feedback > New Zealand
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New Zealand I had my first Seventhwave suit made 4 years ago—it was a Viper 3/2 GS ZB Steamer. I’m an irregular size so I've never had a perfect fitting wetsuit, so was stoked to be having one made by Seventhwave. The whole process from start to finish was awesome—understanding what I wanted from my suit, what conditions I would be using it in, the fitting, the communication, the service and after sale service (I live in Dunedin so it was great to have the confidence that if there was any problems with the suit I could send it back to the guys in Christchurch and it would be returned within a week).Having a Custom-fit suit for me meant not only was I more comfortable surfing, but I was a lot warmer too—there were no areas that let water in or sagged, and all the warmth was locked in. I couldn’t believe how warm I was surfing in Dunedin—the water here is pretty cold and usually after an hour or two you start to feel it. In my Seventhwave suit I was surfing for 3hours+ and was only starting to get cold at the end, I was amazed. A year later I was lucky enough to pick up a very cheap brand new Ripcurl Ebomb 4/3 (the luxury of always having a dry suit to put on was too good). I bought it at the end of summer and was loving it. As we got in to winter I quickly realized that my top of the line Ripcurl 4/3 was actually nowhere near as warm as my middle of the range Viper 3/2 from Seventhwave. I ended up just wearing my Seventhwave suit in the winter and keeping the Ripcurl 4/3 for summer (my Seventhwave was almost too hot in the summer!) People kept asking me why I was crazy enough to be wearing a 3/2 during Dunedin winter, and I kept saying to them every time: “because its warmer than my Ripcurl 4/3!” Since then, and based on my boasts and recommendations about my Seventhwave suit, quite a few of my friends have had one custom made for them. All of them have raved equally about how great it is and how much warmer they are. 4 years down the track and I'm still wearing the same suit. It’s seen a lot of use over 4 years—I surf at least twice a week and more in the summer. It’s got some war wounds but it's still warm and comfortable. My Ripcurl suit started falling apart after 1 year—seams ripped, the back zip broke, holes in the knee pads. I started looking for a new suit a few weeks ago, and I didn’t bother checking the Ripcurl suits. I compared an Xcel Infinity 4/3 and then phoned Paul at Seventhwave. After a long chat with Paul about the benefits of having a custom made MAX 4/3 I was amped to get my new suit under construction. The price tag was daunting at first but Paul is great and appreciates returning business, and knows how much I love his suits. Even at full price these suits are a steal. Given the extra comfort and warmth you get wearing them, and the unquestionable quality of the material and workmanship, getting 4 years out of a suit you surf in 2+ times a week is awesome and worth the investment. My new suit arrives soon and I can’t wait. I'm excited about surfing winter again. I will put my trusty Viper 3/2 back in the cupboard for summer as I know it will probably last me another 4 years of summer surfs and will still be warmer! Thanks Seventhwave Matt Collier Dunedin   I've been surfing and chasing adventure all my life, all around New Zealand, Indonesia, Hawaii and America, but a serious back injury a few years ago had me struggling to handle the cold winters without seizing up. I had always heard the Seventhwave wetsuits were the best and their custom MAX sounded great, but it did cost a bit more than the usual ones on the market. The problem was, the usual wetties on the market weren't good enough to keep my back from seizing up unless I went to about a 5mm one and then I could hardly move.I bit the bullet and paid a bit more for the Seventhwave custom MAX 3mm and that wetty has kept me warm as toast for the last 3 winters. Because the 3mm is enough to keep me so warm in winter I haven't had to sacrifice the flexibility like in a 4mm or 5mm and I'm still out surfing even with the back injury. Even after 3 seasons its still going strong, so in the long run its cost me less cause it lasts so much longer. I tell everyone about Seventhwave cause they're just so good. Warmer, stronger, more flexible... its what we all want when we're surfing, and here they are, New Zealand made. Get one, you definitely won't regret it! Patrick 'Patch' Bonner Surfer, Artist, musician and Seventhwave convert Christchurch [click