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ION 2021 Mens Winter Wetsuit Range | Key Info

The ION 2021 Mens Winter wetsuit range

The Watersports Centre recently tested 4 suits from the ION 2021 mens winter wetsuit range, find out the results here.

The “Stats”

The ION Seek Select 2021. 5/4 mm FZ (Front Zip) and BZ (Back Zip)
The ION Seek Select 2021. 5/4 mm FZ (Front Zip) and BZ (Back Zip)

The Seek Select level combines high-tech materials for ultimate warmth and stretch. These premium wetsuits feature the new Graphene Lining, which is an incredible heat conductor and makes sure you stay warm on the water. Only high-quality materials were used to make the Seek Select the most progressive wetsuit without compromise. The minimal panel designs guarantee limitless freedom of movement while sealed seams prolong the lifetime of this suit. Made to explore the toughest conditions, ION added Graphene_Plush throughout the torso and legs. Hot_Stuff 2.0 lining provides additional warmth at the arms and shoulders.

Temperature range

6°C – 11°C 43°F – 52°F          

Materials

85% Neoprene / 15% Nylon

Sizes

48/S, 50/M, 52/L, 54/XL

The ION Seek Amp 2021. 5/4 mm FZ (Front Zip) and BZ (Back Zip)
The ION Seek Amp 2021. 5/4 mm FZ (Front Zip) and BZ (Back Zip)

Seek Amp stands for epic stretch. Ultra-flexible thermo lining combined with lightweight neoprene provides extra warmth for uncompromising freedom of movement all year round. The secret for optimal heat retention lies in ION’s super flexible inside lining, called Hot_Stuff 2.0, in combination with toasty warm Plasma_Plush 2.0 on the back panel. I_foam neoprene foam traps more insulating air thanks to a new structure which contributes to better heat retention and flexibility. In spots without thermal lining, super soft Silk_Stuff increases next-to-skin comfort to the max. Seek Amp Backzip models feature additional protection pads at the shins as well as detachable leg loops to prevent water from rushing into the suit.

Temperature range

7°C – 12°C 45°F – 54°F

Sizes

46/XS, 48/S, 50/M, 52/L, 54/XL, 56/XXL, 094/ST, 098/MT, 102/LT, 106/XLT, 25/MS, 26/LS, 27/XLS, 28/XXLS

The ION Seek Core 2021 5/4 mm FZ (Front Zip) and BZ (Back Zip)
The ION Seek Core 2021 5/4 mm FZ (Front Zip) and BZ (Back Zip)

Seek Core wetsuits offer premium performance for an affordable price. The single-lined back panel allows freedom of movement where needed, whilst Hot_Stuff 2.0 provides warmth and quick drying. In spots without thermal lining, super soft Silk_Stuff increases next-to-skin comfort to the max. The front zip version makes sure there’s nothing to interfere with your kiting, kitefoiling, wingsurfing or paddle power. Highly durable nylon in the leg and torso area make the Seek Core a very robust companion for your adventures.

Temperature range

8°C – 13°C 46°F – 56°F

Materials

80% Neoprene / 20% Nylon

Sizes

46/XS, 48/S, 50/M, 52/L, 54/XL, 56/XXL, 094/ST, 098/MT, 102/LT, 106/XLT, 25/MS, 26/LS, 27/XLS, 28/XXLS

The ION Element 2021 5/4 mm FZ (Front Zip) and BZ (Back Zip)

ION’s Element level represents a premium all-rounder wetsuit guaranteed to deliver a lot of bang for your buck! Offering comfort and protection in all the right places, it’s the perfect entry-level suit for keen watermen. Supple, stretchy and robust, it also includes many features from the more technical and higher end of the ION wetsuit range: Silk_Stuff inside lining on the upper body provides a comfortable fit and good stretch in the shoulder area. Hot_Stuff 2.0 – ION’s stretchiest thermo lining – improves warmth, flexibility, and comfort even further.

Temperature range

9°C – 14°C 48°F – 57°F

Materials

85% Neoprene / 15% Nylon

Sizes

46/XS, 48/S, 50/M, 52/L, 54/XL, 56/XXL, 58/3XL, 60/4XL, 094/ST, 098/MT, 102/LT, 106/XLT, 25/MS, 26/LS, 27/XLS

Suits tested By The Watersports Centre

The ION Seek Select 2021. 5/4 mm Front Zip Size L

The ION Seek Amp 2021. 5/4 mm Front Zip Size XL

The ION Seek Core 2021 5/4 mm Back Zip Size L

The ION Element 2021 5/4 mm Front Zip Size XL

The neoprene industry went crazy through 2020/2021 with everyone stuck at home and not travelling abroad and there was a run on neoprene goods. If you hadn’t ordered and bought a new winter suit by September, then there was a good chance you’d find the shops and websites empty when you tried to get hold of one as the temperature dropped ahead of the winter season.

