Custom wetsuit for Cozumel in November

[rileymartin]

I rather dive with just my swimming trunks but thought it would be better to have some protection. I searched for companies that sole custom dive skins but could only find custom wetsuits in the 1.5-3mm range. The materials they offer are a Nylon II material which I believe is neopreve sandwiched between an inner and outer layer of nylon, a plush wetsuit which I think has an inner layer of terrycloth for more warmth, another option which has an inner layer of some sort of slick rubber to make it easier to get in and out of the suit and finally some combination of neoprene/stretch material which is supposed to be the most comfortable and easiest to take on/off. Does anyone have any experience with and knows which wetsuit material(s) would be the most comfortable? Thanks.

Riley

 

[Bazooka Joe]

I rather dive with just my swimming trunks but thought it would be better to have some protection. I searched for companies that sole custom dive skins but could only find custom wetsuits in the 1.5-3mm range. The materials they offer are a Nylon II material which I believe is neopreve sandwiched between an inner and outer layer of nylon, a plush wetsuit which I think has an inner layer of terrycloth for more warmth, another option which has an inner layer of some sort of slick rubber to make it easier to get in and out of the suit and finally some combination of neoprene/stretch material which is supposed to be the most comfortable and easiest to take on/off. Does anyone have any experience with and knows which wetsuit material(s) would be the most comfortable? Thanks.

Riley

I am not much for a skin or thin wetsuit, I spent good money on my 3mm and will do so again for my 5/4mm. When I am in the south in the winter I dive a 1mm wetsuit, and I buy a cheapo wetsuit from TommyDSports.com | Wetsuits, Scuba Dive Gear, Diving Fins & MORE! they carry big boy sizes and the quaility isn't bad... I just use it for exposure protection and such and the 1mm works great for Coz, I am going to wear mine over thanksgiving there.

Joe

 

[Aspendiver]

I have one of the plush skinsuits- I think it's nylon/1mm/terry.
It's pretty comfortable anything over 80*, but I've gotten spoiled by my 5/3 surf wetsuit- comfy, stretchy, not too warm, dries fast because it's slick, not nylon on the outside. Not as durable...

On the skinsuit- I'm tall and skinny. Bought a 2xl on Ebay and cut it down- really easy to sew. That way the sleeves and legs were long enough... I'm going to try wearing it under a 5mm shorty with hood for the Bahamas in January.

 

[Doc Harry]

The stretchy wetsuits aren't as warm as traditional wetsuit, millimeter for millimeter, and they actually getting harder to put on when they're wet.

The wetsuits with the slick material are going to be warmer, millimeter for millimeter. They are very difficult to don and doff over bare skin, so I wear a nylon skin and my wetsuit slides on and off almost effortlessly.

I've never had any experience with a terry cloth liner, seems like a gimmick to me.

I wear a 5mm wetsuit in Cozumel in the winter.

 

[spectrum]

I agree with Harry,

Stretch will sacrifice warmth. Now as a practical matter you are talking Cozumel, not Maine in November. If warm water is the sole use then the indulgence is no big deal.

Slick insides will be a little tougher to don but warmest. They can be a little more fragile depending what you get. Neoprene rubber is pretty fragile on it's own. Most of the durability and tear resistance comes form the nylon laminate.

Plush / Terry have no place in a wetsuit. It's a gimmick that equates to the topside value we place on flush linings. Underwater it's just more water volume to maintain and topside it's a slower drying suit.

N2S (Nylon 2 Sides) is the most common material and the best buy.

With the correct fit and donning technique they should be of equal comfort in that thickness range. Here are some tips.

Pete

 

[redacted]

Some divers dive Cozumel year around in just a bathing suit. I usually wear a nylon T-shirt or a .5mm full suit and am quite comfortable for the most part. Occasionally a cool current will come through but nothing too bad. My wife, on the other hand, wears a 5mm full suit. She does not like to be cold. Many divers will use a 3mm shorty or full suit. In the spring, you might run into jellys making a dive skin useful but, for the most part, a dive skin is unnecessary. November should be no problem with stinging criters as long as you don't touch the bottom (fire coral).

 

[rileymartin]

Thanks for the great information. From everything that I read so far I think the 3mm 'Superstretch' wetsuit will work the best. I was told it would be the easiest to put on/off and the stretch factor would make it the most comfortable. I understand the superstretch material sacrifices warmth but I'm one of those people who doesn't get cold easily. I'm primarily looking for comfort and a little protection against any possible stings, scrapes or biting critters.