Written exclusively for Raglan Surf Company by Lucy Galbraith

If your 4/3 got beaten down to a springy last year or you left it at the Manu Bay car park and no one replied to your post on the noticeboard (you probably didn’t say “please”) then maybe it’s time to invest in a new wettie. Fear not, we have written a sort-of comprehensive guide to our pick of 2024’s best steamers. And we’re confident to say they’re worth omitting your manners to online strangers for.

Let’s start with the basics.

O'Neill Focus 4/3

If you’re newer to surfing and not entirely committed to the 3+ hour sesh, or planning on Slatering out a bunch of rodeo flips then odds are it doesn’t matter if you have a top-of-the-line suit. That saying, if you’re committed enough to carry on with your new found religion during winter you’re going to want to stay warm. 

Introducing O’Neill’s Focus 4/3. This suit will keep you warm without limiting your precious paddle strength and only costs about the same as your annual Netflix subscription. 

 

Most of us know that O’Neill has been creating the best wetsuits since before anyone even considered getting their suit wet, which is why they’re always miles ahead of the game. Even their most cost-effective suit is made with years of expertise in retaining warmth without sacrificing comfort or movement. We’re selling this suit for $320, which you’ll soon realise after shopping around is a ridiculous price for a 4/3. It’s available in both back and chest zip - if you are still a little lacking in your surf-ability the latter can ensure you hold on to your credibility in the car park. 

Billabong Absolute 4/3

If you’re a keen surfer and have upgraded from your shitty hospo job but still freaking out over the current cost of a slab of cheese (we’re all freaking out over the cheese) then try slipping yourself into a Billabong Absolute 4/3 (which shouldn’t be too hard if you can’t afford that cheese). 

Several years ago Billabong pioneered the use of Graphene in wetsuits and have been setting the bar pretty high for sustainability, price and performance ever since. 

The Absolute is created out of lots of ambitious sounding materials such as Pro Stretch, SMART foam, Silicone Stretch and of course and Nobel-Prize winning Graphene. This basically means you’ll be able to stay in the water for longer which is what we’re all aiming for at the end of the day. 

Like all the best brands, Billabong has been on a major journey to create earth-friendlier wetsuits. Starting with recycling fish nets into wettie linings, Billabong then committed to using mostly upcycled and recycled materials and water based glues. Last year they kicked their nasty Neoprene habit entirely. 

By the end of this year their entire range of wetsuits will be made with 100% natural and/or recycled materials. They’ve even started a scheme that takes crappy, stiff old wetties and turns them into usable fibres to weave into their new suits. This year’s steamers (including the Absolute 4/3) are still super earth conscious and of course outstanding in performance, but for the full ‘Natural’’ range you’ll need to wait for summer. 

Billabong Absolute 3/2

Perfect for the eco AND fashion Concious man, or at least the 30+ year old man revisiting his Hot-Tuna-Mambo-Primo-Milk-42-Ounces-To-Freedom surfer era, the Absolute’s aesthetics will hit hard with slick retro flame detailing on the leg. The Absolute 3/2 goes the next step back to the 90’s with the old ‘Bong logo on the chest, contrast stitching and grey panels. Best you just come see it in store if we lost you to flash backs and air-guitar solos.

 

Billabong Revolution Natural 3/2 Zipperless

If you favoured a carob soy milk over Primo and identify more with Captain Planet then The Offspring, you can get your hairy hippy hands on the Revolution Natural 3/2 Zipperless which we already have in stock.

This is a sick suit with all of Billabong’s super-eco, super-advanced bells and whistles, as well as its zipperlessness which will particularly benefit you if you are a bit on the furry side.

Being a 3/2 it’s obviously not going to be quite as warm, but if you meet the above criteria then odds are you spend half your spare time in an ice bath anyway so this shouldn’t be an issue. 

Billabong Women's Salty Dayz Natural 3/2

The women’s range doesn’t include the chest-hair saving zipperless Revolution unfortunately, but if you are keen on a Billabong Natural and also identify as a Planeteer you can suit yourself up in the Women’s Salty Days Natural 3/2. Hopefully your chest hair will sort itself out.

The Salty Days Natural is perfect for this in-between time where the water temp is a bit above air (if it’s a southerly) and it features some nice little palm tree logos down the arm. Not to divert from the quality of the suit, but it’s a nice change from the usual overly floral HELLO-I’M-A-GURFER patterns sprawled all over chicks suits, while still nodding to the fact there are girl surfers that like girl things and they’re still more rippable than half the men out there. In fact, these little palm trees could be seen as a sort of gang-patch that ensures you don’t need to “give” this girl your wave, she’s already taken it. She’ll also teach you permaculture if you’re interested.

