Hyperflex Wetsuit review
OK, I admit it, I am a wetsuit snob. I’ve never purchased anything less than the top-of-the-line model in any wetsuit lineup (including Xcel, Rip Curl, O’neill, and Bodyglove) and since I surf marathon sessions in the coldest water NJ has to offer, my expectations of any suit I purchase are as high as it gets.
 Being aware that the price-tags on Hyperflex suits are well below ($100 or more) those of the big-name companies, I admit I was a little skeptical of the good-word on the street and afraid that the “you get what you pay for” mantra would ring true. But since replacing my old suits was a necessity for this winter season, and my wallet is a bit thinner nowadays (2 kids, a 90-mile round-trip commute to work, and a junk economy will do that to ya), the idea of paying less and getting the same quality was definitely a tempting carrot-on-a-stick.
My wetsuit hunt brought me to NoFlatEarth, and Mark Colino convinced me to give Hyperflex a go. After a few sessions in my new suits, I have been pretty much blown away by the warmth, stretch, and overall quality of the 4/3 and 5/4/3 Amp wetsuits I have been using. The fit, flexibility, and warmth of the suits is as good as any more expensive suit I have owned or tried on, and as I mentioned previously, I am a picky consumer. The fact that the suits are less expensive than those of the big names is icing on the cake.
OK, so right now you should be thinking “Of course he is going to speak highly of the suits, Hyperflex is a sponsor of his wave-prediction”, and rightfully so. Therefore, I can offer this independent review by Rick from surfboardpainting.com (go check out his site!) and posted on the surfermag.com message boards:
“Saga is over for me. At the recommendation of Hackysaky (aka- Sak or Professor Sak- ed.) I tried on an '09 Hyperflex Amp. They really upped the ante this year. Materials are of equal quality to all the other big name suits out there. 5/4/3 costs $270 and I would say it's equal or better quality, flexibility and warmth to any O'Neill I've ever owned. It actually fits me better than O'Neill which makes it more warm. The lower body and torso fit like a glove and the shoulders have just enough room to make paddling effortless. I wore it today in conditions I would normally wear my 4/3 Psycho and I was roasting even with the 30 mph offshore winds and air temps in the high 40's. It paddles as easily, if not more easily than my 4/3. No flushing with the chest zip and attached hood. When I took the suit off after a 2 session the chest and back still had large dry spots. I'm betting this suit gets me through the whole winter in Jersey without needing to go to the 6/4. I'll give a proper review when the water and air temps warrant a 5/4/3.”
OK, so back to our regularly scheduled program, here are a few final points:
While the sizing chart for the suits at www.hyperflexusa.com proved accurate for me, as with any wetsuit, I advise you go in and try some suits on to fully take advantage of the variety of sizes available (they go well beyond the usual S, M, L, XL, with lots of gray sizes in between to account for body types).
Hyperflex is a NJ-based company that really supports the local scene (a year ago, before I ever knew or met the guys from Hyperflex, they heard about some guy (me) who needed a board (my first Coil, see my review) transported back from the FL tradeshow and gladly did so FOC and with a smile- thanks again Scott!), so it is nice to return the favor and keep the $ and stoke in our region. |
