Advice on wet suits

[Loladragon]

Hi fellow divers,

I am looking into buying a wet suit and was wondering if anyone has any advice on what's a good quality suit for ladies, 7 mm that will keep me warm and comfy in waters of 12-15 degrees or warmer.

Thanks!

Loladragon

 

[t-mac]

Have a look at Waterproof suits. They do a bunch of different sizes -- surely one to match you well. They are high quality and have seals that significantly reduce waterflow. I have a 3mm that feels more like a 5 because of the good fit and seals.

 

[SailJuliet]

Hi Loladragon,

I've been a devotee of Xcel suits for years, I think my thickest one is a 7-8mm Bamboo (its not with me right now or I'd look to be sure!). As a woman I've always had great luck with the fit, quality, and comfort of their suits. I'm not the best person to ask about warmth though, I'm a wuss - anything below 70F (21C) I'm diving dry. But with a hooded vest that Xcel suit has always kept my wussy butt super toasty.

XCEL WETSUITS || OFFICIAL SITE

 

[Shftrdog]

I recomend the Bare Velocity, it has the best mix of comfort and durability. If you go full stretch it will be the most comfortable but it wont last very long

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

How long are your Dives? What have you been using so far? You can do it wet but you will have shorter dives. IMO, the only way to have good bottom times (nothing less then an hour) and stay "COMFY" in those waters is a Drysuit! If not going Dry then use a Semi-Dry. If you are set on a basic 7mm then look at the New Henderson Aqua-Lock.

 

[Bubbagump]

I also recommend WATERPROOF 7mm. They're expensive but top of the line.

 

[Dr Dog]

The Waterproof is the suit I would get. I cannot get them here so I went with a Henderson Aqualock

 

[divin'dog]

+1 on a Waterproof suit... Well made and warm. My 7mm W1 with only a core warmer and hood/gloves is good down to at least 49ºF. I was totally comfy and surprised the temp was that low.

 

[hmacdiver]

Does anyone know what the Waterproof W1 5mm Semi Dry is like? What temperatures does it go down to and still remain comfy?

 

[Waterproof-USA]

HI hmacdiver- Our W1 5mm is not a true "semi-dry" (it does not have a dry zipper), but all our suits W1, W2 and W3 5mm or 7mm are built to be the dryest wetsuits available. Glideskin wrist, neck and ankle seals with zippers along with our Waterdam and zipper seal make them pretty darn dry (Waterproof has been doing this for years, it's not new technology/features as some manufacturer's have jsut released and advertised!). Combine these with our G1 gloves, H1 hood and B1 boots and you've got a great system. To answer your question, our suits and neoprene are CE tested and rated, the W1 5mm is a Class C, the W1 7mm is Class B.
Here is a general summary:

According to the EN 14225-1 wetsuits are classified for protection in different water temperatures.
Thermal Protection Class Water temperature
Celsius Fahrenheit
A 7 - 12 44 - 54
B 10 - 18 50 - 65
C 16 - 24 60 - 75
D 22 -30 72 - 86