For that reason, ION brought the release of their 2021 and 2022 neoprene goods forwards and this has meant that while you can find this suit online for purchase, it wasn’t meant to be ‘officially’ out yet. Having sold out of their current stock, the team at ION decided to release their 2022 materials in 2021 despite the fact that they had planned release for their 2022 products being into 2022.

What we have here therefore is a Corona Virus induced look into the future.

Wetsuit technology just keeps on getting better, and for us on the water, that means longer sessions and more comfort. The ION Seek Select is absolutely packed with features and is, without doubt, the warmest wetsuits our team at The Waterports Centre have ever worn.

BUT, what we want to be able to do is highlight the differences across the range from the premium Ion Seek Select through the Ion Seek Amp, the ION Seek Core and the ION Element.

The ION Seek Select: 5/4 (rrp £459.95)

Constructed using I Foam Neoprene, which is exceedingly light and stretchy, the neoprene  is packed with more air/nitrogen while also reducing the overall density of the material ensuring it keeps you warmer for longer. On the inside of the suit, it is almost exclusively lined with the new Graphene Plush, which is 20% warmer than the previous high-end lining, Plasma Plush. The key here is the heat conductivity of the material, reflecting warmth back into your body.

The exterior lining is made from recycled nylon and features the DryGrid technology, which is designed to absorb less water and therefore reduce the wind chill and the weight of the suit when you get into the water and while you are riding. All the seams are glued and blind stitched with the addition of exterior power seams that fluid sealed.

The overall impression when you pick up the suit it is of incredible quality, every detail feels and looks well designed and the materials speak for themselves. This really is a step into the future.

When selecting a suit, it has to fit and be comfortable, and this is where trying on a suit makes a big difference. The materials in the ION Seek Select are stretchy enough to accommodate a range of sizes but be sure to try one on and make sure it is going to work well with your body shape.

As you pull the suit on, you will feel the plush Graphene lining glide over your skin and is really easy to get on. A feature our team really like is the internal sealing inside the neck so that even when you faceplant you don’t get much water inside the suit.

This single-lined neoprene also features on the back panel. The beauty of single-lined neoprene is that by its very nature, it can’t absorb water and this is actually the protective external layer that absorbs the water in a suit causing wind chill, not the neoprene itself. This means the back panel in both the front zip and the back zip models won’t suffer from the effects of the wind drawing heat away from the wet surface.

Our team at The Watersports Centre found the ankle and wrist seals to be very snug, and the whole fit was exceedingly comfortable. It’s amazing how far wetsuit technology has come. No more struggling to get into a thicker suit and feeling like the proverbial “Michelin Man” being hardly able to move.

In this, I can kitesurf, kitesfoil, wingfoil and SUP and never feel like the suit is holding you back. The materials used are simply exquisite and the warmth is incredible.

Overall

Easily the warmest suit the team at The Watersports Centre have ever worn.

Whilst the temperature range for the ION Seek Select 6°C – 11°C 43°F – 52°F we were can comfortably able to ride in 2-3 degrees without getting too cold. Some winter warriors resort to wearing a vest on the cold days under their suits, but in the ION Seek Select this really is not necessary. In fact with the technology now in this level of suit, you’d lose the “suit to skin” thermal efficiency the suit is designed to provide.

The suit is incredibly flexible made from very high-end materials throughout and a true glimpse into the future of where wetsuit technology is headed.

The ION Seek Amp: 5/4 (rrp £309.95)

The ION Seek Amp Semidry 5/4 Front zip and also the back zip version wetsuit has great finish and fit details that make it a solid choice for those that value flexibility as much as warmth. The ION Seek Amp relies upon a luxurious lining that feels like a finely knitted fabric, ION calls this Hot Stuff 2.0 and uses it in the bulk of the suit to balance warmth and flexibility. On your back, you get a similar but thicker material called Plasma Plush which doesn’t inhibit flexibility but gives this suit, which feels very flexible and thin, a little bit of extra protection against the wind. The front zip entry is super flexible and easy to enter while the exit flap features a zipper that you connect on your left then slide to the closed position on your right. There’s a bungee cinch strap to tighten up the front zip flap to ensure no water enters on bigger crashes. If you’ve got a non-fob key you want to hide, the ION Seek Amp gives you a key pocket in the upper chest area that is easy to access and secure under the closure flap. All the seams are taped and the cuffs have rubberised strips to keep those openings tight against flushing. The ION Seek Amp comes with Velcro ankle straps, but our team did not have any problems with water entering the legs so did not need to resort to using those.

