Best Cold Water Wetsuit

[WartedEmperor]

I am wanting to get a new wetsuit for coldwater. I have been looking at the Kodiak 8/6mm Merino Lined Semi-Dry or the Extreme 8/6mm Merino Lined which seems like the same suit except one has a hood. I have been looking at the Pinnacle wetsuits because they have the Merino wool which is suppost to keep you 35% warmer. So I figure if it get an 8mm then it is really like a 11.6mm. Out of these two which would you pick? Also what do you think is better, and is the Merino wool as good as they say it is?

 

[RJP]

Best Cold Water Wetsuit?

Sort of like looking for the tallest midget?

 

[spectrum]

IS the water that cold in TN?

The Kodiak is an elastiprene suit. Being a compliant rubber it will be more susceptible to crushing at depth. That means for deeper dives performance will fall off faster than a common blend such as in the Extreme.

The Kodiac has the Front-mounted Riri™ zipper is 200 times more waterproof than a traditional wetsuit zipper where a full blown drysuit zipper is in the extreme.

You want to check the fit very carefully on the Extreme. Having the hood integrated means you need to be spot on with the fit. It also limits some of your mix and match options.

What sorts of prices do these command? With that zipper the Extreme must be approaching cost of an entry level drysuit.

Pete

 

[WartedEmperor]

The Kodiak is $489.50 and the Extreme is $429.95 on Scuba.com

 

[Peter_C]

I went from a merino lined suit to a drysuit and was 150% warmer. Check out the White's Fusion with the Tech Skin. It will save you money in the end. Everyone I know that dives cold water eventually goes dry.

 

[Nismo]

The main difference is the Kodiak is high stretch. The zipper used in the Kodiak is a dry suit zipper. The Kodiak also uses the ankle, wrist , and neck dry suit seals. A lot of people who bought the suit with a hood find the hood to be way too big. I personally own the Kodiak and I was comfortable into water temps in the high 40's. I have heard that the high stretch suits are not as good at maintaining warmth at depth, but I do not know how much of a difference there is between the two suits as far as that goes. However. Between the two dives I did with it, 80 feet I was colder than at 60 feet in equal temperature. The trade off however is that the Extreme may take a long time to get into, as standard neoprene at that thickness will be difficult to get into. I can get into my Kodiak quicker than my 4/3 suit. The biggest complaint I have about the Kodiak is the zipper. SInce it goes across the front horizontally, I find it near impossible to close completely by myself. If it was diagonal like the dry suits from Pinnacle it would work so much better. I do find it to be very comfortable and it makes the quarry I use much more comfortable. I would like to find better gloves though. Pinnacle has 7mm boots with and with out merino liner and the same with the hoods. I actually ordered the dry suit hood. My 5mm gloves were to thin. I'd like some dry gloves to use with this suit.

 

[irishsquid]

IS the water that cold in TN?

The Kodiak is an elastiprene suit. Being a compliant rubber it will be more susceptible to crushing at depth. That means for deeper dives performance will fall off faster than a common blend such as in the Extreme.

The Kodiac has the Front-mounted Riri™ zipper is 200 times more waterproof than a traditional wetsuit zipper where a full blown drysuit zipper is in the extreme.

You want to check the fit very carefully on the Extreme. Having the hood integrated means you need to be spot on with the fit. It also limits some of your mix and match options.

What sorts of prices do these command? With that zipper the Extreme must be approaching cost of an entry level drysuit.

Pete

I dive year round in Tn. (river and quarries) and so far have been getting by with an Excel Vortex 5/4/3mm wetsuit, w/gloves, and beanie hood. Granted, in the winter I'm not doing multiple dives for hours, but one 35-45 min. dive helps take care of the "jones". Depending where and how deep, the temps. have avg. 45F-55F down to about 75ft. The Excel was bought for $239 new at the LDS.

 

[Doc Harry]

In my humble opinion the best cold-water wetsuit is a drysuit.

 

[spyder]

How about a Mares Isotherm? Can be had for around $350, $300 at Leisurpro. It has a drysuit zipper and ankle/wrist/neck seals along with a separate hood.

 

[Paco II]

As has been mentioned, be extremely careful when buying a hooded fullsuit. They can be brutal to get into, but even worse to get out of. If the fit isn't perfect, you aren't getting the hood part over your head on your own, and will require assistance from others. Or you'll smother yourself trying If this will be a purely online purchase, and you won't be able to try it on first, I'd avoid the hooded fullsuits.