here to enlarge Patch's feedback design]   I slipped into my first Seventhwave wetsuit in the summer of 2010/11, but the story that sits in my mind as a perfect example of their quality suits, was what happened at the 2011 Kaikoura O’Neill Coldwater Classic. I had arranged for Paul to bring up my new MAX 4/3 Ti G&S ZB Steamer the day before the competition started. As with all other previous winter suits that I have had (O’Neill, Rip Curl, Xcell, Quicksilver) I went for the 4/3. However, I found myself out in mid June in the frigid waters of the Antarctic current, seemingly sweating and overheating… I ended up switching back to my Max 2/2 Ti FL ZB Steamer for the rest of the event as I found this suit more suitable for the conditions.What I have found with Seventhwave wetsuits is that through the ability to custom make their suits, it allows you to cut down the thickness of suit required. My height puts me into the category of a medium men’s, however my chicken legs seemingly belong in a 12-year-olds suit! With a custom suit the fit is perfect every time, eliminating the possibility of water pockets and chaffing. With this lesson learnt I have found myself in thinner suits, resulting in less rubber, more flexibility, and a more comfortable experience. So with this in mind I highly recommend Seventhwave wetsuits, however you may have to be prepared to shed some rubber! Christo Gilbert Christchurch/Napier 
The suits are very flexible, especially the Viper 3/3 Ti ZB Steamers—no more 5/4 Michelin men! and are lighter when wet than many other competitors wetties which is great for those 3 to 4 hour sessions. But most importantly they are warm, an absolute necessity here during a windy Welly winter! Plus they have the feel good factor of being Kiwi made & provide a good back up & repair service if we get dragged over rocks & reefs.
For my money Seventhwave wetsuits are second to none & I'd never buy another brand again—I am that impressed. Thanks Seventhwave—keep up the good work."
Tom Dunn
Wellington Fire Boardriders club
 I have just finished my third Dunedin winter in my custom MAX 4/3 wetsuit. I remember my suit arriving at my front door—it seemed to be so light and stretchy, so I was surprised with just how warm it was.
I have owned a lot of warm winter wetsuits over the years, from all the leading brands but none of them have been as warm as my MAX 4/3. I've surfed in storms, hail and snow and never been cold. I have been towed around behind a jetski all day in the middle of a Dunedin winter and not been cold once.
During the first winter I was lucky enough to have a new Seventhwave MAX 4/3 and a new Xcel 4/3. I wore the Seventhwave suit on the cold days and the Xcel on the warmer days, but it didn't take long to stop wearing the Xcel all together during winter and use it as a summer suit. The Seventhwave suit was a far better suit, it was warmer, it dried way faster, it was lighter, more flexible, more comfortable and it fit me perfectly as it was custom made for me.
I loved my suit and I thrashed it—I'm not a part time surfer, I surf a lot! Towards the end my suit had fin cuts and rips from the jetski trailer, but the stitching was still intact and I was still warm enough to survive a 8 degree water temp Dunedin winter and not even think about replacing it.
I am so happy with my Seventhwave wetsuit that I won't look at the mass produced Chinese made suits ever again—I'll give my money to a local NZ company and receive a far better product instead.
Thanks heaps and keep up the good work."
Homer Mattingly
Dunedin
Patrick and Carmen spend long days in their Seventhwave wetsuits training, racing and just playing. Optimist regattas are long an tough on the young kids. Conditions can be really rough. Patrick especially, pushes the limits and takes a few unplanned swims. They think your wetsuits are great. Comfy and warm. As a parent I'm grateful for a tough, quality, good fitting kids wetsuit. We especially like that they can be custom sized.Cold is a real concern and can impact on a sailors performance. We have been at many regattas where kids have given up due to debilitating effects on cold bodies. Thanks to great gear and warm Seventhwave Wetsuits our kids never have. They even sail throughout winter in Christchurch with merino underneath their wetsuits, a windbreaker overtop, a good pair of gloves and a pair of your booties. Mad but keen! The Kids just keep growing so we really appreciate being able to trade in wetsuits for the next size up. This enables them to always have a good fit.
