For some reason I have developed the opinion that Huub wetsuits are more fragile than others and generally of lower build quality.
That said, I have never owned one or used one and a search around this forum doesn’t really give that opinion any support either.
So I’m after opinions please before I buy an Agilis which is available at a good price in their sale. I’m also looking at their Varman suit so I’m interested if anyone knows why one would pick one over the other. I’m a confident swimmer, do 3.8km in 70ish minutes.
I’ve heard the same. But had an Archimedes 2 for a few years and it has no nicks, tears, or any issues. I’m not overly careful with it and also worn it a few times when I had clearly vastly exceed the maximum design user weight and it didn’t burst open like the Hulks shirt.
So n=1 but in my experience they are no more or less fragile than any other wetsuit.
I’ve never owned one myself (and don’t intend to) but help run my club’s open water sessions and hear lots of moaning about nicks, tears and split seams on Huubs more than any other make. Our local wetsuit hire/sale company has stopped carrying them for that reason too.
I have one and was incredibly careful with it, yet it split and nicked like a piece of over tight clingfilm. But haven’t had another brand to compare it to.
My only experience is I managed to split one just trying it on. To try and advocate for them it was the ~6th suit I’d tried that day so maybe I was losing patience, and think it was a bit small, but still not a great lasting impression.
Mine had some soft neoprene around shoulders/arms that almost seemed to disintegrate. Kept the suit for 3/4 years but in places there was as much Black witch as neoprene.
Whatever you go for in the end, one good tip is to soak it in the bath after any period of prolonged storage i.e. over the winter, so it’s ‘hydrated’ and flexible when you go to pull it on again in the Spring.
I have loads of Huub suits. They’re good, even the “cheaper” ones. I personally think they have a fragile reputation as even the cheaper ones are pretty thin and flexible. With that comes a little bit of fragility. But compared to the 2XU suit that I had first, which to be fair lasted well, once I tried a huub suit I could never go back to “cheap and thick”. Huub is super comfy
I’ve had umpteen and they are like chocolate, sadly. i.e. yes very fragile. always buy direct so you can moan/return easier. I keep going back as they do nice thermal ones on offer…as I freeze even on a warm single IM FFS
I’m on my second huub suit, the first one disintegrated under the arm pits, sent it back under warranty. I’ve got an archimedes 4 now and have used it 4 times, splits are starting to appear in the same place, not as bad but I’ll be sending it back before the warranty runs out for a refund. Going to try another brand. Big shame as the fit is perfect.
