A run of swell in the Southern Ocean

This week, the Victorian coast experienced conditions that traditionally arrive earlier in the colder months. Spring in the southern states began with a series of low-pressure systems passing through, pushing constant swell up into the reef breaks of Victoria. Surfer and needessentials designer and product developer Laurie Towner took the opportunity to test out a few new cold water wetsuit designs in some exceptional longer period wave energy that pushed in over a week-long window. With water temperatures at 12 degrees and a much colder wind chill, Laurie wore a liquid sealed 4/3 wetsuit and 2mm liquid sealed boots, moving to a hooded 4/3 in the early hours on the colder, windier mornings. 
 
needessentials is constantly improving and refining its designs, with incremental improvements made to materials and components, and an ongoing focus on providing the highest level of warmth, comfort and longevity in a wetsuit. Our focus is to build them better and a good part of Laurie’s role as a product designer and developer needs to be spent putting concepts to the test.

All images by Milo Inglis