Review: Xcel Drylock 3/2 Wetsuit Straight From Fuerteventura

Other people holiday photos are not the most reliable source of weather conditions in a country. This is what I’ve learned while visiting Fuerteventura, Canary islands. Eternal sunshine, clear skies and warm weather were replaced with plenty of passing clouds and of course lots of wind. And when you combine this with around 63F (17C) degree water my old stretched out 3/2 had me shivering in between lulls. It was time to invest some cash and get a good deal on a brand new Xcel Drylock 3/2 wetsuit. I’ve been using it for a month in Fuerteventura and this is my review:

Xcel tries really hard to stop the water from getting into the suit. They pay special attention to inner taping, the tape fits flush against the neoprene and protects the seams keeping them waterproof. The zipper is also 100% waterproof and then there are doughnut shaped Drylock wrist seals that keep the water out of your sleeves when paddling and falling but on the other hand let the water out.

All this helps you feel warm and dry inside the wetsuit. The right size also helps. Now, to be honest, apart from the wrist seals all the wetsuit companies try to achieve this and more or less succeed doing it. So it’s not like the Drylock is the only wetsuit that stops the water from getting in. But it might be the best one.

The inside of the wetsuit features new TDC lining. My model still has the older version of the lining, but the new one actually recycles your body heat into infrared energy for greater warmth, increased endurance, faster recovery, and enhanced overall performance. It’s warmer that traditional polypro lining.

Flexibility is good as you would expect from a 3/2 wetsuit but nothing earth shattering. All in all – a really good wetsuit.