Element 3/2 Back Zip 2022 Wetsuit

Performance & Feel

The Element sits one step up from the Static at the accessible end of ION's wetsuit range, and like the front zip version it brings tech from further up the line down to an everyday price. The back zip is the most fuss-free way into a wetsuit, with a Flushguard panel behind it to keep out water. For most UK water this 3/2 is a spring-through-autumn suit, or high summer if you feel the cold.

The suit runs the same two ION linings as the rest of the Element range. Hot_Stuff 2.0, the stretchiest thermal lining in their range, sits across the chest and back to keep your core and torso nice and warm, while the lighter Silk_Stuff through the shoulders and arms stays soft on the skin, stretches well, dries quickly and aids getting the suit on and off. Seams are glued and blind-stitched, with fusion reinforcement on the highest-stress areas and Melco tape added to the load-bearing sections of the suit. The back zip suit also features shin protection.

None of this is reinventing the wheel. It's an honest, comfortable, stretchy 3/2 that does its job across every discipline, from a surf to an open-water swim to a summer kite, wing or SUP session, with the easiest entry in the Element line and a price that won't sting.

Key Features

• 3/2 construction: 3mm neoprene over the core for warmth, 2mm through the arms and legs for free movement
• Back zip entry
• Glued and blind-stitched seams: glued then half-stitched through the neoprene to keep water out and the suit warmer
• Critical fusion reinforcement: added strength on the highest-stress seam junctions
• Melco tape reinforcement: stress points like the crotch, armholes and knees taped from the inside to extend seam life
• Shin protectors: added protection on the shins
• Hot_Stuff 2.0 thermal lining: ION's stretchiest thermal lining across chest and back
• Silk_Stuff lining: soft, stretchy, fast-drying lining through the shoulders and arms