Best Wetsuits that keep their thickness

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shallingsam

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Location
Nomad
# of dives
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I have a cressi castoro 5mm that I've used for a couple hundred dives but is no longer a 5, it's a 3. Also have an aqualung 7mm, but seems like it's not cold enough for it yet here. Just wondering if there are some suggestions of brands or models that tend to keep their thickness longer. I've only had this one for 2 years and it's been a 3 for awhile now.
 
I have a cressi castoro 5mm that I've used for a couple hundred dives but is no longer a 5, it's a 3. Also have an aqualung 7mm, but seems like it's not cold enough for it yet here. Just wondering if there are some suggestions of brands or models that tend to keep their thickness longer. I've only had this one for 2 years and it's been a 3 for awhile now.

Anything made with Yamamoto 39 or 40 will be pretty long lasting. A lot of spearfishing suits are Yamamoto, so you should be able to try some out locally since you are in HI. Hana Pa'a used to have good suits, but I haven't looked for a while.

Rubatex is good stuff too if anyone still uses it. I've mostly seen custom wetsuits from California in rubatex.

-Chris
 
I've studied this topic thoroughly so I'll give my two cents.
The old Rubatex was indeed the most crush resistant and also had the most long term spring back/recovery benefit of any neoprene known.
Unfortunately the original Rubatex USA company went out in 2002, but then the name was bought out by another company but the material wasn't the same. I don't know if they're even around anymore. I just saw Bob's post above regarding Wetwear, so maybe they are?

I was using a suit builder down in Long Beach, CA (Don at M&B Wetsuits) and he actually went to the Rubatex plant and bought up everything they had thinking he'd have a lifetime supply and he ran out in a few years. I got one of the very last suits ever made from true Rubatex.

So that sent builder looking for another source of something similar and he stumbled upon a company out of South Korea that makes a very dense material for commercial use. It's actually more compression resistant but it's also incredibly stiff. He had all sorts of other materials of varying densities, probably 12 different choices from several different companies including Yamamoto and their entire line plus all the clone companies out of China making something close to Yama but not quite.

So bottom line, if you want to make sure your getting something special you almost have to order one custom made by somebody that knows materials very well and has access to all the different options out there. Just because somebody is a custom suit builder doesn't mean they know what they are using. Many times they'll just use what they can get and what's cheap without really knowing what it is.
Most commercial scuba suit companies will shop around and get material that is the best bang for the buck without much regard for long term material stability. Good material is expensive. The cheaper stuff uses a lot of nylon in the blend to keep costs down but it also very spongy and crushes down easy, and the really cheap stuff stays crushed, sometimes even after one really deep dive it won't fully recover.
There is a tradeoff, the more compression resistant the material both short and long term will also mean a stiffer material and not as soft and spongy and harder to move in.

So generally speaking, if you see cheap suits on sale to ridiculously cheap it means they are that cheap for a reason.
As far as specific brands of suits in the 5 mil thickness, I would suggest going to a freedive suit in the $600+ range of a reputable brand.
There is even variation in freedive suits too, not all freedive suits are created equal. I bought one below $400 and thought I was getting a good deal, but found out it crushed down big time at depth and I got really heavy (not good for freediving!). I found out later it was a Chinese made Yamamoto clone with a cheaper and inferior blend. However, freedivers are more fanatical about suits and materials used, so generally freedive suits will be better quality than off the rack scuba suits. The sellers also seem to know more about what they are selling.
When I was at the shop buying that suit I looked at one that was denser and nicer but was also over $700. Looking back that's the one I should have bought. The salesperson even warned me about it but at the time price is all I could see.
 
Unfortunately the original Rubatex USA company went out in 2002, but then the name was bought out by another company but the material wasn't the same. I don't know if they're even around anymore. I just saw Bob's post above regarding Wetwear, so maybe they are?

I was using a suit builder down in Long Beach, CA (Don at M&B Wetsuits) and he actually went to the Rubatex plant and bought up everything they had thinking he'd have a lifetime supply and he ran out in a few years. I got one of the very last suits ever made from true Rubatex.


That's a bummer. I still have my custom 1/4" M&B suit from about 1995, and that thing is still going. Not that I dive it much, but it isn't any stiffer than when I bought it. It would be my go-to suit for any freediving in CA though.

As far as specific brands of suits in the 5 mil thickness, I would suggest going to a freedive suit in the $600+ range of a reputable brand.
However, freedivers are more fanatical about suits and materials used, so generally freedive suits will be better quality than off the rack scuba suits. The sellers also seem to know more about what they are selling.
When I was at the shop buying that suit I looked at one that was denser and nicer but was also over $700. Looking back that's the one I should have bought. The salesperson even warned me about it but at the time price is all I could see.

+1.

I currently have my first non-feeediving suit (a 4th Element Proteus) in about 10 years. Can't stand the thing... Omer here I come!

-Chris
 
I went to the Wet Wear and the Rubatex websites and it seems that the material that Wet Wear has advertised for many years is still in production by Rubatex, and according to the specs on the Rubatex site has the characteristic of very low compressibility. Thus, it looks like Wet Wear is using "real" Rubatex, which seems to still be in production. I don't have one (plan to get one in the future) but the friends i know who do swear by its warmth even on deep tech dives to some of our 250' wrecks.

