Monday, December 5th, 2005...4:00 pm
Rip Curl Bomb Wetsuit Review
Rip Curl E Bomb, 3/2. Bought Sep 28, 2005. Retails for $269.
This fall I’m not going to even pretend I can 
do a wetsuit guide for the 2006 wetsuits. I can only buy one suit a year, and can’t really keep up with all the suits. So this is simply a review of Rip Curl’s top of the line suit for the 05/06 Winter. I’ve surfed in O’Neill, Victory, and Body Glove wetsuits in the past, but have never surfed Hurley, Billabong, Excell suits before. Rip Curl offered an E bomb for flexability and the F bomb for warmth. It’s mostly marketing garbage, the E Bomb is not much different than an Ultimate Elasto, and the F Bomb is not much different than a Fireskin.
Before I even bought this suit, it was tough to sort through all of the marketing bull that came with it. So I’ll do it for you. The E bomb is Rip Curl’s new top of the line suit for ultimate flexibility. It has the same “E2″ neoprene they’ve been using for several years. It has the same “bat wing” anti-flushing collar they’ve had. The zipper and hydro-loc collar are the same too. So what is new? A lot of marketing and some cool new features that may or may not be worth upgrading. The new features:
- Stash Pocket. That’s right, Rip Curl’s biggest improvement this year is a pocket near your knee that holds a key. It even has a cord you can attach your key to, and then zip it up safely. Sounds stupid, but it is nice to get to your key without unzipping your suit, and the double protection means it’s less likely to get lost. This has worked flawless for 70+ sessions. My opinion: bang.
- Hydrophobic E2 Neoprene. Instead of a smoothie or slickskin this year rip curl tried a new type of neoprene that they use in the arms and chest to repel wind and bead water. At first I thought this was the best invention ever, water just beaded off my arms and chest. However, after several uses, I couldn’t tell the difference between this neoprene and the normal E2 neoprene. This happened with the 2 Bombs I tried. My opinion: bust.
- Minimized Seams: They did cut the neoprene a little different this year which does seem to make the suit more comfortable and flexible. My opinion: bang.
- Critically Taped Seams: They put a 1″ or so piece of seam tape on the critical sections where stress is induced. A great idea, but after only 13 sessions one of these pieces of tape had ripped in half and brought the neoprene with it, actually worsening the situation. My opinion: bust.
- Blast Proof Knees: They offered this on some suits last year, but not my fireskin. These knees are way better then their old “film” style ones. Much thicker and durable, but a little stiff and inflexible. They appear to be holding up well. My opinion: bang.
- Aquaban Liquid Tape: Almost 100% of the seams has the liquid tape that O’Neill pioneered a few years ago. Flexible yet keeps water out. However on my first suit I tried all of the aquaban fell apart in 2 months as if it was 3 years old. Not good at all. Rip Curl replaced the suit and it happened again on the 2nd suit in 2 months again. I think Rip Curl has a waranty headache on it’s hands. My opinion: bust.
Summary: Rip Curl suits are still the most flexible and warm suits I’ve ever surfed with, and thier warranty department is top notch. The bomb builds on the Ultimate Elasto base, adding a few features and improving on the suit. However, don’t buy into all the hype, some of their additions this year (like the hydrophobic neoprene) don’t really work. Still I’m impressed with the suit except for the aquaban falling out and the ankle delaminating. After 4 months in two of their suits I think I might not recommend Rip Curl’s as much as I used to.
Where to Buy:
Your Local Surf Shop
Wetsand
Froogle
History of this Suit:
Sep 28, 2005: Purchased
Mid October, 2005: Rip in Shoulder (13 sessions)
Early November, 2005: Aquaban Seams all Trashed (30 sessions)
Late November, 2005: Returned to Rip Curl for above problems, and received brand new suit as replacement. (41 sessions).
January, 2006: Aquaban seams getting trashed again. Ankle Delaminating. (30 sessions in 2nd suit)
39 Comments
December 7th, 2006 at 10:39 am
Loved your review, Wish I could find more like it on the web. I am considering a new suit this season. I’m 6′1″ and 165–sort of long and lanky. Want top of the line, because I only buy about once a year. considering psycho 2, quicksilver cl6 and bodyglove vapor, as well as billabong. Any ideas beyond ripcurl? (I don’t like the idea of having to deal with warranty every year because of seams failing). thanks!
December 21st, 2006 at 1:25 pm
Just got my second warrenty suit in 8 months, first time delaminated on the chest and sleeves. second suit, knee pads cracked and pealed in 3 months. If I/Ripcurl keeps this up I will never have to buy a suit again.
On the positive note: suit is unbelivablly stretchy comfy and warm. and the company is WAY fast with warrenties and repairs.
