Children get cold quickly when doing water sports! Where a thin 3-millimetre wetsuit is enough for adults, kids often need a much thicker wetsuit to stay at operating temperature in the wind. With the Axis, manufacturer XCEL has a model in its range that is designed to keep kids warm even at temperatures well below 20 degrees - we tried it out with our little testers.
The Axis Back Zip 5/4 is available in six sizes (6/8/10/12/14/16) and two colours (blue/anthracite) and costs 199 euros. The fit is neither particularly tight nor excessively wide, the Size chart of the manufacturer offers good and reliable orientation in this respect. Thanks to a zip at the back, it is easy to put on and take off. The fact that the neoprene is extremely stretchy and small zips have been incorporated at the leg ends also contributes to the ease of donning. With its wonderfully soft neoprene, the wetsuit moulds perfectly to the contours of the body, ensuring excellent thermal insulation and very low water ingress. The well-protected seams, the soft cuffs on the hands and collar and the externally covered zip also keep cold water largely outside. Despite its thick dimensions, the XCEL Axis 5/4 offers maximum freedom of movement.
In test use, however, the Axis impressed above all with its super thermal insulation. With water at 15 degrees and air at 20 degrees, the kids can only be persuaded to get out of the water by pushing adults. And even during cold test sessions in spring with ten-degree water and a similar air temperature, our little testers lasted for over an hour.
XCEL Axis Back Zip 5/4 - the bottom line
The XCEL Axis 5/4 is one of the absolute top neos for children and teenagers. It combines maximum freedom of movement with the best thermal insulation. The 5/4 version is ideal for air and water temperatures of ten to 20 degrees.
