WS - Back to basics, how do wetsuits work?
MB - The optimal case is that as little water as possible gets into the wetsuit. The neoprene and the air bubbles contained in it form an insulating layer between your body and the water. But since a little water always enters the wetsuit, it heats up due to our body temperature and keeps us warm.
WS - Not every brand uses the same neoprene. What are the differences in the composition of the neoprene types?
MB - There are different types – petroleum based neoprene, limestone neoprene and Yulex neoprene. Petroleum based is being used less and less. In our area, limestone is probably the manufacturer’s choice for most wetsuit brands nowadays. Yulex is the most environmentally friendly alternative of all, but also the most expensive. Further differences in the foam are factors such as flexibility, hardness and durability. The foam used depends on the requirements of the wetsuits, e.g. more flexible foams are pricier than others, so would not be applicable for lower priced suits.
WS – What about different zipper types?
MB - There are differences in terms of where they are placed. There are front zip, back zip and no zip wetsuits. Furthermore, there are zippers with different product qualities; our zippers are all from “YKK” to guarantee the best quality. Front zip is on the rise in the market as it is getting easier to get into the suit with better and more flexible materials.
Zipless suits are neither colder nor warmer than others. The amount of water that gets inside the wetsuit stays the same. Their big advantage is increased flexibility as no zipper increases freedom of movement. Surfers rely more and more on this zipper kind because it supports paddle power thanks to the missing zips. Anyone who’s got flexibility as their first priority should should give zipless a try.
Bu hikaye Windsurf dergisinin Issue 390 - October 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Windsurf dergisinin Issue 390 - October 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
New School
Slingshot’s windsurfing brand manager, Wyatt Miller, has noticed that kids are drawn to playing with wings and puts forward an interesting case as to why he thinks this could help entice them and others into windsurfing.
Changes
Wave sailor Flo Jung reflects on our changed world during his lockdown in Germany.
THE LAST WAVE
Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
STILL IN THE GAME
After a horrific fracture in his leg from a crashed aerial in 2018, Alessio Stillrich is back! John Carter talks to the highflyer from Gran Canaria about his move to the Simmer team, recovering from injury and how he learned to windsurf in Gran Canaria!
MOVE ON UP - GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
This month we look at how our front foot weighting can affect and improve different aspects of our main windsurfing moves.
SOUTH' KIPA
Nik tweaking it over home waters.
A NEW NORMAL
On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
TACKING – THE SEQUEL
Having given you time to practice, Harty concludes his tacking series by critiquing various tacking options, including the carve tack, as well as offering solutions to common slip-ups.
‘NO VAPOUR TRAILS TO SCAR THE SKY' *
Realising we may be about to enter an extraordinary period in our lives, Harty decided to keep a windsurf-centric lockdown diary. Here are some of his choice excerpts.
REDEMPTION DAY!
Renowned for its windsurfing and variety of spots to sail at, Kimmerdige Bay is a wave sailing jewel on the south coast of England. Timo Mullen gives a guide to its shores while reflecting on why a recent session there was a reminder that there is no place like home!