West Wetsuits Gear Review ~ 4/3 Edge Extrememe

The Good

• Ultra warm, super comfy, and butter soft...everything every surfer is looking for is a suit! A must have for the Spring and early Summer!!!

The Not So Good

• I've got nothing...I wouldn't change anything about this suit and I would highly recommend them to any cold water surfer or water sport enthusiast.

No B.S. Review

As a surfer inNew EnglandI am pretty much stuck in a wetsuit all year.  Most of the year is spent in 6, 5, or 4 mil suits, boots, and gloves and the cold water and air temps are always a challenge.  I have tried an endless number of wetsuits over the years and I have seen and experienced the progression of wetsuit technology first hand.  We can now go out in sub-zero temps and get barreled for hours in the extreme conditions.  Almost all of the suits on the market these days can get the job done so I have become rather picky about the little things.  This nit picking makes me the perfect candidate to test suits and find the best of the best.  With this in mind, we decided to reach out to our friends atWest Wetsuitsto see what all the hype was about.

The West wetsuit company was started in Western Australiain the early 1980’s by people that actually surf.  The company’s focus was making the warmest, performance based suit on the market.  Focusing heavily on quality, fit, and function, the company grew a loyal following of passionate patrons and momentum that would quickly expanded their footprint outside of OZ and across the globe.  Others also took notice of the brands superior products and they have now positioned themselves as one of the most premier wetsuit companies in the world!  They were also the first and one of the very few to offer a lifetime warranty.  See the WEST wetsuit website:   www.westsurfing.com for more details.

For the purpose of this review West sent us one of their new Edge Extreme suits in a 4/3 chest zip just in time for the Spring/Early Summer weather! All of their suits are constructed with 100% West Gen-3 Ultraspan neoprene. This stuff is lighter than the average neoprene and it is complimented by a butter soft feel and some pretty impressive stretch attributes.  GBS and Glide skin taping create air-tight seams while maintaining maximum flexibility and the added Eco Pyro-fibre keeps you super toasty!  They also have Donut wrist Cuff treatments to reduce water flushing and they do a great job of keeping the water out without cutting off your circulation!!!

Testing took place over a few months in a variety of conditions, all of them cold!!!  My first thought was that this suit was too light to be able to keep me warm enough for an April/May dawn patrol session but I was quickly proven wrong!  The weight reduction is greatly attributed to the higher quality materials West uses.  This made getting in and out of the suit easier and you almost forget it’s on once zipped up!  The overall cut and fit of this suit was amazing.  Again, I am super picky about my wetsuits and this thing felt tailored, not off the shelf!  I give the warmth factor a 10 out of 10 and I think I stayed out longer than usual in this suit.  I found the most significant impact was seen when paddling.  The cut of the Edge Extreme allows for a very natural stroke while supporting proper paddle posture and mechanics.  I’ve found other suits to be a bit restrictive when laying prone and the West again proved that it has been designed with a  surfer’s needs in mind.  The suit also dries in a flash and I could easily get two plus sessions a day out of it; assuming I hung it up and didn’t get lazy and leave it in my wetsuit bucket!!!

I would highly recommend any surfer or water sports enthusiast to make a West suit their next purchase.  They offer an eclectic line of gear that will allow you access to any waves or conditions and keep you stoked for longer!  Check out Edge Extreme here: http://www.westsurfing.com.  Coming in around $250 it is a must have for the Spring and early Summer months and you won’t be disappointed!  As always, thanks for reading and be sure to tell a friend…

- Shaper

SPECS:

Eco Pyro-Fibre: This material is constructed from the recycled water bottles and bamboo. The bamboo fiber also provides anti bacterial properties, has a deorderizing effect and assists the thermal insulation process.

Glide Skin Taping: This is a unique metalite taping that lines the interior of the Edge Extreme. It not only creates a great seal but also a soft feel that provides comfort.

Nylon II Knees: It's bee's knees, mate.

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