Diveskin confusion: lycra, polyolefin, polypropylene?

[blues]

For quite a long time I was away from the forums. After getting stuck here in Netherlands for almost one year without diving it was the only way for me to draw a breath.

Having lurked quite a while through the forums, I finally have a real question and willingness to beat up my shyness :blush:

So, I need some help or experience on dive skins. I'm a bit allergic to neoprene and this year before I go for diving, I want to have a dive skin as a base layer which might help me prevent my allergy. I've searched through the forums but could not find any thread where material properties were discussed.

I'm about to choose between Akona's polypropylene skinsuit, Neosport's lycra skins or Henderson's polyolefin skin

Welcome to AKONA Adventure Gear!
Neo Sport USA - Detail
Henderson USA - Detail

I like that Akona's zipper is on the back so it would be easier to put on. But I'm not sure about its material, polypropylene.

Impatiently looking for some solution

 

[blues]

I was hoping to get some info but I guess no one tried diveskins at that range. By the way after several messages with Akona's Germany representative I've decided on it and ordered. It will take some time to be delivered to me. When I receive it, I will write about it here.

 

[girlgonediving]

I know you already ordered your suit, BUT...... Wetwear has a test kit they will send you. They send you wrist bracelets that you wear out of different types of neoprene and skin samples that you can put underneath the neoprene. You wear them for a few hours and see if you have an allergic reaction. It's really neat. A friend of mine was allergic to some types of neoprene. After doing the test she found out that there were some types of neoprene that she was not allergic to. Good luck!

 

[blues]

Hey, thanks a lot for that valuable information. I did not know about it. I checked their website and wrote to them as there was no info for overseas shipment. I will give a try to it and hope to find out what causes the allergy. So maybe it's time to change my wetsuit, too

 

[blues]

Finally I got my order for Akona's skin suit. Unfortunately I cannot post any photos as my camera is at the office. Yet, let me share my excitement First of all, I had to order it through Akona's dealer in Germany and decide on the size. Fortunately, I was correct and it fits like a second skin. The internal fleece-like finish also feels great and I hope that it will help prevent my allergy to neoprene. The zipper in the back, I guess, is another advantage as my experience with front-zipped suits was not good at all. So, this is the pre-dive impressions on it. I will add a post-dive evaluation in September after my dive trip to Turkey.