Yulex R2 Patagonia Wetsuit

Patagonia has done it again. The crew at the rethinker could not be more excited to talk about Patagonia’s new Yulex technology wetsuits. For years Patagonia has been the luxury standard in wetsuits. The quality of each suit is immediately apparent upon first touch. Every seam is rubber welded for durability and warmth. The inner lining is soft to the touch and dries in an instant. In an industry where the technology is booming, Patagonia has again found a way to differentiate themselves. Now in addition to the amazing quality and performance of the suit, it is sourced from materials that have a much lower environmental impact.

This is straight from the Patagonia website: Surfers have been relying on neoprene for more than 60 years, but it’s a nonrenewable material with an energy-intensive manufacturing process. In 2008, we started experimenting with renewable natural rubber to help us reduce our reliance on petrochemicals.

Our R&D work with hevea rubber eventually revealed another benefit that was just as important—because the polymer was produced in trees instead of factories, using solar energy instead of generated electricity, up to ~80% less climate-altering CO2 was emitted in the manufacturing process when compared to conventional neoprene.

Patagonia is so confident in its new technology, that it has completely moved its line of wetsuits away from neoprene. All 21 styles are now made with the responsibly sourced Yulex materials. Additionally, Yulex technology allows for a thinner, warmer, suit. Limiting the material on your body without sacrificing any warmth. As a major consumer of wetsuits, we can confidently say, that this is the best suit on the market at present. If you see any of the crew at The Rethinker in the water, you can be sure that we are wearing Patagonia.