Stokes Vest and Wetsuit unboxing

[Horton]

[DaveD]

Anyone using their gloves? How well do they hold up?

[Texas6]

4 seasons in my Stokes "Mapple" vest - favorite vest I've ever owned; still going strong

[Horton]

I broke down and had to ski today. The vest was comfortable as expected. The suit is also comfortable.

 

It was 60 air and 60 water so not super cold but I was not cold at all. The suit is really thin but I suspect it is pretty durable. I like it.

 

I was unsure how I would like gloves that were so thin but they were fine. I may be a convert to the thin gloves. The grip is for sure really good.

[igkya]

Can anyone tell us how the gloves compare to the MSN gloves? And how the vest compares to the Eagle Platinum?

[Thomasasher]

Hi Ballers, super stoked to see and hear of skiers in our gear and enjoying our products. We are trying everyday to make high quality, long lasting suits, vests, and gloves.

The gloves have been holding up well to every day use. Myself and June both use the gloves to train in week in and week out. The Amara material wraps all the way round the glove to provide a super comfortable fit without the bunching under the knuckles. Rob Hazelwood, who recently won the Junior World Slalom title uses them and loves the grip. The vest is hard to compare and the best way to have a look is to head to stokesskis.com and see the size chart. We do think, without knowing the size chart of the eagle jackets on hand, they match up pretty close in sizing. E-mail info@stokesskis.com for more questions or you can either ring 3523480791 or 3523480800 Mon-Fri 9am - 6pm EST.

[Cam]

I bought two pairs of Stokes gloves at the beginning of last season one to wear with liners and one without, both are still going strong and don't doubt they will last at least for this coming season, pretty good going as I normally wear out two pairs of gloves a season. B)

[Thomasasher]

Hi Cam, The gloves are becoming more popular because of what you mentioned. The longevity is great and they seem to maintain their shape for a while also without going baggy. Glad you like em.

[Horton]

I skied in Stokes gloves, suit and vest again today. The more time I spend with the suit the more I like it. The one I have is long arms and 3/4 legs. The best thing I can say is I was warm and I didn't think about the rubber I was wearing.

 

I think @Colebrah was looking at my suit and wondering if his old suit would last the rest of the spring. I know he thinks the 3/4 legs are cool

 

 

[mbabiash]

I ordered the superflex suit a few days ago.

Thomas was very quick to answer my questions about sizing. It was shipped quickly and I get it tomorrow. Now I just need a boat. Can't wait to try it out.

 

[DanE]

Long arms and 3/4 legs makes perfect sense. At last a suit designed for waterskiing, need long arms to keep out the chill and nice to have the knees covered while nothing to interfere with boots. You really never get cold from bare shins anyway.

[ALPJr]

The Stokes products look nice. Glad to see 3/4 legs. Love my O'Neill Assault BLP 3/4, and after 23 seasons (including 2 in the Berkeley salt) I may need to replace it soon.

[ColeGiacopuzzi]

@Horton the Capri pants are pretty spectacular, they're wearing on me.

[Nando]

I'm a little off-topic here, but are the Stokes jump skis again independently-made or are they re-branded XXs? Or are they an independent design made by whoever?

[Horton]

@Thomasasher

[Thomasasher]

Hi All.

 

we thought long and hard about designing and bringing out a 3/4 leg suit. It seemed to make perfect sense to us for Slalom and Tricks. I think we went through about 15-20 samples to make sure we got the right fit around the leg cuff and the lengths right. Along with the 4 way flex throughout, the suit feels great to slalom in. The super flex material in the arms ensures that no fatigue will happen throughout the slalom set.

 

@Nando The Jump skis are made by us in our Stokes Factory in California. Ray Stokes, who is the inspiration behind all of our gear was building jump skis for years. June Fladborg broke the Womens World Jump Record a few years ago on his skis. We took Rays mold and created a permanent all alloy mold so we could build the skis exactly how Ray would have wanted. These are no Brand XXs or skis designed by whoever. These are skis designed, manufactured, and hand built here in the USA to the high standards we expect in all our gear. We have been really happy with how the skis jump and proud that we can carry on Rays legacy. If you need any more info on the skis message us at info@stokesskis.com or call 3523480791 or 3523480800.

[34mph]

So how about the sizes ? I'm between a med and large for vest and tops. I have to go to a large in a eagle , the size chart for stokes med seems a little bigger.

[Thomasasher]

Hi @34mph

 

So my size is a Large. I'm 5'10" a 41" chest, 34" waist and shoulder to hip is 23".

