wetsuits to avoid?

[Surelyshirly]

I have a new O'Neill wet suit and would recommend it...the difference between my suit and my sons o'neill surfing wetsuit is in how they finish the wrist and ankles.... my 5ml suit can retain some of water and not drain as well as my 3ml but still love the suit.

look for the quality of the suit no matter which manufacturer...the way they finish seems, the zipper, if there is any finishing at the wrists and cuffs or is it just straight cut...and how is the thickness distributed...in thicker suits it should be more than one thickness on the suit depending on the area with the thickest material on the trunk of the body which allows for some better dexterity in the suit...on my O'neill 5ml the trunk of the suit is what they refer to as "firewallled" i find i often have some dry patches on this portion of the suit after a dive.... just my opinion

 

[whathedeuce]

thanks for the replies. has anyone heard of the brand "H2ODDYSSEY?" Is it any good?

 

[LiteHedded]

Based just on my experience, avoid Seaquest X-Flex wetsuits with the powdery blue fabric. Mine started to fall apart after just 25 dives. The legs fell off within 1-2 years. I've heard other divers diving that wetsuit have better luck if the fabric isn't the powder blue one. I think they changed the fabric they used after a while.

I've found that most of the light blue fabrics on wetsuits I've owned deteriorate far more quickly than the rest of the suit. I wonder if anyone else has had that experience?

lol the legs fell off??
that sucks man. it's hilarious, but it sucks

 

[whathedeuce]

so, which of these four will probably be the best quality, or are they all about equal. Mares, Pinnacle, Akona, or Aqualung.

 

[p1medicshawn]

Stay away from neosport, they tend to rip/tear easily. I have both an AKONA and a Bare and they are great. They hold up to both the warm water and the cold water. Best of luck.

 

[TimAZ]

Some suits may cost in the price range you are giving but not all suits that are good are that inexpensive. Henderson, Aqualung, and Pinnacle make really exceptional suits in my opinion and the suits last well.

robint

I agree on the paying for quality. I have about 150 dives on my Pinnacle Arctic and it's as good as the day I bought it. I don't know about the stretchy suits though. If a suit fits well, it shouldn't be needful.

 

[matts1w]

so, which of these four will probably be the best quality, or are they all about equal. Mares, Pinnacle, Akona, or Aqualung.

Those all are four fine wetsuits. I doubt you would be able to much difference in quality. Get the one that fits best and makes you happy.

 

[TimAZ]

so, which of these four will probably be the best quality, or are they all about equal. Mares, Pinnacle, Akona, or Aqualung.

Of those four, I'd lay my money on Pinnacle. It's noteworthy that exposure gear is ALL they do. Their suits are not something else they do in addition to regs, bc's, luggage, and whatever. Their customer service is outstanding and it's not unusual to call and have George (president of Pinnacle America) to answer the phone himself. I have no connection with Pinnacle aside from being a customer, but I am a little biased in that every suit I own (wet and dry) is made by them.

BTW: If you are on a little bit of a budget, I've always heard good things about Akona and they appear to be well constructed.

 

[sberanek]

I have a Neosport 3mil and it works just dandy. I don't know if thicker suits might not hold up under normal wearing conditions, but I used my 3mil all summer and it was awesome. It also fits perfectly so I don't think it has any undue stress on any given point that may make it fail quickly.

Plus, if it does fail prematurely, it only cost me $50 new.

--Shannon

 

[whathedeuce]

anyone familiar with this suit? i like my scuba max mask,lol...
3MM Men's Full Blue Wetsuit - Full Scuba Diving Wetsuit: at JoeDiverAmerica.com