Anyway, the Salty Days Natural is engineered with a recycled PRO STRETCH! exterior, the core is Yulex Natural Rubber (which Patagonia Pioneered in their suits), and a warm and flexible Graphene Comp interior. The seams are taped and reinforced with Super-flex. 

If you actually are Captain Planet and have been bringing pollution down to zero since the 90’s then odds are you're already committed to wearing Patagonia in and out of the water. 

Luckily for you, Patagonia has upped their game immeasurably this year. 

Patagonia Men's R2 Regulator

In fact, some might say Patty-G is “tweaking into a whole new era” with this season’s offerings, in particular the R2 Regulator. If you really lived the 90’s you’ll hopefully get the reference and possibly have the joy of Warren G and Nate Dogg playing in your head ever time you suit up. 

All that aside, Patagonia has taken the feedback from their previous suits and worked hard to make them better in every way imaginable. This is noticeable from first touch - the new Yulex is softer with much more stretch, which is already a pretty good improvement. They’ve also changed the seal technology on the suits to stay flexible and durable, keeping up with the flex of the rest of the suit. 

This improvement is across their whole wetsuit range including the R1 which we’ve had in stock for a while. Although not as warm as the R2, the R1 is perfect for the in-between seasons - keeping you warm but with the increased flexibility that comes with thinner rubber. If you surf consistently all year round we’d recommend a lighter weight steamer, even if just to ease you into the resistance training that comes with a winter suit. They’re also handy to have on hand for those random mid-winter almost tropical days that pop up to trick us into thinking global warming could be a good thing.

Patagonia Women's R2 Regulator

As well as the improved all-round performance of the suit, the woman’s R2 also features little aesthetic changes, most notably around the neckline. When unzipped, the chest flap can be peeled back entirely, exposing a new crew shaped neck. This means if you get too warm or just pissed off with the tight collar you can just flip the chest flap off and away you go. This suit was voted second for the gals in Stab’s Best Wetsuits of 2024 for many reasons - mostly the unbeatable ethics of the suit and brand, and not at all for the chest-zip-flap-crew-neck situation. 

If you’re wondering what suit scored first place for Stab’s Best Wetsuit this year - for both men’s and women’s - you’ll be pleased to know we (of course) stock it. 

O'Neill Hyperfire 4/3

O’Neill’s Hyperfire 4/3 stood out by a country mile. Voted warmest, lightest, most flexible and least leaky, the Hyperfire (previously Hyperfreak Fire) is the closest thing to surfing in summer without a wetsuit you can get, while surfing in winter wearing a wetsuit. After all, the best wetsuit is no wetsuit, but that usually comes with a court appearance.

O’Neill’s TechnoButter neoprene was introduced way back in 2011, at the time making all other neoprene shiver in its booties. We’ve now hit TB4 and TB4X which are notable features of this suit. O’Neill has put Graphene-lined TB4X in the arms and upper body for the utmost in paddle flexibility and TB4 Firewall in the body for incomparable warmth and drying speed. This suit is said to dry in 30 minutes, just long enough to digest your mince pie and Monster, or at least order your quinoa salad with all your dietary requirements. 

Imagine how good it’s going to feel not having to lose the stoke of a second surf due to a cold wet slap of soggy neoprene. Probably just as good as the absence of icy water leakage when you’re fully immersed. The Hyperfire’s seams are sealed tight with TB4X tape and there’s less of them due to the suit being constructed with larger panels. Genius.

Truthfully, the only thing better than this suit is the pro model, O’Neill’s HyperFire X.

We know, all this Hyper and Freaks and Fire and Technobutter chat might be starting to sound a bit like a Ruapuke bush-doof, but bear with us. These suits hold waaay more credibility then a hippy in a hi-ace with a bootlegged Self Contained sticker.  

The HyperFire X has all the mod cons of the HyperFire, with some top of the line added extras. 

The seams on this bad boy are all stitched, glued and externally fluid-welded with a special liquid rubber. The critical seams are also fluid-welded inside for extra durability and longevity. The torso and upper legs are made from another variant of the TB4 Firewall - the TB4 Graphene-infused Firewall Air. This jersey captures pockets of air to further insulate your body without affecting the stretch and durability of the suit. 

There’s so much good stuff to say about O’Neill’s wetsuit range that we almost forget to talk about their ethics. Almost. Their list of materials reads like a car wreckers paradise; recycled plastic, Eco Carbon Black from recycled tyres, solvent-free lamination and Limestone Neoprene (instead of petrochemicals). 

Rest assured O’Neill isn’t sacrificing the earth for you to stay in the surf longer, global warming would probably put them out of business anyway.

There you have it. Our thoughts on the best winter wetsuits for 2024.

Please note that unless otherwise specified, all suits come in Men’s and Women’s fits. If you’re not quite sure which category you’re in, or would just like to try the things on for yourself, please come chat to our friendly and knowledgeable staff at 7 Wainui Road, Raglan. Kai pai.