I’ve had a wide range of wetsuits during my 20 years of surfing, from basic Sola summer suits to the high tech Xcel winter suits. My wetsuit buying mantra has always been “get a good fit”, so I keep an open mind when it comes to brand or price.
Are Patagonia wetsuits good value for money?
That’s right £400 for a summer wetsuit, and it’s only 2mm!
As a brand I like Patagonia. I like their environmental thoughtfulness, understated cool and quality fibres. But Patagonia’s pricing inspires a quality not quantity shopping strategy. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I don’t enjoy shopping, so I don’t mind paying a bit more for products that last.
The problem is: the majority of summer wetsuits cost no more than £200. Xcel 3/2 drylock summer wetsuit is the only wetsuit that gets close at £310. So can there be any justification for such an extraordinary price tag?
Patagonia claim to go the extra mile when it comes to environmental consideration. So features such as “soft, chlorine-free merino wool lining with recycled polyester” help justify the cost and consideration claims.
However the other features are variations on a theme shared by most high end wetsuits, including blind stitched and glued seams, reinforced high-stress areas and better stretch in bendy areas.
So are Patagonia wetsuits, with their recycled and wonder-wool materials, worth the money? For twice the price of an average summer wetsuit – I doubt it. But I don’t have one, nor do any of my friends, so I couldn’t say for sure.
If you work for Patagonia I’d be happy to share your defence. If you wear a Patagonia wetsuit I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you have any other neoprene notes, please share them below in the comments.