O’Neill wetsuits are one of the oldest yet still the most relevant surfing suits that you can find in the market today. The brand started in the 1950s and continued to invent modern design and innovative technologies in its massive wetsuit collection.
With many wetsuit brands coming out today as the popularity of watersports and ideal sports apparel increases, O’Neill remains a top brand in the ocean. It has a long history of providing value and functionality to all athletes and watersport enthusiasts of all sizes and skill levels.
As an established brand, O’Neill is currently the epicenter when it comes to wetsuit innovation and development. It introduces new designs and styles every year to cater to all sportspeople’s needs while making its classic designs even better.
If you are looking for top-notch quality surfing suit from a well-established and experienced brand, our O’Neill wetsuits review will give you tons of choices of the market’s top favorite suit models.
Top 10 Best O’Neill Wetsuits Reviewed
If you are looking for a new top-quality wetsuit, here are ten top-selling and all-time favorite surf suits from O’Neill that are worth checking out.
- O’Neill Reactor II 3/2 Full Wetsuit – Best Overall
- O’Neill Hyperfreak 5/4 Hooded Fullsuit – Best for Cold Water
- O’Neill O’Riginal 2mm Sleeveless Spring Wetsuit – Best for Warm Water
- O’Neill Mutant Legend 4.5/3.5 Hooded Full Wetsuit
- O’Neill Psycho Tech 4/3 Full Wetsuit
- O’Neill Epic 3/2 Full Wetsuit
- O’Neill Women’s Bahia Short Sleeve Spring Wetsuit
- O’Neill Reactor II 1.5mm Wetsuit Jacket
- O’Neill Women’s Psycho One 3/2 Wetsuit
- O’Neill SPF 50+ Sun Protection Top
#1. O’Neill Reactor II 3/2 Full Wetsuit – Best Overall O’Neill Wetsuit
If it’s your first time buying a wetsuit, the market’s long list of choices can make your purchase tricky. There are tons of styles and features to choose from, but O’Neill makes it easy for all athletes to buy their first surfing suit.
The brand’s best-selling wetsuit and the market’s leading entry-level option is the O’Neill Reactor II 3/2 Full wetsuit. It has everything you need from a beginner wetsuit, both in value and price. The Reactor wetsuit line received tons of updates throughout the years, making way for the new Reactor II that comes in a colorful and fresh design that fits your style.
However, this wetsuit isn’t only about looking good while riding your surfboard. It offers maximum performance and comfort as well, fitting for both novice and seasoned board sports fanatics. It boasts the exclusive combination of UltraFlex neoprene fabric and Fluidfoam material to provide the best feel while wearing the suit.
The suit also comes with a double neck seal that you can easily adjust for the best fit. It’s comfortable and soft, so there are no worries about getting rashes. It also provides a watertight feature in the neck area to keep you dry throughout your surfing session. This extra feature makes the Reactor II incredibly high value for its entry-level price.
At 3/2mm thick, you can wear this wetsuit in most weather conditions except during the peak of the winter season. This model also comes in all sizes to fit men, women, and kids.
#2. O’Neill Hyperfreak 5/4 Hooded Fullsuit – Best for Cold Water
Another popular wetsuit line from O’Neill is the Hyperfreak collection. If you are looking for unbeatable overall performance and quality coupled with impressive comfort and warmth, the Hyperfreak series is a perfect match for you.
The O’Neill Hyperfreak 5/4 Hooded Fullsuit, in particular, is the ideal surf wear if you don’t want the cold water to slow you down. The 5/4mm material thickness of the suit ensures that you are well-insulated even in the most frigid water conditions. If you want to go surfing during the winter, this wetsuit can give you maximum protection, especially with the hooded design.
Don’t worry about the thick wetsuit limiting your movement, especially with its TechnoButter 3 technology. This surfing suit is incredibly lightweight. The new technology and material make it 20% lighter than older models, giving you more flexibility and freedom to move in the water. At such a thick wetsuit, the comfort and function that you can get from it come unparalleled by other brands.
The zip-free design adds to the freedom of your every move, whether you are paddling or swimming. You won’t feel any resistance when using the wetsuit. The zip-free entry also makes it easy to wear or take off the suit.
