Tested: Flashbomb Heat Seeker 3/2mm Zip Free Steamer, Ten Months Down the Track
COASTALWATCH | NICK CARROLL | REVIEWS
So after initially testing this suit I continued to wear it off and on through the winter of 2019, usually on days when cold winds blew (that’s where this suit really shines) and in spring cold water up-wellings, which in 2019 around Sydney were pretty hard core, same as the year before. Evil pattern. Anyway. Probably gave it 30 solid sessions.
I then put the suit into storage over summer and haven’t worn it since early Nov ’19. The suit was stored hanging in my crazy board-room, out of direct light and where the temperature doesn’t vary too much even in that nasty January heat pit. Got it out now because you can sniff the coming weather changes.
The suit is in perfect condition. Not even minor wear or chafing marks. I kind of half expected some issues with it, especially where the single sided neoprene around the upper chest and arms connects with the double sided stuff, I wondered if there might be some minor tearing along that seam, but it never happened or even looked like happening. There’s one tiny blemish on the left wrist cuff, where the exterior silicon tape designed to lock the cuff in has popped a tiny bit free at one end. Otherwise, I combed the suit inside and out and couldn’t find any obvious way you could pick it from a brand newie, other than the lack of a price tag.
Going on and off, the suit doesn’t feel any less flexible due to use and storage. That might show up a bit in surfing use — the Heat Seeker isn’t as madly flexible as its forerunners, which is something we picked up on in initial testing.
Again its condition has to be partly due to me doing what I never used to do with wetsuits, and making sure it got full rinses with fresh water after surfing, and a good pre-storage soak and rinse to get all the salt and sand out. I can’t recommend this enough, it’s the biggest lesson I’ve had from wetsuit testing: if you want a suit to last then take good care of it.
Nonetheless I’m psyched to have it in such a great state, because the way the Australian east coast winter long range forecast looks, I’m gonna need it.
Read Nick's initial review of the Rip Curl Flashbomb Heat Seeker over here.
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