Warmth. Comfort. Nothing else matters. Photo: Axxe Wetsuit
There’s something inherently unnerving about having your back fat measured by a stranger in the middle of the Trestles parking lot. I’m sure Axxe Wetsuits’ Eric Koike can smell my insecurity (among other odors). I have my shirt off and the sun is shining brightly overhead, a perfect day for a wetsuit fitting. This was the quickest place for Eric and I to meet so he could measure me for a custom fit, a required process in testing one of Axxe’s high-end wetsuits.
And damn if I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. Wetsuits and how they adhere to my dad bod are all over the map: some brands, I’ll buy a large and it’ll feel like an XL in the butt. While another’s fits too wide in the shoulders, and yet with another brand, the legs are too long. The Axxe wetsuits are made with extreme care, fitted to perfection – cozy protection where I wanted it, and not too much or too little in all the wrong places. Plus getting an Axxe suit is like a lesson in wetsuit maintenance (more on that later).
Axxe, in case you weren’t aware, is a Japanese wetsuit brand that’s been handcrafting wetsuits for 35 years. Second-generation owner Tatsuya Kurosaka took over the company from his father, Nobuo, who was originally a scuba diver. Tatsuya was well versed in surf culture and has evolved the company with the times. Needless to say, these suits are amazing.
Back fat safely stowed away, the Axxe is so comfy. Photo: JC
There are all sorts of options with an Axxe suit. Rubber panels, all black neoprene, 3/2 millimeter rubber, 4/3, hooded, not hooded. You can basically pick the suit you want so it works for what you do. I ride waves in cold water but I also enjoy kite surfing. For mine, I chose a 3/2 millimeter fullsuit with the Uzip in the neck, which is a really cool feature that allows the entire neck area to unzip in a horseshoe around your head, making it way easier to get on and off (you can see it, above). I didn’t get any rubber panels on the outside and just went with simple black neoprene. One of the best features of this suit was the fuzzy rubber liner. It’s a nylon-polyester blend that feels so good against the skin (and so warm). Axxe suits don’t fit like a glove. They’re really well situated on your body to help avoid wear, hence the time and care the brand takes with your measurements.
Eric measured my wingspan, my chest, my (ahem) waistline, and leg length to get the ideal fit. Overall the suit has worn really well and one thing to remember with Axxe suits: They take full ownership of all repairs, which you can either do through the shop you purchased or go directly through Axxe. These aren’t the cheapest suits on the market. That’s because they’re made with quality materials – for you.
After I received my suit Eric got on a Zoom call with me and showed me how to put the suit on and off, by pushing the material down and using my thumbs to help avoid pressuring the material in all the wrong ways. It’s something I’ve honestly used with all my suits since. This Axxe suit has been a revelation, it doesn’t just cover my back fat and the rest of my dad bod to perfection – the thing is so comfortable and warm I don’t mind wearing it all day – whether duck diving at Trestles, or braving the wind in Hood River. It’s a fit for all seasons.