Patrick, for the third year running, had great results at the NZ Optimist Nationals. 2008 National Green fleet champion, 2009 Top 11 year old, 2010 in the top five 12 year olds. His sister Carmen was top 10 year old in 2010 too and the youngest open fleet sailor. For the second year in a row Patrick represented New Zealand at the New Caledonia Optimist Nationals in December 2010. As lead up to this regatta he sailed about 10-12 hours a week to build up fitness and strength. His Seventhwave wet suit had a real workout!
With the speed they grow we will be regular customers for a while yet! Keep up the great work."
Brian and Kelly Haybittle
Christchurch  Thanks for my custom made buoyancy wetsuit: it is a perfect fit and is so comfortable."Regards to all Murray Duder  Got my MAX 3/3 today and went for a quick surf at Blackhead. Pretty much the best I've ever surfed so safe to say that the suit is amazing.
The arms are amazing in particular. With no seams under the arms it just feels like I'm a rubber band or something. There's just no resistance. I've been surfing a Ripcurl E-Bomb and thought this suit would be warmer but not more flexible but it's actually quite a bit more flexible than the E-Bomb. The fit in general is perfect. It even looks like me when I take it off. Also the colours are freaking rad. Something I didn't expect is that wearing a suit that is so bright makes surf a lot better. I mean you don't want to be a kook when everyone is looking at you (haha).
Yeah, you guys are in my top ten people at the moment."
Ed Saltau Dunedin .jpg) I have been meaning to write and say how pleased I am with my Custom Max 3/2 Titanium wetsuit purchased back in March 09. Being a windsurfer, I was concerned about cramping in the forearms caused by my previous full arm wetsuits. I need not have been concerned, the suit is so comfortable it is unbelievable.I was also concerned 3/2 was not going to be warm enough, especially at the end of the season in April and early season in Aug/Sept. Again I need not have been concerned, I recall being too warm at Lake Coleridge and lake Clearwater last April!! Technology has obviously moved on somewhat from my old winter wetsuit which incidently was manufactured by a company called Second Skin. I now have a proper second skin, thats exactly what it feels like. Thanks again and copied below is a video of the suit in action. Happy New Year." Regards Neil Walker (check out the video here, taken using a GoPro Camera).   Yes, totally delighted with the new wetsuit, although this 10 pounder fish wasn't so pleased to find me sneaking up, in my new olive and black outfit! Not bad for a first outing, eh? Have had a great summer spearfishing so far, the suit is perfect. Very flexible and comfortable, the custom fit is spot on.Great product, great service, and the rest of the Waterline team are getting themselves measured up for a custom fit now. Thanks heaps, gotta go, the tide awaits. Cheers." Brian Rogers Director Sun Media Ltd.  Like all keen surfers who are fortunate enough to live in the deep south of NZ, if you want to participate and be amongst the best waves on offer (that generally arrive in autumn and throughout winter), you need the best surfing wetsuit available to 'maximise' your surfing pleasure during this cold and sometimes frigid time of the year.Having spent a lifetime dedicated (or preoccupied) with surfing, I have always appreciated any technological developments both in surfboard manufacturing and wetsuit construction. Recently I embarked on an information gathering exercise to learn that Japanese Yamamoto is considered the best alternative neoprene available to leading wetsuit manufacturing. Researching further I soon discovered the Paul and his team at Seventhwave has been utilising this neoprene for many years in the manufacture of top quality surfing wetsuits. I was keen to try something new, so I made contact with Paul and after a short conversation was quickly able to establish what suit would be appropriate to my needs. What followed was a short visit to the factory outlet shop in Christchurch: I had my measurements taken, and within 5 working days I opened my front door to receive my brand new custom MAX 