Introducing the SRFACE 3/2mm Eco

Our eco-friendly wetsuits are made from a neoprene-free natural rubber called Yulex®, and are fully double-lined with recycled lining. To make our Eco wetsuit as environmentally friendly as possible, we took a good look at all its components. This includes the material we use to line our natural rubber foam with.

SRFACE ECO 3/2MM FEATURES

You might have asked for a green wetsuit, but by using black foam and lining, we’re taking another step in the right direction. Besides black being a more eco-friendly color, it keeps you warmer than others. Compared to other colors, black absorbs UV radiation from the sun at the highest rate. Another quality of the color black is that it is less likely to fade, so your wetsuit will look fresh for years to come.

The natural rubber Yulex foam is fully double-lined with recycled nylon. This lining is woven from recycled nylon yarns, harvested from nylon scraps and waste material. The benefit of using recycled nylon instead of recycled polyester (RPET) is that the material is more flexible and feels much softer and smoother to the skin.

On the inside of the main body panels, the SRFACE Eco 3/2mm features recycled quick-drying plush hollow-fiber insulation. The yarns to make the inside plush lining are sourced from recycled plastic bottles that otherwise might have ended up in a landfill or ocean near you. The insulation is used only in the areas you need it most. This way you’re able to stay warm and flexible in your hips, knees, shoulders, and arms.

All panels are triple glued before being blind stitched together. The needle doesn’t fully penetrate the material, keeping it waterproof. Glue dots on all seam intersections prevent the thread from unraveling. GBS (glued and blind stitched) balances out flexibility and durability. The stress points on seam corners are reinforced on the inside with a welded-on Melco dot, making your SRFACE wetsuit last longer and preventing tearing. To further prevent your SRFACE wetsuit from stretching and losing its shape after intensive use, we make use of water-sealed arm and leg cuffs.

SRFACE exclusively works with a water-based lamination glue called Aqua-α on all of our wetsuits. This eco-friendly water-based glue creates a strong bond between the foam and lining. You can expect our 3/2mm Eco wetsuit to be warm, comfortable, and, of course, sustainable.

WHAT CONDITIONS TO USE THE SRFACE ECO 3/2MM IN

Depending on where you’re based, you can use the SRFACE 3/2mm Eco wetsuit during different periods of the year. Advised water temperatures for the suit range between 15-21℃. The Eco 3/2mm provides lots of flexibility while still effectively protecting you from the cold.

In Portugal, Spain, and Southern France, where water temperatures are usually a little warmer than in other European coastal areas, the SRFACE 3/2mm Eco wetsuit can be worn during most of the year. Expect to surf comfortably in your 3/2mm Eco from mid-spring until late-fall. If you don’t tend to run cold quickly, you’re very likely to manage even longer.

A little bit further north in Northern France, Belgium, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany, water temperatures are more chilly. The 3/2mm Eco comes to be appreciated fully during summertime and the beginning of fall. A comfortable 3/2mm is a must if you’re keen on surfing during the summer in these areas.

In even more northern areas such as Scandinavia, the SRFACE 3/2mm Eco is advised to be worn only in the heart of summer. The rest of the year is simply too cold for a summer wetsuit. If you’re keen on surfing here throughout the year, stack up your mm’s of neoprene and have a look at our Heat model.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SRFACE ECO, FLEX AND HEAT

In comparison to our Heat model, the Eco is a little less insulated and therefore colder. SRFACE Heat wetsuits are made from limestone neoprene and come in a 3/2mm, 4/3mm, 5/4mm, and a 5/4mm hooded version. A couple of specific features in the wetsuit guarantee optimal thermal efficiency.

The smoothskin chest and back panel will keep your core warm, the smoothskin is single-lined neoprene that protects you from windchill. This type of chest and back panel enables you to surf longer in cold and windy conditions. The SRFACE Eco, however, doesn’t feature a smoothskin chest and back panel but is fully double-lined with recycled nylon.

The SRFACE Heat wetsuit also features thoughtfully designed seams. To reinforce a traditional Glued and Blind Stitched (GBS) seam, we’ve applied a liquid rubber seal on top of the stitching to create a sealed outside seam. This liquid rubber seal gives the seam an extra layer of protection from water entering the wetsuit. It’s a more durable construction that lasts longer than normal GBS seams. The technical name for this seam construction is S-seal. Because there isn’t an eco-friendly alternative to S-seal, we chose to only tape the inside of our Eco wetsuits.

SRFACE Flex models, on the other hand, are designed for maximum freedom of motion. Made from limestone neoprene, these suits are available in a 2/2mm short arm (men’s only), a 2/2 long sleeve shorty, a 3/2mm, and a 4/3mm version.

Equipped with GBS seams and inside taped seams, our Flex wetsuits are ideal for warmer days and shorter sessions. The flexible nylon lining feels smooth on the skin and stretches 400% in all directions. Without the smoothskin mesh panels and liquid-sealed seams, Flex wetsuits are lighter and perfect for summer conditions. In terms of features, you can expect our Flex wetsuit to be similar to the Eco wetsuit, the materials, however, do differ. The materials that are being used for the SRFACE Eco wetsuit surpass those of the Flex in terms of sustainability.

CONCLUSION

If you’re in the market for an eco-friendly wetsuit in which you can surf comfortably during summer conditions, the SRFACE 3/2mm Eco is what you’ll need. Yulex® is constantly improving its material. Nowadays it can compete with ‘regular’ and limestone neoprene with regards to both flexibility and insulation.

If you are still feeling unsure – no worries. Our experienced team of surfers is standing by to provide you with expert wetsuit advice or discuss your personal size requirements. Just hit us up on our live chat.