Review: Ho Stevie Women’s Surfing Wetsuit
Oh hey – have you met Ho Stevie!? Born from a love of surfing and based in sunny San Diego, Ho Stevie! creates gear that keeps up with your wave chasing days – without premium price tags. So how does their new wetsuit for women, £150, launched after their men’s wetsuit gained an army of fans, fare on ocean adventures?
Review: Women’s surfing wetsuit from Ho Stevie!
I usually find shopping for a new wetsuit rather nightmarish. I dread the idea of trying to pull on hot and sweaty neoprene to find one that fits, especially as some women’s wetsuits don’t seem to take the antomy of female surfers into account. Ordering one online, on the other hand, can be a bit of a leap of faith – but luckily, Ho Stevie’s suit arrived fast and fitted me really nicely.
FIT: In fact, my standout favourite feature of Ho Stevie’s female-specific wetsuit is the fit. The neoprene is buttery soft and surprisingly lightweight, and once on, this wetsuit really does fit like a second skin, with a well-designed over-the-head chest zip. Unlike many chest zip suits I’ve tried, this wetsuit doesn’t require wrestling to pull on and I can put it on and off on my own, which is handy for solo surfs (or just for not having to contort myself in the car park before a sea swim). Sizes on offer range from 4-14, with small and tall versions available. I’m 5’7 and usually a 12/medium, and the size 12/Tall fitted me perfectly, with enough stretch to squat and lift my arms without feeling restrictive and a good amount of length in the legs.
PERFORMANCE: The Ho Stevie women’s wetsuit is available in 4/3 and 3/2 thicknesses. Wetsuit thickness refers to measure in millimetres of the neoprene used in a wetsuit, typically expressed as a two- or three-number combination. The first number indicates the thickness of the core and torso area, while subsequent numbers indicate the thickness of the arms and legs. I tried out Ho Stevie’s 4/3 offering, which is perfect for fresh spring surfs in the UK, and kept me warm even during all-day surf sessions. Ho Stevie use limestone neoprene to construct their suits, which is made using calcium carbonate from limestone instead of petroleum-based traditional neoprene. To put it simply, neoprene wetsuits crafted from limestone tend to last longer, keeping wetsuits out of landfill and reducing the need to create new neoprene. So is this an eco pick? Not as much as a yulex wetsuit, which is derived from natural rubber, but this is a better choice than traditional neoprene.
VALUE FOR MONEY: The other standout feature of Ho Stevie’s women’s suit is its affordable price point. One reviewer said ‘$200 (£150) for a quality 4/3 is a slamming price’ and I have to agree – Stevie’s well-priced design punches well above its price point when it comes to warmth and fir, and deserves to be added to your quiver of wetsuits for spring and autumn.
VERDICT: I have a 5/4/3 wetsuit I wear for bitter winter surfs in Britain, but I’ll definitely be swapping to this beauty in warmer weather – Ho Stevie recommend wearing their women’s wetsuit for use in sea temperatures down to around 10 degrees. At £150 this is a well-priced wettie for beginners and intermediates alike – whether you’re paddling into your first break or your fiftieth, this suit is like a salty sidekick that’ll help you move freely in the water come warmer weather.
