Mustang Hudson drysuit review

a_c

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Dec 23, 2014
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Victoria, BC
Note: this drysuit is the ‘latex neck and wrist seal’ version, not the ‘CCS’ version with neoprene wrist seals and adjustable neck cord/seal.

Disclaimer: I’ve only used the suit for a couple of weeks so I’ll save my final verdict for the 6-month mark, after a more reasonable amount of time and testing.

First impressions:

I’d consider this is a minimalist-style suit with the fancy stuff where I want it. I call it minimalist as there is no waist band or spray tunnel or pant cuffs or extra material flapping around getting wet. Just clean, simple lines.

The defining feature is the single long zipper; no extra relief zipper is needed. The big opening makes putting the suit on a breeze; ‘drysuit yoga’ is kept to a minimum. The internal suspenders are something I was ‘meh’ about, but after using them a few times I’m now a fan – they’re super useful during beach time when you typically have your suit at half-mast and they’re comfortable to wear, even while paddling.

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The Hudson next to a L6 Cronos. You can see the relative size of the zippers. The Hudson has what I would call a more 'refined' or ergonomic cut to it; by comparison, the Cronos is very square and blocky. I can confirm that mid-trip 'relief' is much easier with the zipper layout of the Hudson!

The Hudson has heavy cordura panels where you need them: on the seat, knees and feet (heavy duty material on the soles of the feet – what a concept! Kudos to Mustang for this one). I like the removeable internal foam knee pads; they’re super light and flexible enough that you don’t even know they’re there, until you kneel on the rocks and just….smile.
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Inside of the leg, showing the internal removeable kneepad

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This is the back of the foot, the heavy cordura material covers the sole and goes about 4" up the heel

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The sleeve and cuff; just a simple Velcro tab to snug up the wrist. The cuff opens quite wide, lots of room to work if you need to replace a gasket.

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Ye olde suspenders. Didn't think I needed them until I tried them out. Functional, practical, comfortable. Oddly satisfying, like a 1/4 pounder with cheese at 10pm.


There are a few other little extras that I haven’t used yet but seem to be well though out – external loops for hang drying, and the two pockets (arm and waist).

I ordered from the Mustang store online (if shopping, be sure to check the Clearance page – got this for $1039 CAD instead of the regular $1299) and it arrived within 3 days. The box included a pre-paid Purolator shipping label in the event of a return (detailed instructions were also included). There were a few little extras too, Aquaseal, zipper lube, a few promo stickers – nothing overly ‘wow!’ but nice to see the effort.

So after a few days of use I’m happy with it, as one would expect/hope. As noted above, I’ll reserve judgement but will check back in and provide my final verdict at around the 6-month mark.

EDIT: this review is for the men's version but it's worth noting the Hudson also comes in a woman's version, with a rather unique corkscrew-type single zipper arrangement that does away with the need for a separate rear-flap relief zipper. Not sure how it works in practice, but in theory it looks (to me at least) like a much more elegant and logical solution.
 
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JohnAbercrombie

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@a_c :Thanks for the review! Lots of well-thought-out features in that suit. And the price is attractive, especially if you can grab one on Clearance as you did. :thumbsup:
I think you alluded to the easier 'Pee bottle in the boat' zipper access, which always gets my attention, and isn't talked about often enough IMO. Being able to avoid a risky (and time-wasting) landing for 'relief' can be a big plus.
Questions:
Do you think the fabric is heavier than the stuff in the Cronos? A friend commented that the Mustang suit felt more 'heavy duty' than his other suits.
Was the sizing chart accurate? A friend and I both have to 'hitch up' our too-long Chillcheater suits because we ordered 'Tall' suits after following the sizing chart, not realizing the chart erred on the 'generous' end.
Is the suit actually made in BC? Or, 'Designed in BC' and built offshore?
How do you find the 'cone' style wrist gaskets for comfort and water-sealing? And did you need to trim them? Is the neck gasket a similar shape ?
The knee pads are a great idea. Are they inside the waterproof (membrane?) layer or outide?
 

a_c

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Joined
Dec 23, 2014
Messages
120
Location
Victoria, BC
Questions:
Do you think the fabric is heavier than the stuff in the Cronos? A friend commented that the Mustang suit felt more 'heavy duty' than his other suits.
Yes, it definitely feels heavier and more robust; it might be partly because it's new and still stiff, but I had this impression right from the get-go just by picking it up. Hard to properly compare proprietary materials, but we know the Cronos uses eVent 2.5 (not their heaviest line) while the Hudson uses MarineSpec BP (whatever that is), "the most durably waterproof and windproof protection in the MarineSpec family of materials" according to the accompanying literature. So take that for what it's worth.

