Are you looking for a winter wetsuit for surfing or kitesurfing?
With the arrival of cold weather it is essential to have the right wetsuit and this is why we decided to make a quick overview to help you find your way around the new Prolimit 2021 winter wetsuit models, one of the brands that offers some of the best wetsuits in terms of ratio. quality price. And the winter 2021 collection that we have had the pleasure of touching these days is a really good example.
MERCURY Top di gamma accessibile
Prolimit's Mercury range is probably the best option for those who don't want to give up on any outing even in winter. Together with the Vapor and Naturprene ranges, it represents the top of the range , a concentrate of technology, but compared to top of the range of other brands, mercury remains very affordable.
The Mercury TR Freezip Steamer 5/3 has a list price of € 369.00.
Prolimit Mercury winter wetsuits are available in 6/4, 5/3 and 4/3 and all share the same technology and construction.
The main features are: Neolight Duotone 550+, limestone neoprene (calcareous neoprene), Thermal Rebound and FTM seams keep you warm and comfortable during long sessions, without being limited in mobility and performance on the water. But let's see better how these wetsuits are made.
The wetsuits of the Mercury range are made up of 4-layer technology.
1. NEOLIGHT HEATER 550+: the outermost layer is made up of the new NEOLIGHT Duotone 550+ fabric which in addition to giving a nice look to the Mercury wetsuits is very soft, smooth and elastic.
2. LIMESTONE NEOPRENE: Limestone neoprene is a more efficient, more comfortable, more durable and more environmentally friendly limestone neoprene than traditional petroleum-based neoprene. The limestone neoprene wetsuits are more flexible and lighter, but at the same time offer great thermal insulation.
3. THERMAL REBOUND: Thermal Rebound Technology was originally developed at NASA in the mid-1970s for thermal blankets for their manned missions in space. Subsequently this technology was taken up and developed by Prolimit for application to surf wetsuits as protection against the cold. (Patent pending)
4. ZODIAC2: The ZODIAC 2 lining in contact with the skin is the softest, warmest and most comfortable you can imagine. Think of your most comfortable and enveloping fleece garment and here it is! Basically it is a jacquard velvet lining, layered with a quick-drying thermal fleece that absorbs water from the skin, retains heat and increases comfort.
This technology makes Mercury wetsuits truly unbeatable in terms of warmth and comfort: they are easy to remove, extremely flexible and able to accommodate your movements even in surfing. In addition, the Thermal Rebound technology ensures excellent wind protection, which makes these wetsuits exceptional for kitesurfing as well.
In addition, Mercury wetsuits have FTM TAPED SEAMS seams, i.e. seams taped and glued with liquid neoprene so they are resistant, watertight and at the same time elastic
If you are someone who does not want to give up going out regularly even in the middle of winter, the Mercury wetsuit has all the features you need to get you out in the winter without dying of cold and without limiting your movements.
Which thickness to choose?
Mercury wetsuits are available with neoprene of various thicknesses: 6/4, 5/3 or 4/3. We recommend the 6/4, possibly also with integrated hood, to go out in lakes or in very cold water conditions. To go out to sea in our latitudes (central Italy) a 5/3 is sufficient and offers an excellent level of heat. If you are a type that does not suffer from the cold, if your winter outings are not very long or if you go out in Southern Italy a 4/3 is enough.
PREDATOR the best value for money
The predator wetsuits are made of Full Airflex 500+, limestone neoprene and Zodiac lining inside. Basically the Predator wetsuits are made in 3 layers, instead of 4 like the Mercury, but they are still able to offer excellent protection from the cold, remaining super flexible and elastic. Failure to use the Thermal Rebound will perhaps cause you to lose a couple of degrees in temperature, however it allows you to save some money, making Predator wetsuits the most competitive in terms of value for money.
The Predator Freezip Steamer 5/3 wetsuit costs € 279
1. DOWN AIRFLEX: The brand new outer fabric, water repellent, breathable super stretch. In practice, it is the latest version of the airflex neoprene and available on the Predator and Flair wetsuits for the 2020/2021 season.
