Comparing 3 mil suits

[RLarsen]

Please help me narrow down a few choices of 3 mil wet suits. I'm going to Cuzumel in a few weeks and need to place an order pretty soon. I'd like a good suit but I'm also interested in keeping cost down if possible. The Henderson Hyper stretch and gold core seem to be popular. The Bare brand has a good reputation, and the velocity model I've seen is priced much lower than Henderson. Also, the prices I've seen for Akona suits are really low. Any advice is appreciated.
Rex

 

[padiscubapro]

Please help me narrow down a few choices of 3 mil wet suits. I'm going to Cuzumel in a few weeks and need to place an order pretty soon. I'd like a good suit but I'm also interested in keeping cost down if possible. The Henderson Hyper stretch and gold core seem to be popular. The Bare brand has a good reputation, and the velocity model I've seen is priced much lower than Henderson. Also, the prices I've seen for Akona suits are really low. Any advice is appreciated.
Rex

There are a few things to consider..

Do you consider confort more important than durability??

The suits that use softer material feels great in the water but doesn't last too long..

How deep are you diving and how cold is the water you intend to dive?? many of todays suits compress too easily and at depth they are no more than a skin...

I had an old henderson that I gave away a few years ago.. its about 15 years old now and the diver I gave it to is still using it and it still looks great.. I had a hyperstretch and it barely lasted me 1 season (it definately was no longer a 3mm suit)..

My oneill is a bit beat up but its still usable (2 seasons of diving)

My current 3mm suit is a custom suit from wetwear, its only a year old so far but its in supershape.. its fully custom to my body (over 35 measurements) and uses nitrogen injected rubitex - this crushes very little at depth.. But this is an EXPENSIVE suit...

 

[jonnythan]

I use a Diver's Direct EVO 3mm jumpsuit. $79, tougher than the HyperStretch nonsense, fits great, and basically disposable. I won't waste time and worry about patching it and everything.

I use my wet suits for everything from kayaking to caving to diving, so I appreciate cheap disposable suits.. *but* I also (obviously) need good range of motion and flexibility.

NRS runs clearance sales on their suits, too. IMO NRS' wetsuits are some of the best around.

 

[cortez]

I personally love my Scubapro S-Tek 3mm, however, the price tag can bite a bit. Some friends have recently purchased Xcel 3mm (and 3/2, 4/3 combinations) and seem to really love them. The are priced very competitively and seem to be top quality.

If you want to go one step better a custom suit is really nice. Atlan makes really good affordable suits - and you know they will fit better than anything else. I don't believe its worth the money to buy a custom 3mm, but thought I'd throw it out there for you.

 

[garyfotodiver]

I used a DeepSea 3mm jumpsuit for a couple of seasons; it replaced a shortie. Either the jumpsuit shrunk or I got bigger, so I received a Seaquest 3/2mm jumpsuit from my children.

I chose it over the EVO because I think it is better made.

Good luck on your choice.

 

[Aquawookie]

Here's my 2c worth.

The Henderson Hyper are good suits because they will fit a wider range of body types and they fit well. The problem is the more they stretch the less efficent they become. I have a 3mm hyper but it feels colder than a normal suit. If you go for a hyperstretch then go for the 5mm instead. The added bouyancy is a minor problem compared to freezing your keyster off at debth.

The Gold core suites are great suits but I'm not convinced there worth the extra cash. I have been told by customers that they are very tosty though and people who bought them from me loved them.

Bare is a good brand but not having any personal experience with them I won't comment.

The Akona, forgetaboutit. The stiching tends to come apart. I had one person return 3 different w/s before they got one that stayed together. There is a reason there cheaper than the premium suits. But if you only dive a couple of times a year and don't want to spend the money they might be a good choice for you.

The best advice I can give you is this.

Go to your local LDS's and try on as many suites as you can. Go to different stores and try different brands. Try different sizes too. Just don't buy anything the first time around. The only way to know if a suit will fit is to try it on. While you do this write it all down or you'll never remember the details.

Then after you tried the suites out decide which one feels best on you, go back and try it again. Make sure the fit is good, there is no excess in the legs, arms and torso. Make sure it dosen't pinch too tight anywhere but remember that every suit will loosen up after a few dives.

Thats about it. Have a great time in Coz.

Safe dives.
Paul.

 

[pgdive]

I would vote for Bare. They have a huge number of sizes and they are affordable. There are a lot of things in scuba that are a very expensive and I don't think 3mm suits should be one of them. The hyperstretch is overkill for a suit that is this thin to begin with. Any 3mm suit is only going to last a few years with reular use, less if you take in a pool.

Paul

 

[RLarsen]

Scuba divers are the best. Thanks for taking the time to help.
A lot of things to consider: Henderson Hyperstretch seems to be taken down a notch. The EVO as a low cost "disposable" wet suit is an interesting concept. The Akona warning is appreciated. I like my new 7 mil Henderson gold core for Michigan diving but have been cautioned that gold core 3 mil could be too warm for Cozumel.
I can't help but wondering if the Bare Velocity with its resonable pricing might be a safe bet. It's a challenge being a new diver with limited experience; Scuba Board is a big help. Thanks !
Rex

 

[Chad Carney]

RLarsen,

My 3mm Hend. Gold core is 4 years old now, and has held up well under hundreds of scuba and freedive days a year. I'd be fine in it in Cozumel right now, but that's me, 6'1" 185 lbs.
I went with Hyperstretch in the 7/5mm for it's flex. It's now two years old and looking very good, some velcro fuzzing, but I only wear it for about 4 months a year. Added a cold core 7/5 hooded vest for right now. No experience with Hyper. in thin suits.
I've got and had O'Niell, Action Plus, Bare, Atlan and private label suits made by Sheico that will probably never wear out, but they can restrict breathing. My Akona socks and gloves hold up well.
I demo'd a prototype 3mm Henderson Insta-dry jumpsuit, it feels like the gold core underwater, but sheads water in the wind very nicely. They should be in stores in Mid February.(Too cold to use it anymore, for a couple more months)
Make sure you like the fit and flex for your purpose.

Chad

 

[munkispank]

O' neil has lasted two seasons for me- still holds warmth well and stitching is good.

3mm Evo shorty- stitching good- only one season on this- but still holds warm. I wear it over the 3mm when it is too cold.