 

Robert Hazelwood is 5'10" 40" chest and a 32" waist is in a medium.

 

Large fits me perfect in both the vest and the jacket.

 

I'm not sure on the sizing for Eagle Jackets.

 

Hope that helps a bit. If you need any more info drop us an e-mail at info@stokesskis.com or call 3523480791 or 3523480800 m-f 9-6pm EST and we'll be more than happy to help.

 

 

 

[34mph]

great thanks for the help , I like it ? now the tops on line look diff then this pic? do not look like they have stokes on them ?

[Thomasasher]

@34mph ahh, well pointed out. I am wearing our Superflex short leg wetsuit in that pic. I have attached a pic with the top below.

 

 

[34mph]

Ok ya thanks ..... Like the arms of the wetsuit better .

[Thomasasher]

Hi.

 

The arms do have a pattern on the wet suit but is the same material on both. We put flex panels along the sides on the Top as a lot of people like to wear their jackets underneath. The material used on the top side panels will stretch but also go back to its original shape. It won't get loose over time. The tops are popular as they are warm but also very flexible.

[Thomasasher]

Hi.

 

The arms do have a pattern on the wet suit but is the same material on both. We put flex panels along the sides on the Top as a lot of people like to wear their jackets underneath. The material used on the top side panels will stretch but also go back to its original shape. It won't get loose over time. The tops are popular as they are warm but also very flexible.

[Bill22]

Does the vest have more flotation than the competition? A comfortable vest with a little more flotation would be awesome.

[Bill22]

Does the vest have more flotation than the competition? A comfortable vest with a little more flotation would be awesome.

[Thomasasher]

We designed our vest specifically for comfort and free range of movement in the course. We used jackets in the past that when you dropped in at the end of the lake you had to paddle to stay afloat. We have also seen jackets that when people have a bad slalom crash the jacket would struggle to keep them buoyant. Our jacket will keep you afloat, their is nothing worse than dropping in at the end of the lake and not being able to relax and catch your breath. If you scroll up on this thread you can see how it looks. We also have more pics on stokesskis.com. You can check out our dealers. Performance Ski and Surf, Orlando and Miami Ski Nautique. Thankyou

[Thomasasher]

We designed our vest specifically for comfort and free range of movement in the course. We used jackets in the past that when you dropped in at the end of the lake you had to paddle to stay afloat. We have also seen jackets that when people have a bad slalom crash the jacket would struggle to keep them buoyant. Our jacket will keep you afloat, their is nothing worse than dropping in at the end of the lake and not being able to relax and catch your breath. If you scroll up on this thread you can see how it looks. We also have more pics on stokesskis.com. You can check out our dealers. Performance Ski and Surf, Orlando and Miami Ski Nautique. Thankyou

[Bill22]

Thanks

[Bill22]

Thanks

[Thomasasher]

Hi all, A little video of June Asher discussing the Stokes Superflex. Available on-line or from Performance Ski and Surf or Miami Ski Nautique

 

[34mph]

looks great .... everything it is on my list this month ,, thanks

[Thomasasher]

Hey guys a number of people have been asking about out EVO 2 vest. Here's a little video explaining the vest

 

[Horton]

@Thomasasher I have taken a few sets in my Stokes vest and I love it!

[Ed_Johnson]

My question is how the 3/4 Suit compares in warmth to the Camaro. I Love the Camaro but durability is a real issue. Two seasons and they are done.

[Horton]

@Ed_Johnson My guess is for the same thickness it is pretty close. Part of the magic of the Camaro is how super ultra stretchy it is. That is also part of the reason why they do not last as long as you would wish. I am warm in my Stokes and it is just a little stiffer (I only notice when getting in the suit). I expect the the Stokes to last longer but I only have 3 or 4 sets in mine so far.

 

One of the things I do not like about the Camaro is that because it is so stretchy I tend to get a little pool of cold water in my crotch when I am in the water between passes. I never notice it much until I enter the course. As I switch edges into one ball all that cold water sloshes up my back. More than anything it is distracting and funny. The Stokes is yet to do this to me. I assume that is because the water that is in the suit can not pool down there - because the stokes is not as ultra stretchy.

 

Camaro makes a great suit and I own a bunch of them. Stokes is a very good alternative and I am really happy to promote the product.

[Thomasasher]

@Ed_Johnson Hi thanks for the query on the Stokes 3/4 leg suit. We've been really happy with the suit so far for durability. I use my suit most days not just to ski in but to change ramps, buoys etc. The material is the same used in our Slalom top, which has been on the market for a few years now. They've been holding up great. I have one that's 3 years old and still going strong.

