To test a cold water wetsuit, you need cold water. Photo: Finisterre
I’ve been surfing in cold water for more of my surfing life than I have in warm water. I hate it. I will always hate it. But, due to circumstances like being born somewhere with cold water, I have made do, aside from a few wonderful years in California and more surf trips than I deserve. In the process of surfing in the cold waters off Vancouver Island, I have gone through many wetsuits, and this winter, I put Finisterre’s Nieuwland 5.5/4.5mm Yulex Hooded Wetsuit ($575) to the test.
Finisterre makes its wetsuits for people who surf in places with terrible weather. Finisterre, in fact, is the name of a rugged headland that bears the brunt of North Atlantic gales. The name comes from the Latin phrase Finis Terrae, which means something like “land’s end.” They are wetsuits made for brutal weather, and where I currently live, the waves often come with brutal weather. Summer here is flat. Winter is not. If you want to surf good waves, you either have to travel in the winter or deal with it, and dealing with it requires good equipment.
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When the going gets cold, the cold get going. Photo: Finisterre
Testing the Finisterre Nieuwland
When I was younger, I tried to get away with a 4 mm with a hooded rashguard underneath. I tried to get away without booties and gloves, but anyone who tells you they can surf on southern Vancouver Island in the winter without boots and gloves is lying to you. The water here sits around the 46°F mark, which is… not warm.
I’ve worn just about every brand of wetsuit there is — honestly, most of them work just fine if they’re thinner than, say, 4 mm, but when you get into the thicker suits, that’s where the issues become most glaring. Cold flushes, impossible zippers, leaking seams, weird, constrictive tight spots… they all add up to a miserable experience. I’ve been wearing a Nieuwland 5.5/4.5 mm this winter, and it hits all my marks, so let’s get to it.
Ankle loops. What a simple solution to an annoying issue. Photo: Alex Haro//The Inertia
Notable Features of the Finisterre Nieuwland
Fully taped seams
Custom shoulder pattern for extra flexibility
6mm lumbar pad
Ankle loops
Pros: Incredibly warm, super comfortable once it’s broken in, made with Yulex
Cons: Tight during the first few sessions, a little more expensive than some of the other wetsuit brands
Material
Made with Yulex, a plant-based replacement for neoprene that’s becoming more and more common, it has a built-in hood (necessary), fully taped seams, and best of all for someone a little broader across the chest, a custom shoulder pattern that makes it one of the most flexible wetsuits on the market. It was incredibly stiff and tight the first few sessions, but now that it’s broken in, it feels as though it was fitted to me. For reference, I’m 6’1 and 185 lbs, and I ordered a size large.
I’ve always had issues with the shoulders in thicker suits — a rotator cuff problem coupled with broader shoulders doesn’t help — and paddling while wearing them has never felt all that good. My shoulders tire far quicker in them. When overused, it feels as though I’ve been lashed across the front of my right shoulder with a burning rope. All that extra rubber makes things much worse, but the Nieuwland wetsuit, after two or three sessions, loosened up so much that it became almost a non-issue. It should be noted here that Finisterre says its suits loosen after 10-15 wears, but in my experience, it didn’t take that long.
Small things count when it comes to comfort, and Finisterre’s Nieuwland has many small things. The wrists and ankles have bands in them, and the backs of the ankles have sturdy loops to help get that thick material over your heels. The lumbar area — which, for me and my deeply arched lower back, is a problem area — has a 6 mm patch built in to keep that area a little warmer. And although I’ve only had it for a season, it is made with double blind stitching throughout, as well as taped seams, so if all goes as Finisterre planned, I should be able to wear this for multiple winters instead of two or three.
Taped seams throughout are a must-have in a good wetsuit. Photo: Alex Haro//The Inertia
Drawbacks
As far as cons go, there aren’t many. At $575, the Nieuwland is a little on the pricey end, but like most things, you get what you pay for. The tightness during the first few sessions is annoying, but like a good pair of boots or a diesel engine, they need to be broken in. The ankle loops, which are a great addition, could potentially pull away with time because they’re just glued on, but they’ve lasted one full British Columbia winter.
Final Thoughts
Although tight during the first few uses, it loosens up and feels as though it is custom-made, especially in the shoulder areas. It is exceedingly warm and refuses to flush, even while duck diving under bigger waves. All in all, Finisterre’s Nieuwland is a wetsuit I’d recommend to anyone who hates cold water as much as I do — or even someone who hates it less.
Related: Best Wetsuits | Surf Gear Reviews
Editor’s Note: For more gear features on The Inertia, click here.
