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50 years of innovation in one wetsuit
June 25, 2024
Innovations
3 min read
Flashbomb Fusion draws a new mark in the sand
When Rip Curl launched the FlashBomb Fusion in 2023, our Global Product Manager of Wetsuits, Adam Brissenden, hailed it as a “new mark in the sand” for surfing equipment.
In 1969, Rip Curl began to revolutionise the surfing wetsuit to help surfers stay out for longer in the cold southern waters off Australia’s Bells Beach.
Since then, our crew has invested more than 50 years of research, development and innovation into products that have redefined the possibilities of wetsuits. Whether that’s the first under-arm gussets or the world's first waterproof seam, the first liquid tape or the stretchiest neoprene that surfers had ever seen, Rip Curl has been at the forefront of wetsuit technology.
Our latest innovation, Flashbomb Fusion, is no exception. Warm, flexible, durable and 96% stitch-free, Flashbomb Fusion solves the age-old issue of wetsuits leaking at the seams.
Most wetsuits are made from neoprene, a synthetic rubber material known for its flexibility, durability, insulation and resistance to water. “As neoprene has become stretchier and stretchier, and because that’s where a lot of the movement is, the seams have become the weak point of many suits,” Adam explains. “This leads to cold water leaking into the suit, and the surfer becoming cold.”
Rip Curl’s Fusion Dry Seam Technology eliminates the need for stiff liquid tape or stitching that can compromise a suit’s performance and integrity. This breakthrough innovation – our most technically advanced seam construction yet – uses a unique bonding technique that doesn’t require stitching (the source of the pinholes that let cold water leak in). Combined with 100% E7 Flash Lining, E7 Flash Lining Tape, a zip-free entry and sealed cuffs, the FlashBomb Fusion is the ultimate in surfing comfort.
We think Flashbomb Fusion is revolutionary; but don't take our word for it. Cleanline Surf's review calls Flashbomb Fusion “a top-shelf, no-compromises wetsuit that adds all the motivation and confidence needed for getting out in cold conditions without being held back”.
The FlashBomb Fusion has been well received by Rip Curl’s core surfer target audience, with robust sales across retail, e-commerce and wholesale channels. There’s plenty of growth ahead for this wetsuit that blows all others out of the icy water. And as for Rip Curl’s Design Crew? They are hard at work, developing the next innovation in wetsuit technology.
