What goes into making a top-quality wetsuit? At Prolimit, it’s the hidden elements that make all the difference! In this Tech Focus feature, Prolimit CEO Alex Cretier is here to tell us what’s inside!

What is Thermal Rebound™, and in which part of the wetsuit is it used?

Thermal Rebound™ is a very thin alloy sheeting, which is actually a NASA invention from the ’60s now used for survival blankets. This survival blanket sheet is the extra layer between Zodiac 2.0 and the Airflex 500+ neoprene. 

Our Mercury, Oxygen and Vapor series are all using TR. On these wetsuits, the whole body, apart from arms, collar and lower legs, is made with TR and can be easily detected by the RED Zodiac 2.0 inner lining.

Take us behind the scenes of bringing new materials to market. How did you discover the Thermal Rebound™ technology, and how was it tested before being approved for use in Prolimit wetsuits?

It took years of testing to achieve a strong bond between the layers. After we finished the lab tests (including elongation tests, UV A and UV B tests, sea and ozone tests, etc.), we ran a series for our athletes to ensure the wetsuits delivered exactly what we are looking for: perfect insulation without increasing thicknesses. We can now say that a TR suit in 5mm feels easily like a 6mm or more.

If you took the same model of wetsuit and produced one with Thermal Rebound™ and one without, what would be the difference in protection and warmth that the TR wetsuit offers?

A TR suit can easily be worn at least 1mm thinner and provide the same or better insulation. At the moment, a TR suit is the warmest wetsuit available on the market if you compare thicknesses. The combination of the Airflex 500+, which already has excellent insulation properties (more air enclosed in the cell neoprene), the Zodiac 2.0 inner lining, and TR, gives the best insulation values. Our TR wetsuits offer stretch, comfort, and quick drying combined with the survival blanket effect.

By Crystal Veness
Editor at IKSURFMAG, Crystal Veness hails from Canada but is based in South Africa. When she isn't busy kitesurfing or reporting on the latest industry news for the mag, she is kicking back somewhere at a windy kite beach or working on creative media projects.

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