4/3 Hooded wetsuit. Incredible service. I have now owned the wetsuit for over three months and have had plenty of usage during our cold winter of '09. The first thing I noticed is that for a 4/3 it is incredibly warm, lightweight and extremely flexible. The construction of the suit is excellent, with every seam carefully machine stitched, double glued and generously covered in Melco tape. Furthermore the 'dry time' is excellent, which is reassuring to know your wetsuit will be dry for the following winter morning! The attention to detail and usage of the best materials available has resulted in the best wetsuit I have ever owned. I am stoked that I have finally found a wetsuit that is going to last more than just one season which is warm, flexible, lightweight, dries easily and most importantly, is NZ made. Many thanks and congratulations to the Seventhwave team." Stephen Brown sbd369@xtra.co.nz Second Wetsuit: Just received my wetsuit and I am stoked. The construction is flawless and the colours look fantastic. Thank you and your very skilled employees for tailoring another epic wetsuit. Bring on winter barrels!"Best wishes Stephen Brown   I spoke to my uncle about our new suits and he said he's already had three surfs in his. He's stoked as, and he said to say thanks heaps for the mint suit and for being so helpful. He lives at Shipwreck Bay, Ninety Mile Beach. He's been surfing for the last 45 years and says it's the best steamer he's owned — flexible, warm and fits perfectly. You might see some orders come in from the far north once he starts raving to his old school surfy mates about how good his new suit is.I would say the same thing as my uncle: I'm stoked with it. I always found other suits restricting when paddling and kiteboarding, but my new custom suit is mint, way more flexible — REAL WARM TOO. Fast, helpful and a great product. I would recommend your company to anyone looking for a new wetsuit. Once again, thanks heaps, and I will be placing more orders in the future." Regards, James Taylor james@pumpt.co.nz  Surfing and tow surfing between Dunedin and Catlins: quite often when the surf's pumping in winter there's frost on the ground or it's snowing. I've been surfing in Dunedin all my life, I've owned Quicksilver, Rip curl, O'Neill, Bodyline and Xcel wetsuits and none have come close to the comfort and warmth of my 4/3 Hooded Max Titanium Seventhwave suit — its epic!!! Thanks Paul for making those cold pumping winter sessions last so much longer"Jimi Crooks   Surfing in Dunedin is a whole new ball game when it comes to water temperature: the ice cream headaches and cold flushes you endure put you off frozen items for life! A great wetsuit is absolutely essential to play among the polar bears, I just wish I had turned to Seventhwave earlier!I approached Paul at a surf competition a while back and started chatting, then one thing lead to another, and there I was back at home, measuring myself for a brand spanking new 4mm Max Titanium custom with an interchangeable hood!!! The previous winter wetsuits I have used over the 5 years of surfing in the frigid waters of Dunedin have been marginal, but my Seventhwave is a cut above the rest: superior materials, manufacturing and service make it what it is today. I have been wearing my custom Seventhwave wetsuit for over a year now, full on through summer and winter, it's still as warm as ever and I have nothing negative to say about them at all. Thanks Paul and the team at Seventhwave!" Geordi Dearns   It's now mid winter in Wellington and I'm giving the freezing cold water the 'big finger' because I have just taken possession of a Max 3/3 titanium suit. For the last few years I have been getting less than a year 's wear out of my suits, which were an Oneill Psycho 2, Billabong Solution and a mid priced Xcel. These suits were never as warm as they claimed and within six months I had to start wearing a titanium rashie as the cells started to permanently compress in the neoprene. With the Seventhwave suit, I had a two hour session today feeling the warmest I have been in years, and there were still dry patches inside the chest area. My main concern with buying a Kiwi made suit was whether it would