Was the sizing chart accurate? A friend and I both have to 'hitch up' our too-long Chillcheater suits because we ordered 'Tall' suits after following the sizing chart, not realizing the chart erred on the 'generous' end.
I've read other user comments that say it fits 'big' and I'd tend to agree. I tried on a size L in a store (it was the CCS/neoprene version, so not an exact comparison) and it almost fit (well actually it fit, but I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt); I'm 6'2 and slim but usually I need an XL for my long arms and I don't like feeling movement-restricted. Kokatat XL fits me well, my Cronos XL is just long enough, and the Hudson is definitely the largest of the three - let's just say I have a lot of room to grow!

Is the suit actually made in BC? Or, 'Designed in BC' and built offshore?
Yes, it appears to be all made locally. Two separate tags claim "made in Canada" and "Proudly designed, engineered and manufactured at the Mustang Waterlife Studio in British Columbia, Canada".

How do you find the 'cone' style wrist gaskets for comfort and water-sealing? And did you need to trim them? Is the neck gasket a similar shape ?
So far so good, but I haven't exactly given it a robust work out. When I had my Cronos out in the surf in Tofino last month the water was literally squirting up my sleeves within minutes :frown: I hope this one proves better. I haven't trimmed anything yet, but final fit TBD.

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This is a shot of the neck gasket - not quite as cone shaped as the wrists?

The knee pads are a great idea. Are they inside the waterproof (membrane?) layer or outide?
Yes, I totally agree! The cloth housing for the pads lies inside the membrane, so in theory they would never get wet.
 

a_c

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Joined
Dec 23, 2014
Messages
120
Location
Victoria, BC
UPDATE: 9-month review:

I've put this suit through a pretty good workout over the past year, and I'm extremely happy with it. From surf weekends in Tofino to day paddles to a 14-day Haida Gwaii excursion this August, this suit hasn't let me down once. To recap:

Highlights:
The proprietary material (MarineSpec BP) has been bullet proof so far - no issues whatsoever with leaking, seeping or wetness. The heavy duty Cordura material on the seat, knees and feet (soles) gives a really good buffer from wear and tear. The padded knees (removable) are great for loading the 'yak on those rocky beach days - you don't have to worry about rocks or barnacles poking holes in your suit (the comfort factor of padded knees can't be overstated either!).

Fit and comfort: As mentioned above, this suit is super easy to take on and off; the extra long zipper negates the need for a separate relief opening, and on hot days it's a breeze to unzip, air out, and cool off. The writs cuffs are cut quite high up the forearm, which makes it easy to put on, but you can also 'lock down' the material with Velcro strips when the going gets a bit sporty - during surf play I didn't notice any water entering through the wrists seals. The lack of a tunnel overskirt might be an issue to some, but I enjoy not having the extra fabric bulk (this goes for the lack of pant cuffs as well).

The other little touches are nice but not deal breakers - I like the suspenders, and the pockets are useful, as is the hanging tab on the back of the suit. The only negative thing I'd say is that the material around the neck (not the actual gasket, the neck 'cuff') felt a bit tight when pulling your head through but after a few months it seemed to stretch out and now I don't even notice it.

My early review was fairly positive, and after nearly a year of use I reiterate my first impressions: it's a solid suit that does what its supposed to do. It's definitely my preferred option for paddling (I have a new Kokatat Meridian hanging in the closet as a backup that hasn't even seen the water yet).

As far as value, these still retail for $1299 ($1499 for the CCS version) at most outlets but if you watch the Mustang store you can get some pretty killer deals - I bought mine from their clearance section for $1039, and shortly after that they had a Black Friday sale where you could pick one up for $939 :cool:.
 
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