Written by Chris Grippo
“My wetsuit is just better than yours” This was a comment I had with a friend after a recent surf session. We were walking back to the parking lot chatting about the surf conditions, the session & gear when he said to me “I am so cold and tired. I cannot believe you are not.” And that is what prompted the comment about my wetsuit.
Sometimes you got to let people know. When you got it, you got it.
My friend and I are the same age, pretty much the same level of fitness and surfing experience. The only real difference barring genetics was the wetsuit. I must be honest, I do pride myself with being able to endure a wide range of temperatures & still function, but the fact is you cannot replace good gear with sheer grit because at some point you will start to break down if you are too cold. Mother Nature always wins.
There is a point where you actually need the gear. Simply put, 00 ‘DoubleZero’ wetsuits by XIIIG (aka "13G") are a cut above all other suits & here are my reasons.
As 00 BY XIIIG likes to say: "Double Zero by name; Triple-OG by reputation."
The Material:
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The best & highest grade rubber out there. 00 BY XIIIG suits are made of the highest possible caliber of Yamamoto rubbers, adhesives, Nylons & taping components. These are not your garden variety inputs. Rather than petroleum-derived neoprene (more on that later), this is Limestone-based OG Optimum Technology. Yamamoto's best-of-the-best: limestone-based material that is 99% water impermeable (compared to the standard 65% offered by oil-derived neoprene). Aka making a 00 BY XIIIG wetsuit lighter, warmer & more durable than other pretenders on the market. Lighter? Warmer? Durable? And more Sustainable. 00 BY XIIIG is the apex of Yamamoto engineering. Yes, indeed!
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Lighter. I have found my 00 BY XIIIG weighs less than other suits of the same thickness. And this is dry weight. I actually weighed my 00 BY XIIIG against some of my other suits. Note that I am neither a wetsuit designer, nor material scientist (but my 00 BY XIIIG was noticeably lighter & I will take something that weighs less over something heavier any day of the week and twice on Sunday)
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Hydrophobic. Hydro what? This means it is more water repellent and/or less absorbent. And this matters. As I said, my 00 BY XIIIG suit weighed less than other suits when dry. So what happens when your suit absorbs water? Water does add considerable wetsuit weight in most cases. And that's when your wet wetsuit feels like a bag of bricks. The 00 BY XIIIG when wet is still lighter than other suits I have. And if you think that is not a big deal try surfing for a few hours with the extra poundage weighing on you. Fatigue & impact are a drag on performance every time. But I don’t suffer that with my 00 BY XIIIG. Elite performance is what it is
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Same warmth with less material. 00 BY XIIIG suits are unquestionably warm. I wore my 5MM on the coldest days this past winter. And I mean cold. Single digit air temp & water temp hovering around 37F. Typically a good day for 6 mil suits, but I did not need one. 5MM vs 6MM see comment two. Lighter is good! I also have a 00 BY XIIIG Hooded 4MM. And for S’s & G’s I tested it on a day when the air was 18F & water was about 39F. I surfed for just over an hour & I was fine. I was not freezing & I still had all my faculties when I walked from the beach to my truck. I've never worn another suit in my life that's done that for me. Do more with less!
