East Coast Surf Gear

At a Glance

• Thickness: 5/4+ mm (5/4 with extra 0.5 mm)
• Entry Type: chest zip
• Seams: fully taped and glued blindstitched
• Water temperature range: approximately 41°-53° F
• Price: $430-$480

Fit and Comfort

The Hyperfreak series by O’Neill is top notch when it comes to fit and comfort. The flexibility these suits have is incredible. When wearing this 5/4+, it feels like you are wearing, at most, a 4/3.

The only reason I am giving this suit 4 out of 5 stars for flexibility is because it is a bit tight in my shoulders. Then again, it is a 5/4+ and I usually put on 20 or so pounds during winter. All I would say is go to your local surf shop and try the suit on. If you also gain weight during winter, maybe try a size up and see how it feels.

Warmth

By far the warmest suit I have used, especially given the weight and flexibility. Despite this suit not having Polyamide, the fuzzy inside liner that you’ll find in high end suits such as Rip Curl’s Flashbomb series, O’Neill has their own special tech: TechnoButter.

TechnoButter is made up of recycled materials making it an eco-friendly choice. The arms and shoulders use the TechnoButter 3X (TB3X), which is a super stretchy and dries pretty quick. The rest of the suit (full body and legs) uses TechnoButter 3 (TB3), which is still comfortable, but not quite as flexible as the TB3X.

Durability

Overall, the Hyperfreak is fairly solid when it comes to quality and durability. This particular suit I have worn quite a lot over the past 3 winters (definitely 100s of times).

The first cosmetic issue I ran into was pilling in the recycled TB3X neoprene used on the arms of the suit. Up to this point, I can’t say this has affected the suit in any significant way, i.e. it’s not letting water seep in or anything like that.

The only other issue I have experienced is some minor frilling on the ankle and wrists as well as the tape on the seams coming up just a bit on the ankles. I would imagine this (and the the pilling on arms) is mainly due to pulling on the suit/stretching it to pull over boots/gloves.

Dry Time + Extra Features

The HyperFreak is a pretty quick drying suit, even the 5/4+. I would say it is not quite as fast drying as the Flashbomb series from Rip Curl, but it has a reasonable dry time.

Say you surf in the morning and hang your suit up afterwards. If you’re looking to surf the next morning (maybe even later in the day if the suit is well ventilated), you should have at least a dry inside of your suit.

One additional feature of this suit is the key holder located in the leg. Whether you have a car key or home key you’re looking to store, it’s nice to have a safe place for that key while you surf.

Some suits will have a little key pocket that can give out over time, but this suit has a thick loop along with a pocket, so you have double protection.

Final Thoughts

If you are an East Coast surfer looking for a new 5/4 for winter surfing, I would definitely recommend checking out the O’Neill Hyperfreak 5/4+ Chest Zip (w/ hood). The price is not cheap, but you’re getting what you pay for: a quality suit that I feel you will be stoked with.

So, head into your local surf shop and check this suit out!

Also, I beg of you…please don’t go into a local surf shop and receive help from employees with wetsuit sizing, get 7 different suits all sweaty trying them on, and then leave the shop and buy one of those suits online. Total kook move…bite the bullet and pay the extra couple bucks otherwise you’re not gonna have a place to try stuff on!

Alright, that’s all. Thanks for reading.