Here’s The Wetsuit For Those Who Love A Bargain
A detailed analysis from Billabong’s Furnace Line.
The kind folks from Billabong delivered three suits to Stab HQ for our wetsuit test: One Furnace Carbon Ultra 3/2mm, a Furnace Carbon Comp 4/3mm that runs just over $300 and the most expensive suit from their collection, the 4/3 Furnace Carbon Ultra Chestzip.
We then packed them into a passenger van holding upwards of 70 wetsuits, three cameramen, and three professional surfboard riders, Noah Wegrich, Blair Conklin, Jesse Guglielmana… and myself (not a professional surfboard rider). The one thing we dug about the Billabong suits is their price point is low. Their budget suit, the Billabong Furnace Carbon Comp runs $309USD. Upon first go, the wetsuit is, admittedly, a little scratchy. However, once you break the suit in, it loosens up. For a 4/3 costing just over $300 the Furnace Carbon Comp is a fine suit for any penny pincher.
The two other suits involved in the test are Bong’s higher end models, the Furnace Carbon Ultra (3/2mm and 4/3mm).
Picking out a Bong suit really comes down to your brand loyalty. If you’ve been wearing Bong’s for years now and love the fleece lining don’t stray away. One thing you may not know is that Bong’s top shelf wetsuit is constructed from 300% stretch smart foam, and is made from upcycled car tires.
If you love the environment so much that you wanna wear it on the cuff of your wetsuit sleeve, give the Billabong Furnace Carbon Ultra a run.
The 3/2mm will run you just $400 while the 4/3mm ticks up ten bones. It sits at a retail price of $410.
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