The fit on the ION Seek Amp is perfect for a medium athletic build straight off the hanger but like any quality suit, the stretch of the materials accommodates different sizes so don’t worry about picking up a few pounds/Kg’s at Christmas, the suit will still fit !

The mixture of Hot Stuff and the I-foam neoprene yields an incredibly flexible wetsuit that comes alive on the water where you might try to do a grab or are kitesurfing down the line and getting flxible. Our team also used the suit for kiteFoiling and WingFoiling on some really cold days and it hit the mark with sufficient warmth while offering incredible flexibility and freedom of movement.

Overall

The ION Seek Amp is a high-quality wetsuit for those that want the flexibility to perform their A-game when the temperatures begin to fall. As you’d expect, the low end of the temperature of 7°C is not as low as the ION Seek Select (6°C) at the top of the ION winter wetsuit selection but that is to be expected and is reflected in the difference in price with the ION Seek Select at £150 more !

Longer sessions and extra mobility make this one of the best “top of the list” suits for any winter wetsuit collection.

The ION Seek Core: 5/4 (rrp £219.95)

The ION Seek Core Semidry 5/4 Front zip and the back zip version wetsuit also has a great finish and fit details giving flexibility and warmth.

The ION Seek Core wetsuit offers premium performance for an affordable price. The single-lined back panel allows freedom of movement where needed, whilst Hot_Stuff 2.0 provides warmth and quick drying. In spots without thermal lining, super soft Silk_Stuff increases next-to-skin comfort to the max. The front zip version makes sure there’s nothing to interfere with your paddle power. Highly durable nylon in the leg and torso area make the Seek Core a very robust companion for your adventures.

Overall

The ION Seek Core is another high-quality wetsuit for those that want the flexibility to perform and get out there when temperatures begin to fall. As you’d expect, the low end of the temperature of 8°C is not as low as the ION Seek Amp (7°C) as the next suit up in the  ION winter wetsuit selection but as with the difference between the ION Seek Select and the ION Seek Amp, that is again to be expected and is reflected in the difference in price with the ION Seek Amp at £90 more !

If your budget is restricted then you will still get in some longer sessions and as with all the ION winter wetsuit range, you’ll get great mobility.

The ION Element: 5/4 (rrp £179.95)

The ION Element 5/4 Front zip and back zip version wetsuit have a great finish and fit details giving flexibility and warmth.

ION’s Element level represents a premium all-rounder wetsuit guaranteed to deliver a lot of bang for your buck and offers comfort and protection in all the right places. It’s the perfect entry-level suit for keen watermen. Supple, stretchy and robust and also includes many features from the more technical and higher end of the ION wetsuit range: Silk_Stuff inside lining on the upper body provides a comfortable fit and good stretch in the shoulder area. Hot_Stuff 2.0 – ION’s stretchiest thermo lining – improves warmth, flexibility, and comfort even further.

Overall

The ION Element is another high-quality wetsuit from the team at ION.

This is however the ION entry level suit.  Our team had tested the 4/3 and 3/2 whole range from the Element through to the Core, Amp and Select in the warmer months. 

Again, as we know from the low end temperature range from ION, 9°C is not as low as the ION Seek Select (6°C) at the top of the ION winter wetsuit selection or the ION Seek Amp (7°C) or the ION Seek Core (8°C) but again we have to say, that is to be expected and is reflected in the difference in price across the range too.

The Watersports Centre teams’ honest view is that if you are after a summer/spring suit then you can look seriously at the 4/3 or 3/2 element but when looking at keeping properly warm in cold wind and in cold/very cold water, the best thing to do would be to go for the ION Seek Core at least or (ideally) the ION Seek Amp and if money is no object, the ION Seek Select of course! That said, if your choice is limited by your budget then you will get a great winter suit in the ION Element. You can, after all, always wear an overjacket such as the ION Neo Hoodie lite or the ION Neo Cruise.

Shop ION Wetsuits At The Watersports Centre