Photo by CKTH Ambassador, Chris Carragher
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Stretch, Range of Motion & Flexibility. The stretchiness of the Yamamoto rubber means you have a better range of motion. Last time I checked, surfing is very dynamic. Arguably one of the most dynamic sports out there. There are many complex movements & paddling is likely the simplest. You want that range of motion as you paddle, pop up, change body positions all in split seconds. High performing gear does matter. We all want to squeeze into that small barrel since standup barrels are rare. At least where I live
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Fits like a glove. The flexibility and/or stretch allows the suit to conform to your body & shape. Everyone is shaped a bit differently & wants a suit that conforms and accommodates in places where you might need it. Me? I am of course shaped perfectly with near godly athletic proportions, chiseled & honed after years of surfing. Now, if you believe that, then you should also believe I am locking-in stand-up barrels on the regular. Seriously though, these suits conform to my body & that is something I have not necessarily felt before in other suits. And that great fit means less stress on the suit & that leads to a more durable suit. Another testament to the functional superiority of XIIIG's OG Optimum Technology
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Quick drying. Everyone wants a suit that dries quickly. You finish one session and a few hours later want to return for a second session. Ideally, you want a suit that is dry (or mostly dry). Unless you have a second suit you might be slipping into a very damp wetsuit & when it is chilly you know how horrible that feels. Not with the DoubleZero. The suit dries out fast because first it doesn't absorb nearly as much water as other suits and second there is no need for a liner to increase the warmth. Those liners absorb even more water. More quick-drying is a good thing
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Limestone Neoprene vs. Petroleum based Neoprene. These suits are not oil-based. In a time where so many things are oil-based you can find some peace & comfort knowing these suits are not. And the limestone sourced to make Yamamoto's OG Optimum technology is from a single supply in Japan with over 1,500+ years of readily available deposits
OG Optimum Technology is the absolute apex of Yamamoto materials
Features & Design
Aka the Value Props that make 00 BY XIIIG Wetsuits best-of-the-best
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The Flood Gate. Getting flushed is a hassle. On a warm day it is fine, but when the water is cold, when the air is cold, it is just miserable. The 00 BY XIIIG Flood Gate greatly reduces flushing. The water will not rush down to your chest and into your arms and legs. You can duck dive and take a few on the head with the hood on and still remain dry. Now let’s be honest: there's always the possibility of a time when you do get a bit of a flush, but their innovative “offset” Flood Gate design greatly reduces those moments from happening (and this is said with countless sessions to back up the claim!)
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Heavy Duty YKK Zippers. The heavy duty zipper & zipper track are solid. Have you ever had a suit where the zipper split or zipper track broke? Always at the wrong time as well! But not with the 00 BY XIIIG suit. My zipper is like a vault
YKK's AquaSeal zipper is the World's Finest wetsuit zipper
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A well-designed multi-purpose key Pocket. The pocket on the lower leg is very useful. If you have a traditional key or a valet key, you now have a permanent spot for it. It's also a handy location for a fin key, money, ear plugs or other things. The other option is a pocket near your wetsuit's main zipper. And I was never thrilled with putting a sharp object, such as a key, right on my chest. I have also put ear plugs there & lost them when I opened the zipper. That does not happen with the leg key stash pocket via 00 BY XIIIG
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Glued & Blind Stitched (GBS). The seams are absolutely solid. No worries about blowing a seam and feeling that jet of cold water burn your nether regions. You can feel the quality of the make
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Internal seam Taping is Gold. Inspired by Japanese Kintsugi, the tape is gold colored, beautiful looking and functionally re-enforcing. This SCS tape ensures the seams remain comfortable, waterproof & intact over years of use. Once again, added durability also equates to greater sustainability
Gold Standard taping via 00 BY XIIIG Wetsuits. Stay Gold!
- Easy to get in & out. One of the first things I noticed was how easy it was to get the suit on & off. Because of the ultra-premium, hydrophobic & pill-proof nylon that 00 BY XIIIG uses, there is no sticking or binding. I literally just slide into my suit and wiggle out of it. No stress on my shoulders -- or on my suit, meaning that it ultimately lasts longer
The Bottomline
Wear 00 BY XIIIG Wetsuits & Stay happier in the water for a longer period of time: Lighter, Warmer & more comfortable. Because they continue to perform, season-over-season, these suits are worth the money.
Tell a Friend. Try a 00 BY XIIIG Wetsuit. You will immediately be better for it
Explore why 00 BY XIIIG uses Yamamoto rubber
Learn more about the YKK Aquaseal used on 00 BY XIIIG Wetsuits
Learn more about the key pocket
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Grippo is a CKTH Ambassador, globetrotting windsurfing veteran, dedicated father, Providence College alumni, public school teacher, community leader & Head of the Surfrider Foundation's New Hampshire Chapter. Aka one of New England's finest who unfailingly represents the saying: “The best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun"
![[FEAT] THE MULTI-USE ZIPPER KEY POCKET: AKA GET TO KNOW FUNCTIONAL SUPERIORITY](http://ckth.com/cdn/shop/articles/00xXIIIG_Wetsuit_v2-645-web_62b4e86f-adbb-4299-a13c-ea19f4249557.png?v=1783886415&width=480)
