Cousteau Wetsuit

[Tickler]

I was wondering if any one has or has dove with those old rubber wet suits. Are they warm or comfortable? How much would one cost? I would love to get one with those yellow stripes.

 

[Nemrod]

Well, if you find someone who can actually reproduce true vintage suits, let us know.

I cannot speak for the very suit that he is wearing in the photo but yes, the suits of that era were warm and rugged and quite functional. However, they were not the 3D stretch needed by today's flabby humanoids. Many suits were made from the no longer available USA made Rubatex G231. The best neoprene ever made for wetsuits. Very low compression, they remained warm even at depth and their buoyancy did not swing as wildly as todays stretchy soft so called neoprene.

I have, if you are approximately 5'8", male and of mesomorph build and about 150 pounds, I got your suit, NIB.

N

 

[Carlos Danger]

Looks like the actual suit was up for auction back on October of 2009 - $21,555 YIKES!!!!

Love the old footage in the YouTube link:

Wetsuit anyone ? Why not dive down to Marseilles and make a bid! | FR2DAY.com - The Lifestyle Magazine that covers the South of France & Monaco

 

[trapezus]

I have jacket incorporated hood and boot 5mm , front zipper ... very warm and soft neopren .It hangs in my La Spiro collection .. and I am looking for pant

 

[drbill]

When I filmed with a Japanese crew for NHK (Japan's public TV network), they wore suits like these. Back in my early days I wore one too. Quite a different experience from today's marginal neoprene. I had the neoprene on one recent wetsuit literally dissolve away in the crotch and armpits. The fabric was still in good shape but when I held the suit up to the light, it shone right through huge holes.

Here is Jean-Michel Cousteau in the silver wetsuits used during the filming of a 1985 documentary on board Alcyone:

 

[KD8NPB]

I have, if you are approximately 5'8", male and of mesomorph build and about 150 pounds, I got your suit, NIB.

N

Tempting.

I'm 5'8", 158 lb, 30" inseam, 31" waist, 37" chest...

 

[dfx]

Now the obvious question would be: if this old neoprene is so superior to the modern stuff, why don't they still make and use it?

 

[KD8NPB]

Now the obvious question would be: if this old neoprene is so superior to the modern stuff, why don't they still make and use it?

Price, faster manufacturing, less wetsuit stock required, etc.

 

[drbill]

Now the obvious question would be: if this old neoprene is so superior to the modern stuff, why don't they still make and use it?

Some custom wetsuit shops still do... but at the rate I go through wetsuits (at least one per year), that would get expensive.

 

[rhwestfall]

Wetwear makes them out of G-231N..... Darn good suit.