Building the World’s Best Wetsuits For Surfing
The surf is going off but you’re heading home early.
You’re cold and your arms are spent from paddling a heavy water-logged wetsuit.
You’re thinking when will I get another day like this.
Surf Stronger and longer in a compression wetsuit
OUR QUEST TO BUILD A BETTER WETSUIT
Our passion is to build world-class wetsuits that stand up to the harshest conditions the ocean might offer.
Living and surfing in and along the California coast a frequent topic of conversation was just how much wetsuit innovation had stagnated and quality had deteriorated. It is about designing a wetsuit that improves surfer performance.
SETTING OUT TO BUILD A BETTER WETSUIT
Inspired by our quest for the better wetsuit, we took to consulting around the globe: to material scientists in Japan, athletes from Hawaii to Colorado, bio-mechanical engineers and cold water surfers on three continents.
ULTIMATELY, YOU HAVE TO TEST IN THE ELEMENTS
We put our theories of wetsuit advancement to the test up and down the coast of California. The response to our first suits by core surfers was incredibly positive. And we’re not sitting on our laurels by any stretch.
Our approach is to continually test, learn, refine and then do it all again to ensure the best possible product with vital ongoing feedback from our community of core surfers and respected team riders.
More Info
Materials
In a series of violent tectonic activity that took place approximately 80 million years ago, a rock (situated in the present-day Hawaiian island chain) traveled a very long way north-west to Mt. Kurohime in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.
It was, Yamamoto, who first discovered this unique rock, charmed by its properties, Yamamoto has created an innovative business enterprise. This incredible rock, composed of 99.7% calcium carbonate, is miraculously free from almost all impurities. Using this limestone rock as a starting material, Yamamoto has developed a number of high quality materials that have found applications in various fields such as; water sports gear, medicinal, and fashion. With a supply of at least 3000 years of this fantastic raw material, that is where Isurus Wetsuits comes in with the world’s first compression wetsuits for surfing.
Better wetsuits start with better materials. Yamamoto neoprene is widely recognized as the thinnest, lightest, warmest neoprene available in the market. Yamamoto’s exceptional performance characteristics, combined with its superior durability is creating shock waves for traditional neoprene manufacturers who are figuring out how to compete and spawning a host of imitators producing substandard and inferior closed cell imitators. The hydrophobic materials in Isurus Wetsuits have elongation properties of 450% of its original size – with excellent values of elongation and recovery. This means it fits and acts like a second skin providing you with unrestricted range of motion you have not experienced before. To quote surfers, “it just feels better.”
Durability
Yamamoto’s proprietary closed-cell manufacturing process also results in a neoprene that is also highly durable while remaining extremely stretchy that feels and acts like a second skin. It doesn’t get loose over time like traditional neoprene that in a new suit, “feels” great, but quickly loses its elongation recovery as the cell structure breaks down.
Traditional neoprene acts more like a kitchen sponge (in terms of water absorption) in many cases increasing the weight of a wetsuit by 2x or more requiring more body heat to warm the water, more energy to paddle and maneuver in a restrictive heavy water laden suit, and much longer drying times between surf sessions.
THE FIRST SURFING WETSUIT TO USE
YAMAMOTO’S NEWEST #40 NEOPRENE.
YAMAMOTO’S NEWEST #40 NEOPRENE.
Polaire Ti Z
TITANIUM ZIRCRONIUM FLEECE
After exhaustive development, this is the warmest material combination we have found to date. A heat reflecting 4 layer sandwich construction – with exterior No. 039 jersey (or Fine Mesh), laminated to Yamamoto® closed cell #40 rubber, then a Titanium Coating, and then our proprietary Zircronium Fleece jersey lining inside creates an interior environment that reflects heat back towards the body. This incredible combination will be 40% warmer than regular neoprene. Nothing comes close. Zircronium Fleece is also BlueSign®and Oeko-Tex® certified, this yellow-gold color lining material is simply the best jersey we have found/tested/and confirmed to outperform all others for its warmth, comfort, light weight, and quick drying characteristics. Bluesign® and Oeko-Tex® work to assure that chemicals, processes, materials and products are safe for the environment, safe for workers and safe for end users.
3–9°C Sea Temp.
