MVP | WETSUIT - HURLEY'S TECHNICOLOURED DREAM SUIT
[09.08.2010]Other
WETSUIT | HURLEY US OPEN RAD RUBBER
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – The US Open of Surfing has just drawn to a close (congrats to Brett Simpson for successfully defending his title), the waves weren't awesome throughout, but Hurley’s wetsuits kinda were. Hurley gave all their riders these special edition multi-coloured suits for the event. Genius marketing ploy, yeah, but the things actually look pretty cool too.
The technicoloured design is channelling Hurley’s new 'Phantom Geo' boardshort range. While the Phantom boardshort range is technically brilliant, purely from an aesthetical point of view, at first glance I wasn't that pumped on their look. I initially thought the designs had a bit of a 2001 vibe that threatened to invoke painful memories of lost love in post-millennia – I swiftly buried my sample pair in the backyard.
Anywho, it’s weird; this same (or very similar) design from Hurley looks considerably more novel and futuristic when simply applied to their wetsuits. The multi-coloured dream suit has a fresh and flashy style that no other wetsuit comes close to competing with. Obviously this kind of thing would not appeal to all - many a surfer would not appear dead in such a fruity number, but personally I think they look pretty dope – then again, I’m also often labelled a “massive douche” by friends and family alike.
Hurley’s Aamion Goodwin (pictured top) looks pretty chuffed to be posing in the suit. And drifting below, Rob Machardo can be seen happily slap’n skin with Hurley head honcho, Bob Hurley. Rob looks pretty stoked to be sporting the suit too, but I guess at the end of the day maybe some Hurley riders had little choice in the matter. With cameras rolling it looks like the two are having a fairly friendly exchange, however, Rob could well be pleading through clenched teeth “Bobby, please, I look like a kaleidoscopic cheese-weasel from Planet Unicorn.” - yet, smart money says otherwise, because: A) Machado has bills to pay, and: 2) Machardo is way too mondo to be dissing such a radtabulous wetsuit. Click here to watch Rob surfing in the techno suit in a US Open heat again Slater and Adrian Buchan (RD48 H7) Rob doesn't do too well but he deserved a 10 for steamer-style.
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EXCLUSIVE | The man behind the suit is Hurley's head wetsuit designer in the US, Bruce Moore. Bruce was nice enough to answer a few of our enquires regarding the colourful new rubber. Here's how it went down.
Micholas: Can you tell me the exact name/model of this vibrant Hurley rubber?
Bruce: Fusion 202 S/S Full. A great suit, and the team’s performance at the event really drove that fact home.
Micholas: One-off limited edition or will this be something you’ll make available to public?
Bruce: The colored suits are a one off limited edition for the US Open. The same print in the black colour-way that Brett was wearing will be available to the public in both a short sleeve full-suit and a 1mm reversible jacket.
Micholas: Have you had many enquires about them?
Bruce: We have had tons of enquiries about the suits. Expect even more once all the pictures hit the mags. The US Open attracts so many people and great athletes; we wanted to do something to make our riders really stand out. Also makes for some pretty exciting pictures.
Micholas: Any reason why Brett didn’t wear the coloured suit in the final?
Bruce: The concept behind the print and the wetsuits is to promote our hero product for the event. Phantom 60 Geo Boardshort. We designed various promo products and visuals to promote this initiative, the wetsuits being one of them. The idea was to have the entire team in the multi colour print and Brett Simpson, being the Huntington Beach local and winning the event last year, to compete in his own signature color of the print. Black/Cyan/White. Sort of a Federer vs Nadal idea. Congrats to Brett! He did all of us proud and couldn’t be happier for him and his family.
Micholas: ..If an 18ft Saltwater Croc met an 18ft Great White Shark – who would be victorious in a battle to the death?
Bruce: Ha! That’s not fair. We have plenty of whites around here, but no crocs. At the risk of sounding stupid (wouldn’t be the first time), I’d go with the croc. I go with nimble and agile over power in any sporting event. You have some tickets for me?
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So it seems while Hurley will be selling the black steamer Brett Simpson wore in the final, the coloured edition is purely a one-off and therefore will not be made available to the public. It's a shame because, with the exception of camouflage design, it would be great to see more wetsuits with interesting patterns and colour. Why not utalise the vast fabric of a steamer for more artistic expression? Anyway, props to Hurley for this most valuable product and lets hope these eye-catching wetsuits now get some other brands thinking too.
- Micholas
- photos via Transworld Surf
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