A $289 6/5mm Winter Wetsuit? We’re Kidding, Right?
By Ryan Gerard | TCSS Owner
Vissla burst on to the surf scene a handful of years ago, and from the start, we were intrigued with the brand and quality products we were seeing. We signed on as the first Vissla dealer in the Great Lakes region and have continued to be impressed with what they produce. So when Tyler, our Vissla rep and surfing friend based a couple hours from us in Grand Rapids, Michigan sent that email, we listened.
But the proof is in the pudding and I’ve been in the surfing industry long enough to know that there are some clever marketing tactics out there. How could they make a nice 6/5mm for $289? I emailed him back and said “send us a sample”. We got one soon after and, sure enough, this is no BS marketing tactic. This is the real deal. And to top it off, they also make 7mm booties and 7mm mittens at insane prices. The bottom line is you can walk away with a brand new winter surfing setup for $395; suit, boots, and mitts. That’s unreal.
Let’s take a look at the suit and see why this is, in fact, the real deal. It’s made using limestone-based neoprene, which is super light, stretchy, soft, and warm (and best of all, better for the environment). All the best wetsuits on the market use the same stuff these days. They use their own version of interior liner called Thermal Brain Fuzz (nice, right?), which holds heat and dries fast. The seams? Triple-glued, double blind-stitched, and seam sealed, which is top quality. Those are the first things we look at, but here are a few more:
• Chest-zip entry, minimal bulk with contoured water tight design
• Smoothy Panels - Wind & water-repellent - Smoothy panels on the back acts as a barrier against the cold where it's needed the most
• Easy access secure key cord
• Knee pad, Supratex abrasion resistant for flexibility and strength
• Liquid tape cuff seals to prevent flushing at cuffs
• Glideskin on the neck seals to skin to prevent flushing
• Tailored fit - anatomically correct engineered body lines allow for unrestricted performance and warmth
All this adds up to a high quality cold water wetsuit. We asked Tyler how they kept the price so low and this is what he said:
Some suits come with all the bells and whistles, which is great, but those bells and whistles don't matter much for functionality and just make the suit more expensive in the end. The 7 Seas suit is made with all the right materials, has the warmth and stretch, and a tailored fit, but none of the other things that just make a suit pricier. If you're looking for a great wetsuit for a fantastic price the 7 Seas is going to be the suit for you.
Here’s what Vissla has to say about it:
Everything you need in a wetsuit, nothing you don't.
Based on the premise of less is more, we stripped away the irrelevant knick-knacks and designed a suit to give you what you need - warmth in the water. Super stretch light neoprene, sealed seams, quick dry lining, a superb tailored fit, and a minimal bulk chest-zip closure system we’ve built for you a top of the line wetsuit at an approachable price without all the bullshit marketing gimmicks. Whether you like to set your line and trim on your single fin or get your fins above the lip on your thruster, we’ve built a catalog of wetsuits in color ways and cuts to match your water intentions.
We recently had local ripper Joe Follett take a test run with the suit and all signs are pointing up. On a cold, windy day with air temps in the upper 40s, Joe took some laps and came back with this review:
The suit fit nice and snug with good flex. The wrist and ankles had a nice tight seal. I used it without boots or mitts (the water isn't too cold, yet) and stayed nice and warm for the two hours in the water. Overall, I think it's a good suit and seems to be constructed well.
Last but not last, there’s a one–year warranty on the important stuff – seams and neoprene – and 6 months on the smoothly material. Rad!
