Gul Response 3.2

Local surfer Jorg Brand was in the market for a new suit and decided to try out the new Gul Response that had just arrived at Surf Centre. Jorg's had his suit for a few weeks now, so thought would chase him up to give us some feedback on his new rubber:

"The Gul Response 3.2, is manufactured by Gul - who are the 2nd oldest wetsuit company in the world. It's a well constructed and manufactured wetsuit, and is blind stitched in the inside and taped to help prevent water entry.

There's a stainless steel metal puller for the zip, which is great - cos my previous zip was not stainless steel and eventually corroded and fell off - and my fingers then had to take the role of the metal puller! It has a key holder with an elastic attachment to attach your car key, so no need to hide your key on your wheel or under a bush!

The suit has a front zip entry, which is great for keeping water out during duck diving.

It's slightly heavier than my previous wetsuit, which was a Rip Curl Flash bomb, due to the leg area being thicker. However, it doesn't lose any flexibility.

For sure a super warm suit. Definitely no need for a 3/4 for P.E waters!! I'd say this suit is probably on par with the O`Neil Psycho 1, which Dave currently stocks. However, the Psycho 1 is slightly more expensive and comes with a back Zip instead a front zip entry.

At a retail price of R1800 this suit definitely has the best value for money in my opinion, and I've been very impressed what this wetsuit has to offer for the price.

It`s a great wetsuit, but all wetsuits (as we know) do not last a lifetime - especially if you surf almost everyday.
You can prolong the lifespan of your wetsuit by rinsing it in fresh water after your surf, and hanging it out of direct sunlight. It`s important that you hang your wetsuit by folding it in half through a hanger after you have rinsed it.

If you hang your wetsuit like you would a jacket when it`s wet, most of the water settles in the lower half of the wetsuit. This means the upper section tends to take a lot of strain during the drying process possibly eventually damaging it. Folding your wetsuit in half when you hang it, allows for equal distribution of weight thereby minimizing wear."

So there you have it - Jorg thinks the Gul Response rocks, and even throws in a clever tip to keep your wettie in shape for longer. Shot Jorg!