Of all the gear I’ve bought and relied on in the past, this one may be the most crucial. Arctic waters are no joke - your wetsuit is the differentiator between disaster and euphoria.
Prior to heading to Iceland, I did a lot of research on the best extreme cold water suit. Reviews online were mixed, but when I spoke with people in the know, there was no debate - the Furnace was the way to go. In year’s past, Billabong suffered from some poor design choices on their wetsuits. To remedy that, they completely redesigned them from the top down. For starters, the hood has near perfect closure, seamlessly cupping the face and minimizing flushing. The seams are strategically placed throughout which makes for an exceptionally comfortable fit and a ridiculous amount of stretch for a suit this thick. Lining the inside is the Graphene material which has a silky sock-like feel and a surprisingly fast dry time. Within 24 hours, mine was dry, even in cold temperatures which was exponentially faster than I thought it would be.
In use, I had very little flushing and barely felt water that was near the freezing point. It was a little stiff out of the box and required some assistance getting it off, but that is to be expected and loosened up after two or three outings. Interestingly enough, each day I was out, the entire crew of local surfers were wearing the Furnace - that should tell you something.
As far as fit is concerned, don’t be afraid to size up a bit. I can fit into a medium, but went with a medium tall and I’m glad I did. When you size down, it may be more form fitting, but you’ll also get more pull on the seams which will allow more water in the suit.
All in all, I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. The Furnace is the best option I’m aware of for these types of conditions and I can’t wait to use it again.
