Boots & 3mm full wet suit- same company/material?

[johnnyscience]

I plan on doing reef diving & want to wear a 3mm suit & boots

Should they be made by the same company? Is that common that the suit & boots are made of the same material?

Any suggestions on companies I should look at for 3mm full wet suit? (I remember someone saying something about one that kind of stretches to your body more than others?)

Suggestions on boots?

 

[cbrich]

Does a wetsuit, and boots be made by the same company? Absolutely not, I wear a mix of everything; Henderson wetsuit, Scubapro shorts, DUI hood, Scubapro gloves, and Teva watershoes. Get what feels comfortable.

I have a Scubapro 1mm suite, Henderson 3mm shortie, and a 5mm Henderson Thermoprene for those cooler waters.

I have been looking at Pinnacle Merino wetsuit, or Henderson H2, in a 3mm full wetsuit.

 

[Damselfish]

There's no practical reason for any of your exposure protection to match in brand, material, or anything. Fit is king and best bet is to try on as many things as you can. Different brands fit differently and you may discover that none of the sizes in a certain brand or suit fits well, it's not just a matter of going up or down a size. Some people are harder to fit then others. A 3mm should be less difficult than a 7mm though. (How did you determine 3mm is what you will need? If diving in say 80F water, some people are happy in a t-shirt or skin while others will find 3mm not enough.)

Several brands have a line of suits made with stretchier material. Henderson hyperstretch is one. The stretchy suits can have the drawback of not being as warm, because they naturally get thinner as they stretch. (At the same time the good fit may improve warmth, so it's a tradeoff.) Some stretchy suits also have a reputation for not being as durable, so that's another possible tradeoff.

 

[johnnyscience]

There's no practical reason for any of your exposure protection to match in brand, material, or anything. Fit is king and best bet is to try on as many things as you can. Different brands fit differently and you may discover that none of the sizes in a certain brand or suit fits well, it's not just a matter of going up or down a size. Some people are harder to fit then others. A 3mm should be less difficult than a 7mm though. (How did you determine 3mm is what you will need? If diving in say 80F water, some people are happy in a t-shirt or skin while others will find 3mm not enough.)

Several brands have a line of suits made with stretchier material. Henderson hyperstretch is one. The stretchy suits can have the drawback of not being as warm, because they naturally get thinner as they stretch. (At the same time the good fit may improve warmth, so it's a tradeoff.) Some stretchy suits also have a reputation for not being as durable, so that's another possible tradeoff.

Ahh I think it was the Henderson Hyperstretch that people were suggesting before. It's said to be high quality and actually fit quite nice.

I want protection because I'll be doing reef diving so I dont want any skin exposed, hence the full suit and I figure 3mm because I'll it should be a great place to start to keep me comfortable temp wise & protected.

 

[johnnyscience]

Seems you can get a great wetsuit for around $100.

What makes those Henderson Hypersuits so special that they are 3-4x the amount of regular suits?

Is that material really that comfortable and better than neoprene?

 

[TravisD]

Also, don't be afraid to mix-and-match thicknesses. If your feet get cold, but the rest of you is warm enough, move to a thicker boot. If the boots you have work great and are comfortable, but you're too warm or chilly elsewhere, adjust your suit thickness. Same goes for gloves and hood.

 

[diver 85]

Not by the same company & not even the same thickness----I wear 5 mil boots to go with my 3 or 3/2 wetsuits 100% of the time......Who told you this??.....

 

[driftwood]

Seems you can get a great wetsuit for around $100.

What makes those Henderson Hypersuits so special that they are 3-4x the amount of regular suits?

Is that material really that comfortable and better than neoprene?

We own, Henderson, Pinnacle, Tilos, Scubapro, and Body Glove suits that range from skins to 7mm. The best fitting suit I own is my Henderson H2. It ran better than $350 and was worth every penny.

Take your fins with you when you are shopping for boots. The fins, your foot and boots all have to work as a single unit to be efficient. Just think of Goldilocks or the zen of getting the perfect mask. If it works for me, doesn't mean it works for you.

This is an area where you need to buy local instead of the internet.

 

[RinaW]

The mismatch look is in. :balloons: Go crazy with all the brands!

 

[Stu S.]

Seems you can get a great wetsuit for around $100.

The EVO brand 3mm stretch suit is the best one I've had of that thickness. Pinnacle went thin too quickly. That EVO suit may still be on sale for $99 at Diver's Direct.

There are some custom suits made in Miami that are probably the top of the heap, but other than that, I can't figure the difference either.