Manera Meteor Magma 5/4mm 2016
Reviews / Mens Wetsuits
15,846
At A Glance
The Meteor Magma suit from F-One is a winter steamer packed with features and rich in technology. Designed for cold water this suit should keep you warm on the coldest of days thanks to its special Magma Fleece lining and N-Foam Neoprene which offers superior heat retention while still offering great flexibility.
Manera's patented 3D Design technique is a method of taking a 3D shape of the body and then transferring that to a 2D piece of neoprene to be laser cut. Then, when the suit is stitched together, the suit takes the original 3D shape of the body. This offers a superior fit, and where wetsuits are concerned fit is everything.
The Meteor Magma 5/4mm we have on test here uses the TRIPL3X Neoprene material is made from three components. First N Foam neoprene, which is exceedingly warm and flexible is bonded to the Re-Flex outer skin, this is extremely stretchy but also offers a robust layer to protect the S-Foam. Then the Magma inner jersey is added to provide a warm fleece lining to sit against your skin. Again this material offers good manoeuvrability and keeps you very warm.
The laser cut panels are then glued, and blind stitched and finally SD2 Tape is used to completely seal the inner seams and offer the best stretch and waterproofing available. The ankles and wrists are then Fusion Cut which bonds the three layers of neoprene without the need for extra stitching.
The suit features a honeycomb mesh panel, which utilises larger air pockets sandwiched between the neoprene to provide extra warmth around the kidneys and lumbar area of your back. There are also leg drainage sections and ankle straps to prevent any ballooning of the legs which is a common issue for kitesurfers.
Sealing prints are used on the inside of the ankles and wrists, and a Hanger Tolerance Print is added to the shoulders so the wetsuit can be hung up when wet without overstretching the material. Manera have also used as few seams as possible to reduce the amount of stitching in the suit and keep water entry to a minimum.
On The Water
I'm usually a size large in most wetsuits, so when this medium tall size suit arrived I was initially a little worried as yo how it would fit. Thanks to the 3D Design, however, it's a near perfect fit for me, and the stretchy and supple neoprene makes it an exceedingly comfortable suit to wear.
In previous years Manera used the Magma Fleece lining all over the inside of the suit, for 2016 however they have used the X10D super stretch lining on the arms and kept the Magma Fleece in the legs body and rest of the suit. This reduces the fatigue on you as a rider as the arm area is now even more manoeuvrable.
We're big fans of the Magma Fleece lining; it's really warm and even on the coldest of days this suit will keep you toasty. Elsewhere the quality of the suit is apparent at every turn. The ReFlex outer skin feels supple while offering good scuff protection and the seams are all beautifully taped and finished.
Tight seals on the ankles, wrists and neck, keep flushing to a minimum and the leg flush panels do a great job of getting rid of any water that does get forced. The Phantom straps are great and further enhance the ability of the suit to keep water out that comes shooting up from the board.
Overall
Another great suit from Manera, a perfect blend of warmth and stretch to offer a suit that will keep you on the water for longer. The 3D Design makes for an excellent fit, and while the suit is expensive, it exudes quality workmanship and materials. This is the suit that will keep us going for longer when ther weather gets colder!
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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!
