ION Products Onyx Amp Semi Dry Front Zip 2020
Reviews / Mens Wetsuits
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ION have been pumping out quality suits for a long time now, their extensive range takes into account the different body shapes we all have too. The Strike series of suits are a slightly bigger fit, while the Onyx series are a slimmer tighter fit. As ever with any suit, try it on first, but if you have more of an athletic physique, the Amp is the suit for you.
It’s a front zip suit, but there are back zip options too. As you would expect, high-quality materials are used throughout. It’s designed to be extremely flexible, utilising their Plasma Plush 2.0 liner and the Hot Stuff 2.0 liner inside the suit and high-grade super stretchy neoprene throughout.
By using a minimal panel layout, they have reduced the number of seams and stitches, this makes the suit extremely flexible on the water, and you certainly feel that. Worthy of note are the tight seals at the ankles, wrists and neck, these do a fantastic job of reducing flush when getting rinsed and the neat water drain features in the leg, chest and back panels help prevent any ballooning from any massive crashes.
The suit is easy to slip on thanks to the plush liners and feels warm on the water, it’s certainly not the warmest winter wetsuit out there, but an excellent suit for spring and autumn in Northern Europe. ION rate it from 7-12 degrees Celsius, and we would say that is about right. We’ve worn it for both surfing and kiting, and it has performed really well. We really love the stretch of the neoprene and the way the suit feels like a second skin rather than a wetsuit.
Overall
There are warmer suits, but are there warmer stretchier suits? Arguably not, this provides the ultimate in free movement with good warmth and high-quality materials and seams throughout. The minimal panel design really helps with the flex, and we enjoyed wearing this one on the water. It’s our go-to suit when it’s not freezing outside!
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By Rou Chater
Rou has been kiting since the sports inception and has been working as an editor and tester for magazines since 2004. He started IKSURFMAG with his brother in 2006 and has tested hundreds of different kites and travelled all over the world to kitesurf. He's a walking encyclopedia of all things kite and is just as passionate about the sport today as he was when he first started!