 

The suit is a high mobility suit in that you can bend and twist in all directions without getting any restriction. The suit is made from two different kinds of material. The body is very flexible, but the arms have a different material that's super stretchy. The goal was to create a slalom suit that wouldn't hinder mobility or generate fatigue. So from the Shoulder to wrist is very flexible. We figured if we used that in the body of the suit it wouldn't hold up well. Yes the body is a little less flexible than the arms, but its still incredibly non restrictive.

 

If I have my hands 5" apart on the body of the suit and pull on the material I get 4.5". So basically it has 4.5" of stretch.

 

On the arms I do the same thing I get 11" of stretch which feels awesome to slalom in as their is absolutely no restriction on the shoulders and arms.

 

This winter in Florida has not been to cold but Rob Hazelwood was skiing in 50 degree water in the UK and not having an issue with warmth which is great for a 1mm suit.

[Ed_Johnson]

@Horton .. Thanks John for the honest evaluation. I believe both are great products.

 

@Thomasasher .. Great information. Both of my Camaro suits will be toast at the end of this winter. Plan on making one of your suits next after that. Thanks..ED

 

 

[Horton]

It was 50 air and 55 degree water when i skied yesterday. I was cold as hell before i skied and was comfortable once in my Stokes suit & in the water.

[Zman]

Looks like awesome conditions yesterday @Horton, from pics in the "February" thread. At first I wondered if you were in a jump suit, or extra long shorts? I always thought what would be best for me most days in Bama would be long shorts just below the knees, and a heater top. With a full wet suit, unless I get the leg tucked a bit into the boots, spray leg gets rolled up.

So, I am glad to see in this thread there is now a 3/4 leg shorty with long sleeves - perfect!

And, my birthday is coming up!

[Horton]

Slalom suit. Long arms and three quarter legs. Love it!

 

[chris55]

Looks very nice and happy too. @Horton do you get some water infiltrating at your legs or is it watertight ? And the vest looks super nice too.

@Thomasasher just one question how can we get them (the vest and the suit) here in Europe and specifically in Geneva Switzerland ?

[Horton]

@chris55 this suit is not totally dry inside. Bottom line it is comfortable and warm.

[Thomasasher]

@chris55 the water shouldn't shoot up the legs. We did some testing to make sure that wouldn't happen. I've skied in my 3/4 suit a fair amount and haven't had any water shoot up. The suit is not totally dry inside. The water isn't rushing in though. The suit is stitched and tape sealed, so it takes a bit for water to get in it. As @horton said, it is comfortable and warm.

 

We don't have any European dealers so we would have to ship from the USA. Listen, we make a great product that we would love to see more in Europe, we think our suit would fit perfect with the climate over there. The cheapest way to get gear back to Geneva is to have a friend bring it back for you. International shipping is quite expensive, their are options and we always try to find the best quotes for our customers.

[ALPJr]

I've been using a 3/4 leg suit since '95. No issues with water build up in the legs. Works better than shorty legs - think it has something to do with the flex of the knees. Very glad to see this option again.

[Onside135]

@thomasasher...is $30 really the cheapest shipping option for the vest?

[34mph]

onside135 my wife bought it for me as a gift and saw the shipping and was taken back a little by that , since so lite ??? I contacted thomasasher and that is what he said it coast with Fedex ????

it was great that he got back to me however it seems ups would be better bet, I have shipped alot of things that far including skis. .... anyway

[chris55]

Thank you to @Horton and @Thomasasher . It looks very comfortable and I think when we have the water around 60°F it should be just right. Friend of mine is going to Orlando in April and probably I'll ask him to bring me back the vest. The vest looks really nice comfortable and a good floatation too.

[skidawg]

@Horton .."One of the things I do not like about the Camaro is that because it is so stretchy I tend to get a little pool of cold water in my crotch when I am in the water between passes. I never notice it much until I enter the course. As I switch edges into one ball all that cold water sloshes up my back. More than anything it is distracting and funny. The Stokes is yet to do this to me. I assume that is because the water that is in the suit can not pool down there - because the stokes is not as ultra stretchy."

 

Perhaps you just have to much spare room down there?????

[Zman]

@skidawg What many ballers thought, but only you had the balls to say it! Guess no such space in your wet suit.

[Bill22]

I talked to @perfski performance today and they are supposed to get some Stokes vest in stock in the next few days.