How many times have you dreamt of pulling on a heated wetsuit while you’re freezing your balls off in the lineup waiting for the next set to approach? The cold always ends up having the last word as you exchange vanquished looks with fellow surfing buddies and catch the next wave in. Until now, the only alternative solutions at hand have been to piss yourself, or paddle around in circles wasting precious energy.

On a visit to the Rip Curl Europe offices, the new wetsuit division manager, Wilco, gave me the lowdown on the brand’s latest innovation… Only slightly heavier than other models, the first heated wetty is finally about to hit the market. Yes, I did get to touch it and, yes, I will be testing it out as soon as this warm south wind gives way to colder north winds!
In the meantime, you can read up on technical details and see photos here. Smile, summer’s back!