The balance, timing and core strength required by surfing take time to acquire. But a Zen-like tolerance of the elements? Well, even the pros get cold, especially in chilly conditions like San Francisco's coastal waters. That's why Rip Curl's self-heating wetsuit is a real boon.
The H-Bomb features two 7.4-volt lithium-ion batteries that power a titanium-lined warming panel that stretches from your shoulder blades down to your tailbone.
A switch on the lower left allows you to move between three settings: low, medium and high, the latter of which is intended to provide a short "boost" of up to 124 degrees Fahrenheit. A color-coded (blue, purple, or red) indicator light tells you how much heat it's giving off.
Although this suit is only 3/2 millimeters thick (4/3 is preferable for colder climates), we found the artificial heat more than adequate for making 52-degree water a lot more tolerable. During our first hour-and-a-half session, we toggled between low and medium without ever feeling like we needed the boost.
Even better, the battery has some serious stamina. Even when we were surfing hood- and bootie-free in 53-degree surf, cranking the heater up all the way regularly, we still left the water after an hour with juice to spare. It's worth noting, however, that the suit did not fully make up for bare feet, hands and head.
Considering you're toting 120-gram battery packs and the wiring is visibly embedded in the neoprene, we found the H-Bomb surprisingly comfortable and more or less as flexible as the Billabong B9 Platinum suit.
While the indicator light is great for quickly assessing the settings, it's a definite distraction. Learning to surf is difficult enough. Fiddling with buttons or just having to explain "Yes, that's a light on my wetsuit" while you're out in the water is a surefire way to prime yourself for a wipeout. That said, as the novelty began to wear off, we appreciated the added warmth.