Surf Talk Guru

I just got back from surfing on a brisk Oregon day, the water temp was about 50 degrees and I was wearing the new Quiksilver Electric Heat Vest. I easily slipped on the Quik electric heat vest like you would any rashguard, pulled my 4/3 Hooded Xcel Drylock full suit on and headed down the trail. On the way to the beach I turned the electric heat vest on to HIGH by pushing the button and paddled out.

I instantly noticed a warm cozy feeling in my back. After paddeling out I had to turn the vest to low because I was too hot! This is when I realized….from now on being cold is optional!

Wetsuit Seams:
The quality of your wetsuit has a lot to do with the quality of your surf session in the fall and winter Oregon waters. The more you know about the ins and outs of wetsuits, the happier you’ll be with your purchases. Consider this information from wetsuitgear.com.

Seam construction is an important factor in selecting a wetsuit. Cold water temps (under 55 degrees) need sealed seams to keep in the warm water your body is heating and the cold water out of the suit. Currently there are 3 major types of seams available on wetsuits, flatlock, glued and blind-stitched, and glued, blind-stitched and taped.

There are many types of wetsuit seams:

Flatlock Stitching: Recommended for warm water above 55 degrees. The fabric is layered where
the seam meets and stitched completely through to form the seam. This seam looks like railroad tracks. The interior seam construction is flat on both sides. Some water may seep in through these seams.

Glued and Blind-stitched: Also referred to as GBS (Short for Glued and Blind-stitched). Recommended for cold water 55F and up. This construction is best for cold water because the seams are glued, then stitched. It looks similar to Flatlock stitching, but is narrower in width. Very little water will seep through these seams.

Sealed & Taped: (Glued Blindstitched & Taped)
Recommended for very cold water 55F and below. Same construction as above plus interior seam taping. Tape can be fabric tape, rubber “liquid tape”, or neoprene tape. The tape reinforces seams for added durability, and prevents any water from seeping through. These features are commonly found on very cold water suits and most high end suits.

All Xcel wetsuits’ seals are double glued and blindstitched and curved for maximum stretch. Xcel boasts the patented “Fusion Seam” where a stretchy, waterproof material is fused onto the blindstitched seam. No water getting in those seams!