The Hyperfreak line is also available in a 3/2mm thick wetsuit, which would make an incredible summer suit.
#3. O’Neill O’Riginal 2mm Sleeveless Spring Wetsuit – Best for Warm Water
A spring wetsuit is an excellent alternative when the water temperature goes a bit warmer, like during the summer. It can keep you warm and well protected in critical areas like your back, torso, and upper legs, leaving other parts of your body free to move and feel the water.
If you are looking for the best wetsuit option from a top-quality brand, you won’t go wrong with the O’Neill O’Riginal 2mm Sleeveless Spring Wetsuit. It is one of the classic and old-school wetsuit collections from the brand but remains a top choice for summer surfing outfits with its latest technology features.
For one, this spring wetsuit boasts a 100% premium-quality nylon bonded UltraFlex DS neoprene fabric for maximum warmth, comfort, flexibility, and overall performance. The chest and back panels also feature FluidFlex neoprene materials, giving extra support and protection without the added bulk and weight. These rubberized panels also provide the surfing suit an incredible wind-resistant functionality, shielding you from the chilly air.
The seamless lumbar design of the suit provides exceptional comfort, and the sleeveless construction gives your arms more freedom to move while paddling or swimming. The single sealed neckline design also makes the suit extremely watertight while still keeping it comfortable to prevent chafing. Lastly, the back-zip system has an extended pull tab to make the wetsuit easy to wear and take off.
#4. O’Neill Mutant Legend 4.5/3.5 Hooded Full Wetsuit
The O’Neill Mutant Legend 4.5/3.5 Hooded Full Wetsuit is your essential steamer wetsuit with some incredible extra features. The 4.5mm thick wetsuit material makes it suitable for colder climates or when you go surfing early in the morning when the water temperature is lower. The additional hood also keeps your head and ears protected from the hypothermia-inducing elements.
The wetsuit boasts the same TechnoButter neoprene fabric that O’Neill is famous for, providing an efficient firewall against the colder water temperature in the ocean. The smoothskin panels also give a wind-proof shield against the frigid air. It has UltraFlex technology as well, making the suit extremely flexible so that you can move without restriction while paddling or swimming.
This chest-zip wetsuit from O’Neill’s Mutant Legend series comes with many essential features for a high-quality steamer suit for cold-water surfers. It provides a watertight technology, thanks to the single fluid seam construction and neck seal. The dual anti-flush design also keeps you extremely toasty against the massive waves or even when you duck dive in the ocean.
The Krypto knee pads are incredible additions, keeping you protected from accidental bumps in hard surfaces.
#5. O’Neill Psycho Tech 4/3 Full Wetsuit
With decades being in the business, O’Neill now has a wide range of wetsuits to offer. It comes in various styles and designs, sizes, colors, and price ranges. The brand’s premium wetsuit, both in quality and price, is the Psycho Tech series. It boasts leading technology, function, comfort, and performance that remains unparalleled in the market.
The O’Neill Psycho Tech 4/3 Full Wetsuit is perfect for colder water temperatures. It boasts the exclusive O’Neill technology, the TechnoButter 3, that makes the wetsuit incredibly warm. This cutting-edge design provides the suit with the latest TechnoButter 3 Air Firewall that offers unmatched insulation and warmth.
Another premium feature of the Psycho Tech wetsuit is its TechnoButter 3 neoprene fabric, the best neoprene material that you can find. It comes at a price, but its unrivaled performance is worth it if you have the budget. The fabric gives supreme flexibility, offering you the least resistance and drag when swimming or paddling.
All these premium materials make the Psycho Tech surfing suit warmer and lighter than ever before. Plus, it also now has quick-drying properties.
With better insulation, warmth, flexibility, quick-dry features, and overall performance, the Psycho Tech wetsuit is the perfect surfing suit for colder waters worldwide. If the 5/4mm thick suit is not enough for you, the Psycho Tech series is also available in a much thicker 6/4mm wetsuit.
#6. O’Neill Epic 3/2 Full Wetsuit
O’Neill has a widely successful Superfreak wetsuit series, but the brand continued to innovate its classic surfing suits, making way to the latest and even better Epic series. It has up-to-date features added to the brand’s classic wetsuit collection, giving you high-performing surf wear with an uncompromising old-school style.
