SOLITE
WETSUITS FW22/23: FINISH AND DETAILS You do know where the devil is don’t you? The details when it comes to finish are anything but details - they are capable of elevating an OK wetsuit to an excellent one. The designers have really used their grey matter for FW22/23. Let’s start with the zips (where front entry is still popular). At Adelio, Brett Vergou explains to us that they have added a new double-entry to their chest zips, “for those that like a centred, even feel”. At Roxy, this zip zone has been redesigned “to avoid unnecessary water entries and rashes”. And Stan Bresson from Saint-Jacques reveals that backzip models are more popular amongst the female surf population, to the point of almost selling
out. At Circle One, Business Director James Trevelyan explains that they have lined the panels on the shoulders with nylon, “so less susceptible to stretch on the hanger (when drying or storing the suit)”. Good idea. Finally, it’s difficult to talk about wetsuits for cold water without mentioning their obvious accessories: hoods, gloves and booties. Solite have made significant headway in this market in the last few years, enhancing the whole category. Business Director Europe, Dee Caldwell highlights their 8mm booties with onepiece sole and cosy thermal liner as well as their extra millimetre around the toe for extra warmth without sacrificing the tailor made fit that the brand is famous for. Solite will soon be extending its range to gloves, four innovative models between 2-6mm. Endemic brands are responding too, for the benefit of the final consumer, in the shape of 5/4 Cyclone booties from Dakine for example (5mm and 4mm on the sole for more feel on the board), containing the same Hexotherm2 as on the Cyclone wetsuits and double texture sole for grip. FW22/23: THE GREEN WETSUIT, THE UNICORN Yulex, Oysterprene, recycled polyester, solvent-free glue, dope-dyes…All the effort made by brands can’t detract from the fact that final consumers mostly favour wetsuits that are scarcely eco-friendly. Not wanting to break the “customer is always right” rule, but aren’t they at fault here? “The gap between what consumers say they’re going to do and what they actually buy is still too big”, reckons James from Circle One. For JL, Technical Designer at C-Skins, customers are no different from brands, in that they are simply not prepared to sacrifice on performance. Nevertheless, it is the brand’s responsibility to offer at least one natural neoprene model, believes 83
