O'Neill Boys Defender 2mm Chest Zip Short Sleeve Spring Suit comes in a short sleeve cut. This basically means most of your upper half stays warm and protected from wind chill without becoming overheated and your exposed legs keep you feeling comfortable in those transitional months.

One of the key features of this wettie that defends against wind chill is the mesh skin panelling used on the chest and back covering the vitals. Wind chill works by cool wind wicking heat from your body, which is accelerated when you're wet due to water's ability to efficiently conduct heat. Because these panels are hydrophobic (meaning water runs off you like it does a duck's back) water doesn't get the chance to sap the heat from you in these spots keeping you super warm.

The advantage of a spring suit cut like this, is obviously that a little less coverage than a steamer keeps you comfortable in warmer conditions. It's also advantageous from a flexibility perspective. Like the rest of O'Neill's Defender range, this wetsuit is made from a flexible UltraFlex DS neoprene, but it is also only 2mm thick. Less neoprene to stretch means it feels more flexible, and because there's no coverage over the knees you've got a better range of motion through the legs.

For a wetsuit of this cut and thickness, you'd get good usage out of it through Queensland and northern NSW in those transitional months. For those spots further south where cold water's a little more persistent it's better suited as a summer wetsuit, depending on your tolerance to the cold.

If you want to get the most out of this wetsuit, make sure you're washing it after each session with and have a read of our wetsuit for more info on how to care for your suit.

O'Neill Boys Defender 2mm Chest Zip Short Sleeve Spring Suit Features:

• Flexible UltraFlex DS: Flexes whichever way you need, helping to conserve paddle energy and also insulates the body.
• GBS Seams: This style of stitching doesn't fully penetrate through the neoprene, so there are no pinholes for water to penetrate and are glued for reinforcement, so water would be hard-pressed to get through the seams. If you want to learn more about seams check out our
• Chest Zip Entry: These are the way to go if you're going to have a zipper - they don't divide the back panels of neoprene maintaining flexibility for paddling and creating a good seal against water compared with back zips. Interested to learn more about zips? Read our
• Mesh skin Chest and Back Panels: Works in the same way as smooth skin to prevent water from accelerating the effect of wind chill.
• Single Seal Collar: A continuous piece of smooth neoprene on the collar that creates a seal against the skin, meaning there is nowhere for water to flush into the wetsuit.
• Thermal Liner: A staple feature of most performance wetties on the market today, keeping you substantially warmer than your regular neoprene jersey lining.