December 25th, 2006 at 10:02 am
I purchased one of the bomb wetsuits and it fell apart. It was warm and flexibile, but it fell apart in about 3 monthes. The suit is good but who wants a suit that falls apart so easily. I surf everyday and this suit has held up horribly. But yah its very stretchy comfy and warm. PS Whats another good wetsuit, because i was looking at the mutants and the psychos and they looked pretty awesome.
January 14th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Yah i am looking to buy a new suit its now 2007 and i went down to the store and this is all they sell in australia Perth that seems ok but damn such a pricey suit coming in at $550! thats loads!!! i was thinking spending max $400 but yah alot of hype about these but now i know they came out in 05 thats two years i am 169cm tall and my weight is 74kg if anyone knows a good suit to buy or any ideas what i should research drop me a line cuellar52@hotmail.com its summer time so no rush.
January 29th, 2007 at 1:16 am
bought an F-Bomb in December 2006 and the liquid tape cracked apart at several spots in just 2 weeks…all pinched and poked me to painful rash spots.
March 7th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Great review!
Wish I read it before I bought my 3/2 F-Bomb chest zip…. My suit lasted three months and then started to fall apart (i.e. large rip under the zipper, all liquid seams peeling off, and the plastic collar clip broke off).
April 5th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Bugger just brought one hopefully the warranty is as good as above, only been worn once but two years old so we will see.
April 6th, 2007 at 4:37 am
Great review, interesting to see that even a top of the line model can have serious issues.
May 11th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
My 4/3 F-Bomb has cracked up in about 3 months. My buddy just returned his for the same reason and received a brand new suit within a week. I hope the same goes for you guys and me as well. Check out Patagonia’s new suits. Ive heard many good things
June 15th, 2007 at 4:16 am
got a Fbomb 3-2 returned two times because the seams break and create painfull rush on my skin
will never buy rip curl again
July 24th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Dude,
Try out a Hotline. I have had my Airfighter for 5 years and it is still toasty. Cool review.
March 28th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Man what is up with Rip Curl and their suits falling apart?! I thought I was just unlucky. I have just been sent a new E-bomb to replace my fireskin that came apart. After reading all these comments I now have little hope of that lasting very long either. I don’t want to spend my life sending back suit after suit every few months. I’ll just surf it until it breaks then by a nice simple Billabong Osilator like my dad’s, it’s lasted over a year so far with no problems at all.
April 4th, 2008 at 8:28 am
have an Fbomb suit…same problem with the seams. they started wearing down almost immediately, and broke and started poking me all over the place. The suit may be good for 2 or 3 months…I’ve returned mine once, and they gave me a new one, and the new one did same thing.
Also, although rip curl advertises it’s “flexibility” out the ying-yang (as many other suits do), there is a difference between “flexibility” and “mobility.” Flexibility: the amount the suit will mold and shape to the contour of your body. Mobility: how the suit fits and MOVES with your bodies specific functions (where your shoulders bend, how your knees bend, etc…) Unless your planing on growing 13 inches in one year, MOBILITY should be of bigger priority than flexibility…because the mobility of the suit is what allows you (your body) to be FLEXIBLE. All of this is a huge MARKETING SCHEME for the big corporations to save money because making neoprene with less seems (and bigger panels) cuts their spending.
Stick with O’neil, hurley, billabong, body glove, hotline…any suit that DOESNT advertise seam reduction as something good.
April 5th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Wish I had found this review page earlier, have just this morning ordered one for canoeing and specifically for going snorkelling on holiday this summer in Mexico. Hopefully it won’t be getting as much stress as some of you surfer guys give yours, will have to wait and see. Like some of the other guys posting above, I thought I had done my research , looking at O’neill, Billabong, Bodyglove etc and thought I was making a good decision on specification and looks, am feeling a bit disapointed now even before I have recieved it!
April 8th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I’ve used the RipCurl F-Bomb for 2 years and like it. I have a 5/4/3 MT and a 4/3 MT. The seams cracked. However, the seams also cracked on my X-Cel Infinity. The X-Cel also ripped on the neck and had other problems with the suit. I am in Northern California. The Hotline factory is in Santa Cruz. Maybe I should drive down there and check it out. I heard they make rugged suits. Though, I’ve been happy with my F-bombs. I got around 100 sessions from them. I bought the integrated hood and like that too.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:58 pm
I’m a 15-year-long user of Rip Curl wetsuits (in Australia).
The first one I bought was a “Dawn Patrol” 3×2mm. I used this steamer on average 3 sessions per week and it lasted 8 winters! I thought, “I’ll stick with Rip Curl if they make them that well!”