Among the modern features that you can take advantage of in the Epic 3/2 Full Wetsuit are the Fluid Flex Firewall inner lining and the smartly designed seamless zones. The new lining technology makes the wetsuit efficient in trapping body heat to keep you toasty even in extended hours in the ocean. Meanwhile, the strategically placed seamless zones ensure that you get the best fitting surfing suit for your money.
The 3/2mm thick wetsuit is an excellent option for use in tropical weather. However, O’Neill made sure that this surfing suit caters to all athletes all year round, giving you thickness options like a 4/3mm, 5/4mm, and a 6/5/4mm hooded wetsuit.
Compared to the Hyperfreak series, the Epic wetsuit isn’t as performance-based. However, it’s the best wetsuit for its price range, especially if you want an incredibly warm surfing suit.
#7. O’Neill Women’s Bahia Short Sleeve Spring Wetsuit
O’Neill Women’s Bahia Short Sleeve Spring Wetsuit is where function meets style when surfing or swimming in the ocean. This wetsuit gets incredible design features to bring personality, confidence, and beauty in single surfwear, fitting for all stylish and active women from all over the world.
The combination of absolute function and chic styling makes the Bahia wetsuit series a top choice for women athletes and watersports enthusiasts. It boasts O’Neill’s cutting-edge UltraFlex neoprene fabric to provide maximum flexibility and range of motion, perfect for swimming and paddling. It has smartly placed seamless zones as well, giving extra comfort and the best fit.
Other top-notch features that you can take advantage of in this Bahia wetsuit are the double Super Seal neck enclosure for a watertight fit, easy back-zip enclosure, and the external key pocket.
#8. O’Neill Reactor II 1.5mm Wetsuit Jacket
Reactor II is an incredible wetsuit collection from O’Neill. The series offers a wide range of wetsuit styles, like the full wetsuit above and this surfing jacket. It’s an efficient wetsuit to wear during the summer, especially with only 1.5mm fabric thickness. This wetsuit jacket is incredibly light and fits your body like a second skin.
It boasts the combination of FluidFlex 2 neoprene fabric and FluidFoam material of the Reactor II wetsuit series. So, aside from being exceptionally light, this wetsuit also offers superior flexibility and comfort for an unrestricted movement while swimming or paddling. Plus, the smartly designed seamless paddle zones and the long raglan sleeves give you even more freedom and a broader range of motion in the water.
The sealed neckline of the wetsuit makes it watertight, preventing any water leakage. So, during a wipeout, you can still stay as dry as ever. The flatlock seam construction also increases the suit’s comfortability and avoid chafing.
You can’t go wrong with choosing a wetsuit from the Reactor II series, and this 1.5mm wetsuit jacket is exceptionally great for warm-water adventures. The hemline’s boardshorts connector is also an incredible addition, keeping the jacket in place even when doing the most extreme watersports.
#9. O’Neill Women’s Psycho One 3/2 Wetsuit
When doing watersports like surfing, paddleboarding, surf skiing, or swimming, freedom of movement is crucial. You wouldn’t want your clothing to offer maximum protection from the cold but restricts your movement. If you want the best surf suit in terms of comfort and performance, you won’t go wrong with the Psycho One series from O’Neill.
Like other O’Neill wetsuits, the Women’s Psycho One 3/2 Full Wetsuit offers premium quality material and construction. However, durability aside, this Psycho One wetsuit is more famous for providing maximum mobility while in the ocean.
It uses super lightweight material, a smart combination of the featherlight Envy foam rubber and TechnoButter 3 neoprene fabric. If it’s insane flexibility you want in an incredibly durable wetsuit, this Psycho One surfwear is the ideal choice. Aside from the exceptionally lightweight construction, it also uses minimal seam construction for a 100% freedom of movement.
You will get a ton of premium features from this wetsuit, including a patented ZEN back-zip entry and 260 degrees upper barrier for a watertight design. The fluid seam welded exterior construction makes the suit exceptionally resistant to leaks, a perfect wetsuit for challenging weather conditions.
#10. O’Neill SPF 50+ Sun Protection Top
Another essential feature for every surfing trip, especially during the summer months, is the SPF 50+ Sun Protection Top from O’Neill’s massive wetsuit collection. This wetsuit vest uses combined polyester and spandex material, offering a quick-drying and incredibly stretchy surfwear that fits your upper body like a second skin without being too tight.
