I recently got a wetsuit directly from Xterra. It came with a sheet of information. One of the things it says is, “Condition of New Suit - The suit you receive could be lightly pre-worn, but it is not damaged.” What exactly does that mean? My concern is that, since Xterra has a 30 day return policy, could it mean the following:
Someone buys one, treats it carefully, races in an Ironman, pees three times in it, washes it off, dries it, returns it and I get that suit?
Someone buys one, treats it carefully, keeps it for 29 days, wears it many times during those 29 days, stretches it quite a bit (but there are no visual marks), returns it and I get that suit?
Probably #2 more than #1 as I don’t think someone would get a suit within 30 days of an IM. Most people would train in it somewhat longer.
My suit had some slight marks on the neoprene. And now that I’ve owned it for a while, it has more marks. That’s life. Thanks God the piss smell is gone by now.
It most likely means it was sold, tried on, and returned. Not used per se. The question is did you pay full price or was there some sort of discount involved?
The advice I’ve heard about wetsuits (from a few coaches and a few people here) is that you should buy the size you think you need, then one or two above and below, try them all on, and return the ones that don’t fit. Those returned suits have to go somewhere.
I think they are covering their backs in case you get a suit that was returned. I bought a suit from them and I don’t believe it was ever worn and I’m very happy with it.
When you buy a suit at a retail store, you try it on there, while the staff watches. So you figure out then and there is the suit is the correct fit. If Xterra is shipping out suits, do they really know what the person does with it? Can they be really certain that a person didn’t pee in it, wash it a couple times with wetsuit shampoo, dry it and return it?
No…you are 100% right and I had the same thoughts when I read that on the paperwork that comes with it. Like I said, I don’t “think” mine was worn, if it was…too late now. I’ve worn it dozens of times now. I smells like me now.
When you buy a suit at a retail store, you try it on there, while the staff watches. So you figure out then and there is the suit is the correct fit.
Actually you shouldn’t… You should figure out in the water if the suit fits or not. What a suit feels like in the store may be complete different once you get it on in water.
I recently got a wetsuit directly from Xterra. It came with a sheet of information. One of the things it says is, “Condition of New Suit - The suit you receive could be lightly pre-worn, but it is not damaged.” What exactly does that mean? My concern is that, since Xterra has a 30 day return policy, could it mean the following:
Someone buys one, treats it carefully, races in an Ironman, pees three times in it, washes it off, dries it, returns it and I get that suit?
Someone buys one, treats it carefully, keeps it for 29 days, wears it many times during those 29 days, stretches it quite a bit (but there are no visual marks), returns it and I get that suit?
Smell the inside. Does it smell like piss? If not, you’re golden.
I ordered a QR Hydrofull, tried it on and it clearly didn’t fit and I sent it back. They’re just informing you you might get a suit that falls under a condition like this, which is probably the vast majority of returns.
I recently got a wetsuit directly from Xterra. It came with a sheet of information. One of the things it says is, “Condition of New Suit - The suit you receive could be lightly pre-worn, but it is not damaged.” What exactly does that mean? My concern is that, since Xterra has a 30 day return policy, could it mean the following:
Someone buys one, treats it carefully, races in an Ironman, pees three times in it, washes it off, dries it, returns it and I get that suit?
Someone buys one, treats it carefully, keeps it for 29 days, wears it many times during those 29 days, stretches it quite a bit (but there are no visual marks), returns it and I get that suit?
I think I would give Xterra a call and ask them. My Vortex 3 did not arrive with this document.
Thanks for the global inquiry because it is a good one about the condition of the wetsuit you received. Like a local triathlon store, it is always possible that your wetsuit was tried on by someone else. However, no one swam in your wetsuit from XTERRA WETSUITS before we shipped it to you. (by the way, this is usually obvious from having either faded water spots or body glide on the neck).
99% of our wetsuits are shipped directly from our warehouse in plastic and boxed, having never been opened nor seen the light of day (or water, for that matter). There are occasions where we would have taken your wetsuit out of its plastic packaging - e.g. for quality control, or someone needed to try it on in our showroom - but this is rare (e.g. 1%). If your wetsuit was originally purchased by a customer who returned it during our 30-day-no-questions-asked-period, and the wetsuit was originally backordered when you tried to purchase it, you will receive a call from our Customer Loyalty Team asking whether this is OK with you (yes, we inspected it first). I personally made a few of these calls earlier this year.
As for our User Guide, we put the remark about the condition of your new suit out of an abundance of caution (see the 1% above). Our new user guide does not have this remark because we are sending 100% of our wetsuits beginning on October 1st in their original plastic packaging.
Now, if you are the 1% and are not satisfied with your wetsuit for whatever reason - e.g. fit, color of X, want an upgrade, etc. - then you can return it for a full refund EVEN IF you have raced in it within 30 days of having received your triathlon wetsuit from us.
I hope this helps. You can always call us here at 858-565-9500. We’re here Monday through Saturday. Most of us train or race on Sunday.