be as flexi as the super-flexi suits made in Asia. Due to the Max's clever design and construction, it has EXCELLENT flexibility especially in the shoulders/arms. I bought my suit online and the price included custom fitting and was at my doorstep in a week. The suit is bloody warm and flexible, I could not be happier with my purchase." Muchas Gracias Campbell Read camread@clear.net.nz   Wow! What service! Couriered from Coromandel Thursday morning and back on my doorstep Saturday, repaired and ready for the next swell, impressive!Have been stoked with my custom fitted 3/2 steamer, into my third winter with it now. Ideal for the conditions we have up here. Very little restriction so max time in water. I chose Seventhwave as it is NZ made and I know the temps you surf down in the south so you guys should have figured out how to keep warm. Cheers, "see you in the surf" Tony Keyworth (that's me in the middle). Coromandel   Wetsuit's nice!!! Super warm, light, love it."Cheers, Sam Mathers   I've been surfing for over 35 years, starting out in the freezing waters of Gore Bay, migrating north over time to Auckland via Wellington and the Wairarapa. Prior to buying my first Seventhwave wetsuits around 12 years ago I had tried suits from all the big brands — invariably I was disappointed. Since purchasing my first Seventhwave I have used no other brand — they simply don't match up in terms of warmth, durability and comfort.I must admit the other key feature for me is N.Z. made — I feel good about supporting New Zealanders rather than a factory in Thailand and some American or Australian sponsored surfers." Regards Colin McKay Technical Brand Manager: Novartis New Zealand Limited   I received my 3/3 max custom last week. Fits like a glove and is a really nice leafy green colour too (perfect if there’s veggies in the line-up ‘cause you can blend in and take inside position). Anyway, having gone from Seventhwave to O’Neil and now back to Seventhwave, I am happy to report that this suit is fantastic. It’s super warm and is beautifully constructed. The neoprene is amazingly comfy.Certainly as warm as a 4/3, if not warmer, and warmer than my old Psycho 2. And it’s made in NZ which is ultimately what drove my decision to abandon the Chinese/Thai alternatives and return to a local product. So thanks Seventhwave – a brilliant suit which I will promote in the shop with vigor!"
Kind regards,
John Dance, Wellington  Just a note to say, I’ve been surfing for over 30 years and the Seventhwave Max 3/2 Steamer I bought off you 2 years ago is, by far, the best wetsuit I have ever had. Nothing else comes close! It’s incredibly comfortable and it’s so warm in the Auckland winter I have had to let water in to cool me off.I’m going to need a new spring suit next season and I’ll be back to you for that. Looking forward to seeing how your custom fitting over the internet works. Thank for making my winter surfing so enjoyable" Best regards Campbell Such campbell.such@bidvest.co.nz  I would just like to comment on the proficient service Seventhwave provides! I have just spent a good part of 2 months surfing from Chile to Peru and although it was coming into summer, it still requires a significant piece of rubber... I hammered my suit, surfing up to 3 times a day in some places. This lead to some wear and tear issues and hole around a seam. I managed a self fix until I got home, then sent it to seventh wave expecting a phone call saying this is not something covered under warranty. However to my surprise I just received my Max 3/3 back from repair within 10 days of posting it to Christchurch! I read the note which said "This is the best way we can fix your problem suit, keep an eye on it & let us know if any further problems." From this comment and condition of the suit I expected there was not much they could do other than re-stitch it, however this was not the case.... The suit is like new, the neck has been replaced, the rubber around the problem area has been replaced and they even patched a hole in the leg.All this for no charge. This makes me look forward to the winter here in the naki! Thank you Seventhwave, you went beyond the call of duty and I now have near new suit again!"
