Wetsuit issues can be varied. You may rip yours, or it could just be on its last legs. BUT. Before you go down any of these routes we’d urge you to get in touch with us here at NCW. We can guide and steer which route to go whilst helping you keep your green, environmentally friendly credentials intact.
Green wetsuits and exotic materials.
There’s much chat within the watersports industry about wetsuit materials. When searching for wetsuit product info you’ll come across all manner of marketing spiel regarding limestone neoprene and similar. New NCW wetsuits also feature some of these exotic materials and they do make the rubber perform even better.
One particular point wetsuit brands are keen to make is how these funky materials are better for the environment. This is true to some extent IF you have to buy a new wetty. But if you don’t, and can salvage (or have someone like us save your existing wetsuit) then that’s better still. As we said above we’re keen to keep as much rubber out of landfill as possible. Chucking gear away, no matter how worn and used, is still worse for Mother Nature than actually fixing and/or recycling and upcycling.
Surfing and watersports equipment isn’t the best for our planet – however green these new fangled materials and manufacturing techniques are. It’s gotten much better with brands becoming increasingly aware of their impact. NCW has always had this in mind. It’s one of the reasons we rolled out our fixing and alteration service. We really do try to be as green as possible and not add to the mountain of rubbish entering our planet’s ecosystem unnecessarily.
Repair it first!
Wetsuit repairs are a chore. For most surfers. It can be messy, time consuming and with limited surfing hours available, in conjunction with general life responsibilities, the last thing anyone wants to be doing is faffing about with Black Witch and rubber.
Homemade wetsuit repairs and fixes aren’t always the prettiest either. If you do manage to get a good seal chances are it’ll look tacky and ugly. With the best will in the world, no one wants their surf kit to look awful.
So when should buy a new wetsuit?
At some point, you’ll definitely need to invest in a new wetsuit. It reaches a point where your old faithful just isn’t cutting the mustard any longer. The worst case scenario is your tatty wetty isn’t doing a very good job of keeping you warm. And in the UK that can be a safety issue. Hypothermia is a real risk when wearing attire that doesn’t work.
You may have limped your tried and tested wetsuit through the best of surfing sessions but there comes a time when you need to invest in something more efficient. New wetsuits are great. They perform amazingly well. Wetsuit technology has come on leaps and bounds since its invention. These days the right wetsuit will keep you warm and toasty whatever the weather.
But. This all said, before you part with hard earned cash for new rubber we’d urge you to check whether your used wetsuit is salvageable. You mightn’t think so but here at NCW we have the expertise and know how to fix and repair. This potentially isn’t your forte, hence the thought of buying a new suit. North Coast Wetsuits can often sort the issue, however, so give us a shout first. And if it’s really time to chop in your wetty we can still take it off your hands and upcycle and reuse at least parts for something new. Environmentally this is an important thing for us as it keeps rubber out of landfill unnecessarily.
Is there such a thing as a 100% UK made wetsuit?
In some circles, we’ve heard how surfers prefer to buy 100% UK with their wetsuits. We understand this thinking. If you are having to purchase something new then if it’s manufactured domestically that reduces the product’s carbon footprint.
Unfortunately, when it comes to wetsuits, nothing 100% UK made. Even the custom brands have to get their materials from somewhere. The wetsuit may be laid up and sewn in the UK but rubber and adhesive will have been flown in from overseas. Therefore we’d urge any environmentally conscious surfer to be mindful of how that aforementioned marketing blurb is interpreted.
NCW wetsuit fixing and alterations service.
We’ve talked about this in a few previous blog posts. But we’ll bang the drum again. North Coast Wetsuits is a Cornish based surfing and watersports brand that prides itself on exemplary customer service and top shelf wetsuit, accessory and peripheral products that don’t cost an arm and a leg. We’re also extremely keen on doing our bit for the environment.
As an addition, we’re massively keen on helping riders who haven’t been able to source the right products in the past. Via our in house alterations service we’re able to accommodate surfers who may require specifically fitting wetsuits and such. There are also examples of this on NCW’s website.
In terms of replacing your old wetsuit with something new we can of course sell you a spangly brand spanking bit of rubber. But we’d rather you bring your old wetsuit to us first. We can then assess whether it’s salvageable for you to use a little longer. Or whether there’s an additional use for it should we take it in. Part exchange is available as is just taking old kit off your hands so you don’t have to dispose of it.
If you want to have a chat about all things rubber, and how we can potentially help you with used or new wetsuits then get in touch.