Going Zip-Free for Winter
Mastering the seasonal transition of wetsuits is a skill earned with plenty of practice. The need for a 3.2, 4.3, 5.4, spring suit (long and short sleeve), sleeveless suit, rash guard, neoprene vest, boots and gloves of every variety all make sense on the east end. If you have ever considered being warmer with less gear, maybe you are ready for a zip-free suit.
Hearing ‘zip-free’ can connotate images of the dreaded 5.4, wrangling yourself into a small space without a zipper into ultra-thick neoprene before pulling a noise-cancelling hood over your head. Or worse, wriggling out of it when you are freezing cold and tired from paddling with all that gear, trying not to dislocate a limb. Wetsuits have evolved over the years, yet some things have been the same since the 80’s. Now that is changing again.
We discovered and now love the Isurus Zip-free that combines a unique Jersey with Yamamoto Neoprene, along with being the pioneer of compression wetsuits for surfing. You will notice a better range of motion in the Zip-free, a stretchy suit that does not lose the elasticity that naturally breaks down over time in regular suits. Unlike surfing in regular suits that absorb water adding weight, these feel lighter and free your energy to paddle with ease. They even dry faster. While Montauk is not Mavericks, the appreciation for a great suit that keeps us in the water longer and more often is the same.
With a collection of dual-density wetsuits that are thicker in specific core areas and thinner in areas that need more mobility, regular suits used to make sense for a variety of climates and conditions. It also requires you to have a quiver of suits. With 3.3 Isurus Zip-free, the stretch, moderate compression and lightness provide warmth and meets in the middle of a 3.2 and 4.3. Some describe it as a ‘second skin’ while others say there is ‘no going back’ to any other type of suit.
Surfers notoriously scoff at justifying their continuous consumption of equipment required to surf, as the gear is an investment in so much more than a surf session. It is a way of life, which is why hunting for the best is priority. If you try the Isurus Zip-free you may too find there is ‘no going back.’ Happy surfing!