2. LIMESTONE NEOPRENE: limestone neoprene as in the wetsuits of the mercury range.
3. ZODIAC2: the zodiac2 lining that offers maximum comfort and warmth as in mercury wetsuits.
Practically the Predator wetsuits have a technology, materials and construction very similar to those of the Mercury range, with the exception of the layer in Termal Rebound. This means a little less heat, but still adequate performance even in winter. The Predator wetsuit will be perfect for all those who are not particularly cold or for those who are not used to doing very long sessions in winter.
The seams of the Predator wetsuits are GBS that is GLUED AND BLINDSTITCHED SEAMS which is the sewing technique with partial drilling of the neoprene to maintain the waterproofness of the wetsuit. The Predator 6/5 is an exception where the seams are FTM TAPED SEAMS
Very comfortable to wear, super elastic and very warm. These Predator 2021 wetsuits are really comfortable to put on and take off, very flexible and comfortable.
Which thickness to choose?
Predator wetsuits are available with Freezip (front zip) or Backzip in Slate Black and Blue colors and in 6/4, 5/3 and 4/3 thicknesses. We recommend the 6/4 for going out in very cold water conditions. To go out to sea in our latitudes (central Italy) a 5/3 is sufficient while in Southern Italy a 4/3 is almost always sufficient.
FUSION the affordable winter wetsuits
Fusion wetsuits are really affordable winter wetsuits, while not the first price. We are not in fact talking about a school model. The so-called school models are the cheapest wetsuits produced by each brand that pay more attention to price than to comfort and details. This is not the case with the Fusion wetsuits.
The Fusion Freezip Steamer 5/3 wetsuit has a list price of € 219.00
Prolimit Fusion wetsuits are the benchmark for low-medium price wetsuits but with high-end performance. The main difference with the Predator wetsuits is the extension of the Zodiac2 lining inside which is used only on the belly and back, instead of in most of the wetsuit.
The Fusion wetsuits also use super elastic and comfortable Airflex 500+ limestone neoprene panels. The seams are all GBS.
Externally the predator wetsuits have windchill panels on the chest and back to defend you from the wind and keep you warm.
Precisely because of the excellent quality / price ratio, the Fusion range is the most complete with many models available from 6 mm GBS steamer up to 2 mm, both back zip and front zip.
Which prolimit wetsuit to choose?
If you are a beginner surfing or kitesurfing in Italy, perhaps in the center or in the south, and you don't think about going out much in the winter, or if you don't even think about going to the beach when the thermometer drops below 10 degrees, you we recommend the Fusion model which will keep you warm at a very affordable price. Not having a lot of thermal lining inside, choose a 5/3 even if you want to use it until November and from March onwards. A 6mm if you plan to do some releases also from December to March.
If you are an intermediate or expert who surf or kitesurf fairly regularly even in winter, if you usually go out even in cold temperatures, we recommend the Predator model , because the lined interior is greater and this makes the difference in terms of warmth, especially for longer sessions. If you are not particularly cold or if you go out mainly until December and then from March onwards, a 4/3 may be enough.
We recommend the Mercury model to those who regularly go out in winter and do not want to get out of the water because they are cold. The Mercury also offers excellent wind protection, which is why it is also very suitable for kitesurfers. A Mercury 5/3 wetsuit is sufficient in our latitudes to go out to sea and if you are not particularly cold or if you want to use it mainly on warmer days, a 4/3 may be enough for you.
In any case it is worth remembering that, as good, comfortable and warm as a wetsuit can be, if used without the right accessories it will not be able to guarantee you all the warmth you need to surf or kitesurf in the water in winter. In fact, many do not reflect enough on the fact that our extremities lose a lot of heat and for this it is essential to keep them warm. Hood, shoes and gloves are essential in winter ... otherwise even with a top of the range wetsuit you will be cold. Especially for kitesurfers we always recommend a nice windproof jacket to wear over the wetsuit if you go out of the water to catch your breath and then want to go back in, or to use while preparing or folding your equipment. And of course a nice oneponcho to stay warm even while you change ... with all this we assure you that the winter outings are much less dramatic than you might think!
Pubblicato il 12 ottobre 2020 | Blog > Equipments: KITESURF | SURF