Any one have a Solafx Aqualung?

[stakanak]

Leisure Pro has the Solafx on sale for $324. It's an 8/7 and has an integrated hood. Just wondering if anyone has one or has any complaints about it. My buddy just got one and it is extra stretchy and seems like it is solidly built (a tough one for the new stretch materials as they seem to degrade rapidly).
Thanks People

 

[it_mike]

I personally wouldn't waste my money on something that thick. If you need that much insulation, move to a drysuit. With this suit you have one insulation level and a mandatory hood. What do you wear when it's warm? Or when you travel?

A drysuit lets you add insulation for cold dives, and reduce insulation for warm ones. I've dived from 38˚ to 79˚ in a drysuit. One suit that works under any conditions.

 

[jhayes75]

I have one and love it. It is easy to put on and take off and It does not restrict your movement like other suits. I dove in 55deg water and never got cold. I am going to have to disagree with the statement made about not wasting your money and buy a dry suit. A dry suit will cost at least an additional $700.00, Plus the cost of another certification. That is not a bad price either. I chose to support my LDS and paid $450.00.

 

[Ze_Abron]

I have one and it is a little cold at the end of a dive on a COLD Monterey day (49F). But Then I got a 3mm Pinnacle Merino core warmer to go underneath it and I was really SUPER toasty. I mean SUPER SUPER warm, snuggled under the duvet with kittens, by a roaring fire type of warm.

It is fine by itself if the water is 55 or above.

PS: I get cold easily.
PPPS: I paid $500 for mine at local LDS... :-(

 

[Chocula]

I have one and I really like the suit. I also have a dry suit, but for shallow beach dives where the suit is going to get some abuse, I prefer the Solafx.

It is pretty easy to put on considering its thickness and very warm. I have dove in 53 degree water and did not get chilled at all. I found it a bit warm for water over 72 degrees, but overheating can be controlled by flooding the suit as needed. The hood is permanently attached so when I did not want it, it just got pulled back.

I found the suit to float like a cork. It takes a lot of lead to sink me when I am wearing this suit. Aquaseal seems to hold pretty well where I had to repair a hole caused by doing wash on/offs on baracle covered rocks.

Overall, I would purchase the suit again.

 

[stakanak]

Thanks people! Man I love this site. It kinda takes the failure factor out of being a new diver...

 

[clifftondiver]

for the temperature of the water in socal, it's a good choice. you just cant go super-deep. I own one, but I don't use any longer bc i have a dry suit and like to go deep. if you want to buy it ill sell it to you for less than what you'll pay anywhere else. It only has like 25 dives on it. Let me know.

Cliff

 

[stakanak]

Thanks Cliff. I need a large short or maybe a large. I am 5'8 190lbs. If the suit is in the size range let me know. I am interested.
Thanks Again

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I just did my first dives in a new solafx. My previous 7m jump suit (Henderson Neosport) was degrading, both seams letting go and the neoprene was pretty well crushed and starting to get cool on extended dives to 80' in 60F water.

Overall I am pleased. It is very easy to don and doff and not restrictive despite the relatively thick neoprene. Warmth wise, about the same or slightly better than my 7mm farmer john+jacket, but much less restrictive. Much better than my old jump suit. The design allowed me to peel down the top half of the suite during my SI and be warm and comfortable (more importantly, I could relieve myself at the restroom rather than pissing in my suit). I love the built in hood since I sometimes solo and tucking the hood in can be a PITA. No problems with the cross chest zipper.

The only real down side it it is almost as buoyant as my 7M FJ+J. I was using 15lbs with the neosport jumpsuit (crushed), 23 with the Solafx and 24 with the FJ+J.

 

[leabre]

I use used it for roughly 200 dives and it was wonderful. I only wore 12 lbs lead on my belt, but used 6 lb neg BP and -2 lb stell tank. But one dive, it delaminated and lost its insulation properties. But in all, I liked it much better than my Henderson hyperstretch. If I were to buy a wetsuit again, it would be the SolAfx hands-down. I'm a drysuit diver now.