Patagonia Wetsuits R1 JUANITA SPRING SUIT

Patagonia Wetsuits Juanita R1 Spring Suit

The summer months are fast approaching and it’s always difficult making that transition from the rainy spring to the warm summer months, but Patagonia wetsuits seems to have a remedy with the coming of the new Jane and Juanita spring suits.

Picking out a wetsuit is kind of like picking out wax or a board, there’s one for every kind of water and wave. Patagonia’s new R1 women’s Jane and Juanita spring suits seem to have the flexibility and coverage for every situation. Not sure what R1 means? That’s okay, I was in the dark about this one too, so let’s shed a little light on this wetsuit wonder.

Patagonia has 4 color-coded levels of wetsuits. R1, which is blue, R2, which is green, R3 is yellow, and R4 is Red. The Jane and Juanita Spring suits are both categorized in the R1 blue zone. That means that they are 2mm suits that are perfect for 65F-75F degree water AKA your best bet for a new summer suit. The R2 is a 2mm, chlorine free, merino wool-lined suit for 55F-65F degree water, the R3 is for even colder waters of 48F-55F, and last the R4 is for nose numbing 38F- 48F water. The R4 is the heavy stuff with 5mm lined chest and back, 4mm lined arms and legs, and a 3mm lined hood to keep your ears intact.
Patagonia Wetsuits R1 Jane Spring Wetsuit

Patagonia Wetsuits Jane R1 Spring Suit

As a female surfer I’m always looking for new suits that are functional and still have some femininity about them, especially in such a male dominated sport. You can imagine how ecstatic I was when I found out that South Coast Surf Shops actually carried these suits. Fortunately, both the Jane and Juanita spring were created with this in mind, and have since become one of my favorite wetsuits on the market for a couple of very mathematically calculated and obviously scientific reasons.

The first is The Three C equation: Coverage + Class = Comfort.

A lot of shorter legged spring suits I come across for women have a tendency to wedge in all the wrong places. If you’re a girl who has ever owned a suit this style YOU KNOW what I’m talking about, “butt suits” as they are sometimes called, make it difficult to knee paddle and even more awkward when you have to exit the water. Picture this scene in your mind: Instead of walking out of the water, board carefully tucked under your arm, breeze blowing through surfer girl hair, golden tan from a day of accomplished shredding….then you have to reach down to pick your very unfortunate short-suit-wedgie. Believe me, there is no finesse in this step, in fact, it should be taken out of the scene entirely. Thankfully Patagonia wetsuits is here to help by providing just enough coverage to keep your hindquarters classy and stay in place. And when your hindquarters are classy and comfortable it gives you that much more time to focus on the surfing ahead of you instead of the problem behind you.

The second very mathematical reason is style + sensibility = sustainable.

You may be asking yourself, like I did, what’s so special about these wetsuits? There aren’t many suits for women on the market today that look or feel quite like the Jane and Juanita wetsuits. The neoprene used to create Patagonia wetsuits has a high-density nitrogen cell structure that creates more warmth and durability so the suit will dry faster, and is more environmentally conscious. Is it possible to have something this environmentally sensible and not look like a kook? Yes, yes and let me say it again yes! Patagonia wetsuits are made from crushed limestone as opposed to the normal neoprene rubber. So asides from having a cute cropped, sleeveless-suit you can be environmentally sensible too. I like to think of it like this: if given the choice between being stylish or sensible, I’d pick both, and with the Jane and Juanita women’s spring suits you don’t have to pick. You can have your cake and eat it too, or in this case you can surf and look good too.

The third and final reason is quick not dirty + sleek and flirty = functional.

Both the Jane and Juanita Spring Suits are sleek, feminine functional, and reversible! It has the standard black coloring on one side and of course the more flirty spring fling light-blue side. The tie back is a huge plus factor for the Juanita suit. The Juanita has plunging drop back so you can still get your bronze on while you surf not to mention the flirty factor. The function comes in the tie to make sure it stays on. You can keep your femininity intact and still surf with the boys. INSIDER TIP: being “one of the guys” doesn’t actually mean you have to be one of the guys. Besides, their wetsuits aren’t nearly as fashionable or comfortable. The Jane boasts the same comfort and function as the Juanita with its reversible light blue side, but with a thick racer back instead.

Ok so let’s really break this equation down. Its simple math: “Quick,” remember how you struggle in the winter months to get your wetsuit off in the parking lot? Forget it, the Jane and Juanita are a one-stop shop. You slip them on and you can just as easily slip them off so can skip the “dirty,” your suit will never be covered in parking lot sand again. These two unlined 2mm suits are the perfect summer suits, its science. If you get the chance be sure to check them out in OB and PB at South Coast Surf Shops or online at southcoast.com.