Cypher Wetsuit by Quiksilver

The Suit

We tested the 4/3mm chest zip Cypher suit. The interior is line with Flexmax seam seals which is claimed to maximize flexibility while repelling water. The knee pads are thick yet flexible.

Fitting - Going Out

Getting in the suit is pretty easy: roll the neck open to about the waist area, get your legs in then your arms then lift up your arms, done! I found this easier to get in than a back zip suit with an inner lining (i.e. the batwing in the Rip Curl suit). The suit is cut in at the waist and the fitting is tight around the legs and waist. This may be too tight for those with extra padding on the stomach. Once zipped in, the chest cinch allows further tightening for an overall snug fit. The inner neck lining is covered with a soft rubber for a tight but comfortable fit.

Removing

Getting out of the suit is a bit tricky. If you're used to getting in and out of a chest zip suit then the Cypher shouldn't be any harder. For those with broad shoulders, getting out of the suit can be more effort than you have energy for after a tiring session. The trick is pulling your arm out of one of sleeves, then pulling that arm out of the neck opening like getting out of a strait jacket. It took about 6+ sessions before getting the hang of getting out of the suit.

In the Water

Once you hit the water, the suit's inner lining repels water and prevents any icy shocks. The Cypher keeps warm for about 30 minutes into the session, but after that you'll start to feel the cold. The cold is felt mostly at the extremities, legs and arms. For the most part the chest and torso area stay warm. But after an hour or so, the cold seeps from your extremities to your chest. The longer the lulls between sets the faster you'll feel the cold.

On the positive end, the suit repels water throughout the session. The Flexmax seam seals do a good job of keeping the water out. The tight rubber around the neck also prevents water from surging in, even on duck dives. Only on hard falls did any water enter the neck area. But really where the suit shines is in its light and flexible material. When paddling, the suit feels more like a 3/2 than a 4/3, which will help in paddling out to or through those monster, winter sets. The flexibility in the suit also allows for minimal resistance on body movements for big turns, grabs, or squeezing into tight barrels.

We didn't get to test the suit's durability. But overall, the stitching and the lining are put together well. One possible trouble spot is the back, inside neck lining. There's a single stitch between two lining pieces along with some adhesive. This connection is stretched significantly every time you enter the suit, so it's a possible point of failure.

Overall the Cypher by Quiksilver is a good performance suit. The very flexible and light material allows for less resistance on paddling and on big moves. For the most part, the suit will keep you warm enough so that you can focus on attacking waves. But if you want to maximize warmth, look to other top of the line warm suits. The Cypher is ideal for fast paced, 3 hour or less surf sessions. So if you're looking to get that performance edge over your other surfers check out the Cypher.