Rip Curl’s H-Bomb is the world’s first power heated wetsuit. It’s a wetsuit designed to keep you super-warm by positioning a source of heat on your upper back. This heats your core and allows your body to experience warm blood to your extremities.
The heat is generated by two coated fibre elements positioned on your upper back. The elements conduct electricity that generate the heat which warms the blood. Simple.
The elements are made of fibre – there’s no metal here – so there’s no electromagnetic field generated by any metal component and there’s no metal to corrode when it’s in salt water and you’re in the barrel.
Imagine adding the warmth of the H-Bomb to your current suit type say, a 4/3mm or a 3/2mm to let you surf longer and get more waves, or bend your mind a little further and imagine dropping back to a 2mm E2 for more flexibility without sacrificing warmth.
How hot does it get?
The H-Bomb has two temperature settings…
Low: 50 – 55C (120 – 130F)
High: 60 – 65C (140 – 150F)
A thin layer of neoprene lies between the elements and your back to spread the heat evenly and protect your skin.
It’s an infra red heat with a therapeutic quality usually used to relieve muscle soreness and tension. The first test pilot was 2005 World Championship Tour number 7 Nathan Hedge, who commented “It’s one out of the box, it feels sooo good! You keep really warm, even on the low setting and it just keeps you feeling warm all over throughout. I didn’t want to give it back after the R&D sessionâ€.
This may sound like your ideal winter wetsuit but its gonna cost you £600 at least !!
To check out more from Ripcurl’s heated wetsuit go to ripcurl
A much cheaper option is brought to you by HOTSUITS A rechargable heated kidney belt to keep your core warm during Surf or Kitesurfing sessions read on-
Technology
A Hotsuits® Heated Kidney Belt utilises a non-toxic, food grade solution of super-cooled sodium acetate and water sealed inside an ergonomically shaped heat pack. The heat pack takes advantage of the fact that although sodium acetate ‘freezes’ at 54 degrees C, it is happy to remain in a liquid state at temperatures well below that. Pressing the activator button integrated into the pack triggers the process of crystallization, changing the solution from a liquid to a solid state and producing a constant heat which lasts until the solution has fully ‘frozen’ – this usually takes between 45 and 60 minutes.
Dimensions
The Hotsuits® Heated Kidney Belt consists of a high-quality one-size-fits-all soft neoprene waist belt which weighs in at a very lightweight 130g. The actual heat pack is a svelte 260g, 23cm x 13cm x 1.2cm ‘butterfly’ shape.
Hotsuits Neoprene Belt
The Hotsuits® Heated Kidney Belt in Use
The heat pack is stored in liquid form in a pouch in the neoprene waist belt beneath a standard wetsuit where, due to its small form factor and low weight, it sits virtually unnoticed. When additional heat is required, the user simply pushes the easy-to-find activator through the material of their wetsuit. The process of crystallization begins immediately, which results in a pleasant warming sensation through the lower back and kidneys which gently intensifies over the first few minutes of activation. To maximize comfort and even distribution of the solution as it solidifies, it can be beneficial to massage the heat pack through the wetsuit during the first minute or so.
Recharging the Heat Pack
After use, the solid state sodium acetate in the heat pack can simply be returned to liquid form by placing the heat pack in the reactivation bag supplied, and immersing in a pan of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow the pack to cool before re-use.
Here @ Gower kite Riders we think this product rocks so stay tuned and let us know if your interested.