Regards,
Andrew Bishop
andrew@findatruckload.co.nz
  Last year you custom-made a great 5mm steamer for me for my field work collecting kelp in the sub-antarctic. I am loving the wetsuit - thanks heaps!"Cheers Crid ceridwen.fraser@gmail.com  These titanium Yamamoto neoprene suits are awesome! I happened to call into the Seventhwave Christchurch factory a few years ago when I was down there from my home town of Raglan and brought the second one these guys had made the first one went to DK who had just been down to Catlins. ( I think this was when he did the paddle in to those monsters?)I surf at least 3 days a week and during daylight saving sometimes every day so it has been hammered. For North Island the 2/3 is great. During the coldest winter sessions a fleecy rashie underneath keeps me real warm. The secret is the really close fit and therefore a thin layer of water that will get warm from body heat quickly . You would have to go up at least another MM to get the same warmth out of an old neoprene suit. One of the best things about these suits if you surf a lot is the flexibility this neoprene is super stretchy so you don't feel like you have had a workout with a rubber band after a long session. The extra cost is absolutely worth it. My original is still going strong and will make a good cut down to a spring suit." Lindsey Baker info@raglansurfshots.co.nz www.raglansurfshots.co.nz  Living in the southern reaches of the Pacific leads any keen surfer to discern the differences in wetsuit technology between gimmicks and real quality. In a market filled with claims and promises that often fall short, I decided to get serious about learning the differences that would give me the best value for money in my next purchase. I was no easy customer to win over when I first walked into the Seventhwave factory in Christchurch, as I’d been doing my research on the internet and had years of experience behind me. But it quickly became apparent that use of the best international materials, produced locally, by a company that stands behind their product is the best way to go. As for performance, my Seventhwave Max has met all my expectations of warmth, comfort, and durability. Out of all the top-of-the-line international brands I have used, none can match those essentials of quality. Add to that Seventhwave’s ability for customization, which is something I put great value on. I’m stoked that this is available in New Zealand so that I can support the development of local quality that matches anything in the world. We’re all going to have just that much richer experience as a result." Matt Waite mattwaite10@gmail.com  You and your people are up against some pretty big opposition in the mega dollars they have for advertising and sponsorship. What your team do have as an advantage is knowledge of and backup for your products. I am impressed with the way you and your people deal with customers. You seem to have a philosophy of trying to give the best advice and point the customer in the direction of the most suitable wetsuit for their needs rather than selling them what you have the most of in stock. You offer a custom suit service which not a lot of wetsuit stores can or do and you seem to go beyond the warranty offer to back your suits up. You also have a large range of suits and sizes which obviously is extended with a custom fit service.On the use side I find the suits given good care outlast most if not all the other brands available and I guess this is due to both workmanship and materials. The wetsuits are warm and flexible and in each passing year seem to get thinner but warmer. Some of the suits currently on the market by other brands seem overcomplicated to me and look like they are designed with too much emphasis on aesthetics and will fall to bits in a short period of time. I think you people make sure your wetsuits are made to be used and last rather than to meet a current trend or be compromised by using cheaper or short life materials." Neill Robb neill.robb@canterbury.ac.nz   I have been a fan of Seventhwave wetsuits for several years now - ever since giving them a true road test whilst filming Great White Sharks off Stewart Island in Winter! I've worn many brands of suits over the years and the warmest one I've ever worn is the one that's made right here in New Zealand - by Seventhwave.There are many marketing gimmicks out there in various magazines and shops - but I can honestly say that when you need to use your wetsuit in anger, and need top of the range performance, then all the other brands seem to talk the talk but fail to walk the walk - i.e. warm, flexible, durable suits in harsh conditions - which my Seventhwave wetsuit delivers everytime. I also have the Seventhwave Summer suit which is like surfing naked ! They are incredibly light, super flexible and streaks ahead of everything else in the water by sheer design excellence and comfort. After buying my first Seventhwave suit I have never bought anything else - and I'm very proud to wear my Kiwi made suit that's a World beater in the water." Cheers Giles E. Pike Television Director craigielea@mac.com  Have had fantastic service, love the product and the custom fit. Wouldn’t change a thing.Maru Pou is a great ambassador for the company." Wayne Foster gowanlea@woosh.co.nz My second to last Seventhwave steamer was so good, some turkey broke into our car in a Wellington Parking building and stole it. Luckily I was able to organize a replacement pronto. That’s lasted me 13 years surfing and windsurfing in Wellington’s gnarly conditions. With windsurfing you have the extra demand of a harness wearing at the suit. By always rinsing it and tending to any chinks caused by fins and the like with wetsuit glue, it’s gone the distance. I figure I’ve now earned a nice new 4/3 Viper Steamer which I hope will not outlast the rest my surfing and windsurfing days."Rob MacIntyre Rob@dpl.co.nz  |
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