Here’s Why Rip Curl Won Two Of Six Divisions In Our Wetsuit Test

Rip Curl has long been a staple in the wetsuit scene. If you grew up in Southern California, odds our you spent your childhood into your adult years driving to the Rip Curl Outlet just above Trestles and picking out last year’s suit for a minimal price. You probably remember the Raptor series well before Rip Curl ended all of their wetsuit names with a bomb. 

When the E-Bomb hit the market, flex was on everybody’s minds, so at the expense of one of their wetsuits they’d stretch it to its extent and nail it to the wall. 10-12 solid feet of outstretch wetsuit would blast you in the face as you walked into their shop, and this was at a time where FLEX held an utmost importance, I’m talking the early-mid noughties. 

Today, all wetsuits are flexy as fuck. Yes, some are more flexible than others, but really what we’re looking for is something that’ll keep us warm, and something that’ll last more than one season. Oh, and something that’ll dry out.

Here’s where Rip Curl shines. First, their Flashbomb lining literally dries in about 30 minutes. And when we say dry, we mean desert dry – wrists and ankles waterless. Which, if you’re someone who lives in a cold zone, and detests slipping into a wetsuit in frigid temps, a Rip Curl with Flashbomb tech is for you.  

Actually, the Rip Curl Heat Seeker is for you. They sent us one with confidence that it would win the warmest 3/2mm award. And, it did. It was the warmest 3/2 any of us had ever worn. Although, admittedly, it was a little stiff. But as noted before a little stiff in today’s genre of Flexy-As-Fuck is a minimal complaint. The Heat Seeker 3/2mm, they tell us is designed for water temps ranging from 52-61 degree Fahrenheit. To put in perspective, the low is just above the coldest waters in Northern California will get. So, the 4/3mm would be sufficient for most zones of the world assuming you don’t live in the Arctics.

For a 3/2mm, the Heat Seeker runs a cushy $500USD. 

The other suit they submitted into the Budget category, or the best wetsuit for under $300USD. This was their E-Bomb 4/3mm Zipperless suit. The suit runs $299USD, and is quite comfortable. Rip Curl has always made a quality wetsuit, if they’ve been your go-to for years now, or you’re wanting something different this season, we’d endorse giving them a go. 

You can shop the Heat Seeker here. 

And the E-Bomb 4/3 Zipper Free Wetsuit here.