So, for the OP, I think Wet Wear should be high on your list.
 
I've studied this topic thoroughly so I'll give my two cents.
The old Rubatex was indeed the most crush resistant and also had the most long term spring back/recovery benefit of any neoprene known.
Unfortunately the original Rubatex USA company went out in 2002, but then the name was bought out by another company but the material wasn't the same. I don't know if they're even around anymore. I just saw Bob's post above regarding Wetwear, so maybe they are?

I was using a suit builder down in Long Beach, CA (Don at M&B Wetsuits) and he actually went to the Rubatex plant and bought up everything they had thinking he'd have a lifetime supply and he ran out in a few years. I got one of the very last suits ever made from true Rubatex.

So that sent builder looking for another source of something similar and he stumbled upon a company out of South Korea that makes a very dense material for commercial use. It's actually more compression resistant but it's also incredibly stiff. He had all sorts of other materials of varying densities, probably 12 different choices from several different companies including Yamamoto and their entire line plus all the clone companies out of China making something close to Yama but not quite.

So bottom line, if you want to make sure your getting something special you almost have to order one custom made by somebody that knows materials very well and has access to all the different options out there. Just because somebody is a custom suit builder doesn't mean they know what they are using. Many times they'll just use what they can get and what's cheap without really knowing what it is.
Most commercial scuba suit companies will shop around and get material that is the best bang for the buck without much regard for long term material stability. Good material is expensive. The cheaper stuff uses a lot of nylon in the blend to keep costs down but it also very spongy and crushes down easy, and the really cheap stuff stays crushed, sometimes even after one really deep dive it won't fully recover.
There is a tradeoff, the more compression resistant the material both short and long term will also mean a stiffer material and not as soft and spongy and harder to move in.

So generally speaking, if you see cheap suits on sale to ridiculously cheap it means they are that cheap for a reason.
As far as specific brands of suits in the 5 mil thickness, I would suggest going to a freedive suit in the $600+ range of a reputable brand.
There is even variation in freedive suits too, not all freedive suits are created equal. I bought one below $400 and thought I was getting a good deal, but found out it crushed down big time at depth and I got really heavy (not good for freediving!). I found out later it was a Chinese made Yamamoto clone with a cheaper and inferior blend. However, freedivers are more fanatical about suits and materials used, so generally freedive suits will be better quality than off the rack scuba suits. The sellers also seem to know more about what they are selling.

When I was at the shop buying that suit I looked at one that was denser and nicer but was also over $700. Looking back that's the one I should have bought. The salesperson even warned me about it but at the time price is all I could see.


If someone is looking for a very warm, high quality, 5 mm Yamamoto wetsuit, there is no reason to consider spending that kind of money - especially if you can fit into a stock wetsuit.

I sell Genuine Yamamoto (39) freedive wetsuits for much, much less. They are sold for less because they are made exclusively for MAKO, and then they do not pass through the whole importer - wholesaler- retail network. I sell DIRECT (to the consumer). Elimination of several layers of overhead allows me to provide an incredible value in quality suits.

Every wetsuit will compress at depth. Generally a less flexible, more rigid grade of neoprene will compress less during the dive, but it will tend to be less comfortable and difficult to don, due to the decreased flexibility of the neoprene itself.

We feel that YAMAMOTO 39 is the absolute best choice for the active diver/hunter who is not going to be able to avoid the occasional contact with rocks when getting in and out of the water.

We have customers who take our freedive suits to 200 ft (while on scuba) and report that the material holds up extremely well to many cycles of compression.

The benefits of a freedive type suit are that it is easier and quicker to get on (when using lubricant) and the smooth rubber interior improves flexibility and comfort and the elimination of any zippers and the addition of an integrated hood virtually eliminates all water pumping through the suit. They are warmer than a typical one piece or two piece scuba suit, which uses an independent hood and zippers.

Available in 3, 5 and 7mm..

Thanks!

Dano


mako-yamamoto-certificate-320.jpg


M2YRC-2T.jpg


Yamamoto Reef Camo 2-Piece Open Cell Wetsuit | MAKO Spearguns
 
So, typically your REALLY stretchy suits (henderson hyperstretch) wear out the fastest. Some of the newer suits have newer neoprene which is stretchy but will last much longer than the first generation of stretchy suits.

Fourth Element, Bare, and Pinnacles are a little less stretchy. Waterproof uses a ton of panel so they don't need as much stretch for a great fit.

You might want to look at the Fourth Element Proteus or Xenos or the New Bare Reactives. They have less stretch and will last longer as there are fewer bubbles that need to compress.

This is why most of semi-dry suits aren't superstretch...it holds up better, but they suck to put on and off until broken in to the body.

Search results for: 'Fourth Element wet suits' - Dive Right in Scuba
Search results for: 'Bare Reactive' - Dive Right in Scuba
 
I've been dealing with wetsuits that suck to put on and take off for years. A minor inconvenience as far as I'm concerned. I'd rather have that than be cold...that really sucks.
One thing I found out to do to make freedive suits suck less to put on on a freezing cold morning. I fill a five gallon Homer bucket with hot water and put my bottle of lube in it with the lid sealed. It goes into the back of the truck for the ride out. When I get there the lube is warm and I slide into a nice warm suit.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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