Surf Gear

C-Skins’ industry first wetsuit ‘Deep Freeze Tests’

The independently owned & run wetsuit company C-Skins Wetsuits have kicked off their autumn/winter collection by unveiling a pioneering and until now top-secret wetsuit testing program that is taking wetsuit development and technical testing to new levels.

Named ‘The Deep Freeze Tests’, C-Skins Wetsuits spent a day in a high security climatic testing facility to test their new DryKnit lining on their W’14/15 HotWired Wetsuits to find out whether it really was an improvement on previous years’ performance.

The idea first popped in the mind of Mark Brown, C-Skins Technical Director when he watched a clip online showing a vehicle being tested in a climatic wind tunnel which utilised blizzard-making capability and wondered if wetsuits could be tested in a similar way. He liked the idea so much that a year and a half down the line we can see the wetsuit tests and subsequent developments in full.

“Being able to test and develop wetsuits in a controlled environment (alongside more traditional means) really appealed because it would mean that we could get some highly accurate data to enable us to make the best choices when it comes to wetsuit development (material innovations, panel position, neoprene thickness etc). Using thermocouples to monitor internal body temperatures and using Infrared cameras to monitor heat loss (external temperatures). It was also vital to learn more about the relationship between a wetsuit and the user and for the tests to be repeatable in the future”. Mark adds “It was really cool to be able to finally put some science into our suits and to have some hard facts. I’m kind of tired of always hearing these claims from wetsuit companies without the evidence. Its also important to remember that using these tests in conjunction with our team rider ‘in the water’ tests just adds to our ability to make the right decisions as we move forwards and develop our wetsuits. Using proven team rider testing feedback plus science is the only way forwards.”