O'Neill Psycho 1 4/3 or O'Neill Heat 4/3 Thoughts Please

ss59 · Joined: 10 Nov 2016 Posts: 104

Just to throw a spanner into the works, I'm 6'1 and around 185lbs and an O'neill Psycho 4/3 in Medium Tall (MT) fits me perfectly! I have zipless which I wouldn't bother with again and just stick to a chest zip

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20883

Makes me wonder if O'Neil's QC isn't out to lunch. However, I've tested, owned, and/or tried on at least a dozen O'Neils, and every one was FAR smaller than their size charts recommended. Their U.S. importer agreed.

No insinuations about ss59's experience, but it does make me wonder if some folks have never experienced the joy of owning a neoprene suit that actually FIT them. We all know some of them; they expend more time and effort and sweat putting their wetsuit on OR off than rigging AND de-rigging a wave sail. For me, only a suit that I step into, yank up to my waist, stick my arms into, pop over my head, and zip up without tools or assistance ... fits, and only IF it slips off my damned heel effortlessly at the end of the day. Anything else is a PITA waiting to be replaced.

I recently bought a new wetsuit of a size and type I already had two of. Why? Because it slips on and off almost like snug PJs. Imagine my surprise when it also kept me FAR drier than those other two suits. It's thinner, but is noticeably warmer and more comfortable. Win/win/win/win ... and two swap meet buyers got a helluva deal on the suits it replaced.

windward1 · Joined: 18 Jun 2000 Posts: 1384

Wait. Wait a minute. How does any wetsuit slip off your darned heel effortlessly?!!! Well maybe ones that have zippers at the bottom of the leg, but I do not think most O'Neill's do. Or else maybe my heel is not hinged like other peoples' heels. But the hardest part of donning or exiting a wetsuit for me has been getting it off of the heel.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5293 Location: East Bay

Try having size 11 feet, but for surfing Ocean Beach, Small Tall wetsuits.
ROLL it off.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20883

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5293 Location: East Bay

Ha ha....
Still remember 8th grade, Jr high track and basketball, size 7 shoes, 65 lbs, 4'3". Guys said I had big feet.
Been wearing size 11 booties for 50 years now....

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10575

For those that have a hard time getting their feet in and out of wetsuits, go with wetsuits designed for surfing. However, the downside is water shooting in while sailing and becoming a Michelin man below your knees. I've helped avoid this fate by using velcro straps tightened around my ankles

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5293 Location: East Bay

Interesting.....
I surfed for 25 years, sold surf suits for 20 of those.
No suit is plain tighter in the ankles than surf suits designed for mid Cal, to Washington waters.
My ST's had ankle diameters smaller than my wrist. I usually had M suits in hand for point breaks or anything besides OBSF.
Size 11 booties.
Almost 50% of customers complained about tiny ankles in the suits they tried on.
39 years of windsurfing, mostly M and L sizing, maybe had a total of 5 days with water in legs.
This includes 500 days sailing in surf.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5293 Location: East Bay

Interesting.....
I surfed for 25 years, sold surf suits for 20 of those.
No suit is plain tighter in the ankles than surf suits designed for mid Cal, to Washington waters.
My ST's had ankle diameters smaller than my wrist. I usually had M suits in hand for point breaks or anything besides OBSF.
Size 11 booties.
Almost 50% of customers complained about tiny ankles in the suits they tried on.
39 years of windsurfing, mostly M and L sizing, maybe had a total of 5 days with water in legs.
This includes 500 days sailing in surf.

dllee · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 5293 Location: East Bay

Sorry about double post.
Server "unable" to process 1st post