After that, I went for an “Ultimate”, which seemed to last pretty well until it was stolen by some low-life. I had that for 3 winters until then.
I replaced that with another “Ultimate”, going for the seam-sealed version. This one clearly was not up to the same standard of materials or workmanship I’d previously experienced (this was now 2004). The shoulder panels and knees wore through within 3 years, leaving only the outer skins remaining (no rubber inside). In addition to that, the legs delaminated on the inside and the smoothie rubber on the chest cracked.
What I’m after now is a well-made, environmentally conscious materials wetsuit. Unfortunately, Rip Curl don’t have one (prod, prod, Rip Curl!). Patagonia, Bodyglove and Matuse all have them. Not only do they use environmentally considerate materials (limestone-based), but they are warmer and more durable. It’s win-win all around!
Unfortunately, I can’t seem to get any of these here in Australia. So, I’ll wait until I can pick one up in America on my next trip, and make the rapidly deteriorating Rip Curl Ultimate last another winter.
Rip Curl do have a very dependable product backup (warranty), which I’m yet to fault. I just wish they’d take the initiative of the other companies and produce a “greener” wettie. Then they’ll keep me as a customer.
May 26th, 2008 at 4:33 am
I am on my second Rip curl elasto after my first one got replaced when the inner lining fell out and the liquid seams cracked. I am unlikely to buy another rip curl wettie as they seem unable to make a suit that will last. I was curious to hear reviews on suits from Excel, Billabong and O’neil. I realistically want something warm and flexible that I can get at least a couple of years out of.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:35 am
Mine is a different story…I’ve got 2 Ripcurl wetties. A 4/3 and a 3/2 Elsato, both 7 years old and they are still going (last season though). I surf most weeks and more on holidays, of course. I don’t wash them, leave them hanging in the rain & sun until my next surf. I know they aren’t the latest models you guys are talking about, but go figure. I’ve got a Quiksilver short arm steamer that I do the same to and it’s okay.
September 13th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Don’t plan on a quick warranty turnaround from Rip Curl as of fall, 2008.
I sent an F-Bomb 5/4/3 hooded back to Rip Curl in May 2008 for warranty replacement (same seam issues as cited above), and have yet to receive a replacement suit, as of mid-Sept. 2008.
They (Rip Curl) continue to state that they’re backordered on suits and can’t send a replacement now until November.
Needless to say, likely my last Rip Curl purchase. I had much better luck with my Xcel 5/4/3, which is 4 years old now and still serviceable. (The Rip Curl suit lasted about a year before it fell apart.)
September 21st, 2008 at 11:57 pm
decided to update my 4 year old ripcurl 5/3 (think its a raptor model) which has lasted 4 years with an e-bomb 5/3 …….perhaps i should have waited ?However my 3/2 has lasted 3 years with no problems , so maybe a buying a wetsuit is like buying a car , you can pick up a friday afternoon model that has been put together quickly/poorly and hence falls apart?
overall never had a problems with my ripcurl suits , so hopefully this one will be the same
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 am
I recently dropped off my E Bomb wetsuit for warranty repair and was informed that the seam was not covered under the warranty. The warranty card that came with my wetsuit clearly states LIFETIME WARENTY ON ALL SEAMS. What is a seam? A seam is a POINT OF CONECTION, A JOINT !!! (They changed their warranty wording on the newer suits to say stitching and not seams) I have at least 6 or 7 rip curl wetsuits in my closet all of them many years old and still in fair shape. This new suit is so bad it is like sticking a porky pine in my shorts. I had this problem with my wetsuit starting at 12 months. I have been using my 5 year old suit in the mean time. I have been a loyal rip curl fan my whole life and I spent an hour on the phone today with some punk in the warranty department. Gave me a well rehearsed line of crap. To make a long story longer Rip Curl lost me for good.
October 27th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Get the Patagonia R3 for all year warmth. Its the best out there. Nothing more to say…
November 24th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
[...] lot less over the last two years. We’ve been hard on Rip Curl’s service department in previous reviews, but their watch department got the watch turned around in under one week, free of charge. The only [...]
December 28th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
yeah maybe i wont buy this 6/5/4 for 250, what do you think guys?
March 7th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Boy, sure am glad to get this information before purchasing a rip curl suit. I was intrigued with the idea of the new heating system in the G-Bomb as I cannot find a 5mm suit and I freeze quickly. Any recommendations on other suits or personal experience with the ‘09 ripcurls would be greatly appreciated.
