwall and have a made to measure custom suit to your own spec. Double line the butt and knee but single line everywhere else I would.

Or pay 150 or thereabouts for a perfectly reasonable full suit from any number of suppliers in the surf. kitesurf, wind surf etc. £255 for a skiff suit is unreasonable imv.

Edited by iGRF - 21 Aug 18 at 11:26am