What makes this top a great summer surfing essential is its SPF 50+ sun protection properties, giving you maximum shield from the damaging UVA and UVB radiation. The design and construction are also performance-based, with its strategically placed seamless zones for maximum fit and 100% range of motion.
Overall, it’s a surfing must-have during the summer months. It’s also available in a wide variety of sizes and colors to fit your frame and style.
Types of O’Neill Wetsuits
O’Neill spent decades creating the most cutting-edge wetsuits in the market, and the brand offers tons of them to fit all types of athletes from all skill levels and sizes. O’Neill wetsuits come in a wide variety of designs and styles, with some perfect for winter or colder weather while others make suitable summer suits.
Check out your style options when buying O’Neill wetsuits.
Wetsuit Jacket or Vest
When you need minimal insulation, like when you go surfing during warmer months, a wetsuit jacket or vest is the best option. These types of wetsuits are usually thin enough to give your core a little warmth while offering breathability, perfect for warm weather.
You can use a wetsuit jacket or vest by itself during the summer or use it as an extra layer for a full wetsuit during colder weather.
Spring Suits
Spring wetsuits have short legs but have either short or long sleeves. It’s ideal for use when the water temperature goes from warm to chilly one minute, like during spring and autumn. This type of wetsuit provides ample protection from the sun’s damaging UV radiation while keeping the body warm in critical places.
Long John Wetsuits
Long Johns have longer legs than the typical spring wetsuit. It keeps your entire lower body warm against the cold water and air while its sleeveless design gives your arm maximum freedom for swimming or paddling.
Full Wetsuits
A full wetsuit offers protection from the sun, water, and air for your entire body. It can keep you warm and comfortable no matter how cold the water temperature is. This type of wetsuit covers your whole legs and arms, allowing you to stay in the water for a long time. Thinner full wetsuits are available for summer use, while thicker options are essential as a winter wetsuit.
Hooded Full Wetsuits
This type of wetsuit is similar to full wetsuits, only with an addition of a fixed or removable neoprene hood. When surfing or diving in colder water temperature, a hooded wetsuit design keeps your entire body warm and well-insulated, including your ears and head. This type of wetsuit is essential when you are swimming or surfing during the winter season.
O’Neill Wetsuits: Company & History
Jack O’Neill founder the now leading wetsuit brand in the world in 1952 on the sunny coast of California, where surfing is a tradition. From experimenting with the WWII diving vests, Jack later invented the neoprene wetsuit, marking the industry’s beginning.
O’Neill now produces a wide range of surfwear and accessories for men, women, and children in its countless stores all over the world. The brand’s surfing products come in varying color schemes, styles, and sizes to fit all athletes.
Although there are now many wetsuit brands and manufacturers, O’Neill continues to stand out with its innovative ideas to make its all-time favorite and classic surfing suits even better each year. Whether you are surfing in colder waters in Canada or the warmer coasts of Australia, O’Neill provides a range of wetsuits that you can use in any weather and climate.
Conclusion
O’Neill wetsuits are a mainstay, and its continued research and product development make it the top brand of choice up to this day. Both novice and experienced surfers choose the brand with its vast array of wetsuits available.
O’Neill is famous for using combinations of premium-quality wetsuit material, especially the TechnoButter neoprene fabric. It’s the most high-quality wetsuit material available in the market, well-known for giving the best feel, comfort, stretch, flexibility, and warmth without the added bulk and weight.
If you are looking for the market’s leading surfing suit collection, our O’Neill wetsuit review should help you choose the best-valued surf suit for your money.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: What is the best tip when taking care of O’Neill wetsuits?
Q: How long does O’Neill offer a warranty for its wetsuits?
Q: What are other essentials for my O’Neill wetsuits?
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G’day, my name is Rach Taylor and I’m the proud Founder of Surf Hungry. I am a former Australian Olympic athlete and Australian representative surf sports athlete. I’ve worked in the surf industry and lived at several of Australia’s best surf spots, sparking a life-long love of the ocean and a passion for surf sports which has now well and truly rubbed off on my two young sons, both little Aussie surf-stoked groms!