March 8th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Bought a 6/5/4 f bomb wetsuit 08 nad after only 2 sessions the seams on the hood started to come appart. Sent it for warranty and received a new one about a month later. After one session…same thing. I can’t afford to be wetsuitless for the peak of the season so I bought a tube of aquaseal ($7) and applied all around the circumference of the neck and chin… worked perfectly. I sent an e-mail to ripcurl telling them that if they want to avoid this problem (which in my case presented on 2 different brand new suits) they should use the same liquid seams they use on the wetsuit on the hood also.
The wetsuit though is very flexible and warm (I surfed with 4C water and -6C outside temp), but if after spending $410 it’s going to last me a month… well I rather go back to my beloved Billabongs!!!
March 12th, 2009 at 12:09 am
I Have a 654 f bomb. The knees wore through in about 7 months or less. The suit is warm but not durable over a long period of time. Hotline Makes bombproof suits however, they’re not as stylish as your fancy ripcurl but will serve their purpose for over 5 years.
March 19th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Hey Brenda if you freeze easily, Excel drylock is the solution. Not as flexible as ripcurl but realy durable and reliable.. 6/5/4 for realy cold water and if you’re still cold put a sleevless top 0.5 or 1 mm. Very important (I do surf often at -6C since I live in Montreal, Canada) is not to be cold befroe putting the wtsuit on, if so, the battle is already lost. Try to put your suit on on a warm and comfortable place. A bit of warmup before getting in the water will help to generate a bit of the so needed heat. Even better if you can get a bit of hot tea or coffee before getting in the water jajaja
April 1st, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Hi guys,
I was up to a e/f/g-bomb in 3/2 from ripcurl (for mid season surfing) but your comments made me think of trying something else.
any advice for a warm and comfy 3/2 (for women) like the ebomb, but from billabong or others ?
thanks
April 4th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Billabong is an excellent choice. You might want to check west wetsuits,the lotus series is REALLY nice!!! flexible,war and very well built!!!
April 7th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Am I glad to reed theses reviews.
I was just about to place an int’l order on a Rip Curl wetsuit to save 75$ from local shop. But I now save way more by looking for a better brand.
Too bad, their marketing group make those wetsuit looks so good, flexible and warm.
I think I’ll go with a Matu..something wetsuit.
April 7th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
They are really flexible and warm. Believe me here in Canada we surf on below 0 conditions. The problem is that they have lots of deffects on the construction and then when you report the problem and possible solutions, they just say to send the wetsuit and that they stand behind their products. I fixed my problem with a $5 tube of aqua seal. If they will listen the customer they will have more chance to improve and correct those mistakes. When I send the wetsuit back for warranty repair they sent me a brand new one… but it took almost 2 months to get back to me…imagine all those waves lost on hurricane season. Now the same problem appeared on the same areas so I decided instead of loosing another 2 months to repair it myself and it’s working fine. Now let’s see how long the rest of the suit is going to last. Was my first time buying RipCurl and I think it’s going to be my last one
May 9th, 2009 at 8:57 am
I’ve had my 2007 Ripcurl F Bomb 4/3 for a year and a half now and have not had any issues (yet). I only surf a couple of times per week and I try and baby the suit when taking it on and off. I like the external key pocket near the knee, but I hated the removable bat-wing collar, because the little rivets kept coming unconnected when I was trying to put the collar over my head. I ended up super-gluing the collar rivets to the suit rivets, since I won’t ever switch collars or hoods.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Thanks for this review. I remember reading it just before I pulled the trigger on an Ebomb 6 months ago in Jan 09. I was skeptical at first based on the responses of their suits falling apart in 2 months. But the Nine-Star special at $199 was too much to resist. I’m happy to report that the suit has really held in there … all the tape is intact and it’s kept me warm and remained pretty flexible. Just until recently, I’ve used the suit basically every weekend at least 2 times each weekend. I do rinse the suit out after each use – mayeb that’s helped.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I have to say that I love my classic…I think Ripcurls tend to be of higher quality with the simple plain models…for the higher grade wetsuits though I’d go with O’neil and Billabong…their stuff is almost too good…pricey but well worth it.
October 21st, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Very good info, thanks. can get a new hooded f bomb 5-4-3 with warranty for 300 canadian. still on the fence though. any thoughts?
November 12th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I wonder about the Ultimate Pro series E-Bomb, as it does not have any liquid tape(to fall apart) on the seams (again, for max flexibility).
November 12th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I also found this follow-up comment here - http://www.surfinglife.com.au/themag/product-review/86-rip-curl-ebomb-pro-model-32-steamer
“During Winter 07 and 08 we experienced some batches of suits where the Aquaban liquid tape failed to meet our standards. It’s been updated to a new formula which features increased stretch and seal longevity”
January 5th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
After reading this review, I ended-up buying a NPX (Neil Pryde) 2010 4/3 Zealot full suit and a NPX 2010 3/2 Assassin shorty - no regrets!
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