Shane Dorian introduces the Billabong V1 big wave flotation wetsuit

[SenneffRules]

what people don't realize is this suit is for emergency situations only! you don't just pull it every wipeout you take. You only pull this thing when you seriously think you are about to die and there's no way up then when you make it up you go in and call it a day that's what this suit is for to save your life when there's no other option and you think you are about to drown

[Pighaterskater]

I have temopral lope epilepsy. I hope Billabong make this avalible to the public. Something like this could maybe say a life of someone who has seizures.

[kunitshiuauas]

yeyy, its a very good idea!... better then nothing and better then you get the higher risk of get death...

[johnsonspeedkiller]

Very cool!

[dr00andrew]

its built to get you to the surface when you are pushed down as far as you can go. It makes it alot easier than swimming up. You could easily die in this suit. It is a great idea for the people who know what they are doing and have been held under in surf like that

[Milopowerful]

sup people doing business stuies assignment

[gotweird]

"Hey bro... what if instead of popping these whip-its, we attach them to our wet suits"

"Whicked, Brah!!"

[kauaicr07]

Pacific Voyagers are Canoe Sailors we visited Captain Peia Patai of Cook Islands and Captain Duncan of New Zealand July 11, 2011 Hanalei Bay, Kauai Hawaii USA. Fair winds and following seas crossing to San Francisco Monterey Bay, Los Angeles and San Diego California USA we stand up paddle surfed with world renowned humanitarian educator philanthropist, actor activist artist author producer Pierce Brosnan Honours OBE. We all admired the magnificent Pacific Voyagers bravo mahalo. Kauaicr07 #228

[noordkant]

What about a inflatable rash quard for the tropics, a rash quard with a little extra buoyancy will also do the job for me :)

[nikiwatergirl]

Safety tools like this are valuable when combined with education.

FII freediving courses train any healthy individual to comfortably hold their breath (3mins +) utilizing specific skills that can be adapted to different situations. Most importantly, they train you in managing Black Out or LMC - this is what saves lives.

[thunderwithrain]

Why don't you put a depth trigger on this? You get depth meters on dive watches and if you add one you just punch in the actual survival depth of the reef or surf you're in and it brings you up automatically? And the floatations idea is good if it's somehow got one trigger set in front? If you're passed out after a king wave then a beacon would be good set on both the support jet ski and the back of the suit? Brilliant idea! Less injury, grief and more actual sport.

[oldface00]

Shane,

It’s great that Billabong and Mustang are on-board with what you say is your idea! Dave Luster (QuickSilver), Kurt Rios (Body Glove), Garrett McNamara, Berry Collins (Performance Mfg) and Bill Meistrell (Co-Founder of Body Glove) may he Rest in Peace! Have all had one thing in common, that they all have had an interest in Surfer’s Friend Inc…

You can contact us or have your attorneys contact ours?

Regards,

[oldface00]

Already Patented!!!

United States Patent 6976894; United States Patent 7351126

They are For Sale

[furyofbongos]

Speaking of safety, what about wearing a helmet? You can't pull the cord when you're unconscious. Several great surfers have drowned because of being hit in the head by their own boards.

[surferguy331]

@furyofbongos same with hitting yur head on the bottom of the reef oowwww

[UrbanRedBull]

What if you come back up, and a massive wave is about to crack right on top of you, but you cant go down and try to avoid it because the air bladder is keeping you on the surface?

[laxboy7890]

i think that it has one on both sides now. look at like 3:44 to about 3:47

[Piooro76]

@laxboy7890

nope, that's boobs of a dummy. Look closely, they're there even before he pulls the cord

It's back bladder only, should be in front

[zerkortan]

i guess if only just a little amount of surfer out there gets such a suit to protect their lifes, you really should start to think about how you could improve this great product

--> make it more eco-friendly: production of the suit and all the stuff - first and foremost the possibility to refill the used cylinder.

[SURFSTYLEY4]

Hell Yeah Shane, Great Idea, one of those things you wonder why it took so long for someone to add this to a wetsuit. A timer on the thing might be good too, If someone where knocked out and wasn't able to pull the cord, maybe after 3 mins at a certain depth it would automatically inflate.

[87edrag]

You guys are totally right about it needing to be on the front.

[REDGUNRIDER]

U.S. Navy UDT lifejacket technology there. Been around for years.  Hooyah.

[fermmaia]

It is a great ideia and works perfectly, but I agree with fredericohsilva... The fact of the device inflates on the back of the surfer might put him in a very dangerous position in case of loss of consciousness. Wonder if woundnt be safer to be the very same way the flight jackets are!! Altough it would turn the paddle after using it almost impossible...

Anyway!! Its a great evolution!! Congrats!!

[TheMihow]

life jacket?

[fredericohsilva]

Very similar to the freedivers recovery vest, the thing with billabongs is it needs the user to inflate the vest, the FRV inflates automatically, and puts the user in a position where we can survive even if unconscious, not staying facing the water. The V1 as it inflates on your back will put the surfer on dangerous position.

[uberscheisse]

surprised nobody's thought of this before... i think "if only (insert name of tragically passed-away surfer) had one of these..."

[batelshimi]

Amazing!!

[MrPilago808]

This suit is giong to save lives

But on the other hand, I dont think people should rely on this to make it out of a big wave wipeout

[volcomad77]

@MrPilago808 It's assistance for the BIG wave community who rely on their own two hands "to make it out of a big wave wipeout" at the moment, people are not going to just be able to buy this technology off the shelf (think of liability alone), This is for a select few (not you), and If it saves lives it's going to be the lives of people who should be "out" there. 650>808

[MrPilago808]

@volcomad77 Im not being negative here, so Im wondering why your trying to insult me. You said this is for a select few (not you) - who are you then? Anybody can go out there and tow in, and if it were to be sold to the public, I guarentee people would rely solely on this to make it up.

Ignorant haoles<808

[andsun]

@volcomad77

808>650

[dazedheroine]

wow nice innovation.

[kirks808]

i thought of that years ago but had no idea it was possible. good on ya shane!

[WatchMusicTV]

damn thats such a great idea.