Designed and built with superior warmth and comfort in mind, the women’s-specific Elara series features high-end materials and construction with an attractive splash of color and style to set it apart.
After putting the Elara suit on, my first thought was, “How can neoprene be so soft?” There’s a noticeable difference in the feel of these suits. It’s one of those things you really just have to experience for yourself.
My next thought was, “How can this suit be so form-fitting yet so stretchy?” In the strangest way, I actually felt like I had more range of motion with this suit on. My arms felt like they extended longer, and I felt more flexible than Gumby.
I was pretty perplexed by these two revelations, so I looked it up and realized that Ride Engine suits are made with Limestone-based Neoprene, rather than Petroleum-based Neoprene.
After a quick google search, I learned some facts about Limestone-based Neoprene, with this one being most enlightening: “Limestone-based Neoprene has a maximum elongation of over 480%, making these wetsuits the most free-moving and flexible.” It’s also much more environmentally-friendly than the standard petroleum-based Neoprene. Good call, Ride Engine.
Next, let’s talk about the part that matters most: warmth and insulation. The suit features a fleece interior liner that helps retain body heat and minimize water absorption. That paired with the Limestone-based Neoprene makes an incredibly warm and impermeable suit.
My skin stayed dry underneath the suit, and I couldn’t feel coolness of the water even when completely submerged. Limestone-based Neoprene is close to 95% impermeable to water (petroleum-based is only 65-69%), so the facts speak for themselves.
The bottom line: Ride Engine’s Elara Fullsuit is the most comfortable and highest-quality wetsuit I have ever worn. Any ladies in the market for a new suit should highly consider the Elara. Trust me on this one.
The 3/2mm version of the suit goes for $329, and if you need something a little thicker, the suit is available in 4/3mm for $389.
For all things Ride Engine, check them out at RideEngine.com.
About Ride Engine: Ride Engine started with a Santa Cruz waterman, his creative ingenuity and a deep reverence for the ocean as Mother Nature’s greatest playground. Coleman Buckley graduated from Stanford In 2010 with a degree in biology before returning to Santa Cruz to reconnect with his roots and evaluate his future … and to surf.
In the fall of 2014 Buckley joined forces with 7 Nation, a board sports company based in the Pacific Northwest. With significantly more resources and collaborators from multiple industries at its disposal, Ride Engine quickly had the ability to branch out and develop new product lines crossing over to other action sports. Ride Engine launched three models of highly-refined Armor harnesses to international markets in the summer of 2015 and followed with a full line of wetsuits the same season.
With a mantra of innovation through intimate rider-designer collaboration, Ride Engine continued to branch out, and quickly connected with top riders and innovators in the wake industry to develop a line of high-end wakeboarding accessories that also entered the market in the summer of 2015.
Collaboration with the best has always been at the core of Ride Engine, and as the company moves forward that concept will remain integral to how it operates. Ride Engine works with and relies on the most elite athletes in their sports to design top-quality products that help connect people with the activities that make them happy. And with those fundamentals at heart, the future is wide open.
