Does anyone make a 4/3 wetsuit?

[iointerrupt]

They are also cheap, I got an O'Neil Epic 4/3 for $160 a few months ago. They wear out faster than a proper suit like a Henderson, but given the price...

 

[bradlw]

I thought surf suits were made out of a different sort of material.

 

[Shaun_Mc]

I thought surf suits were made out of a different sort of material.

In my experience they are more stretchy and less warm at depth.

 

[Bazzathemammoth]

G

In my experience they are more stretchy and less warm at depth.

good point, but they also don’t allow much water movement compared to some of the scuba suits I’ve seen. When I was more cold tolerant I used to dive in my 3/2 in 20deg C water in the middle of nz summer.

 

[Pearlman]

Or you can save yourself some money and get a 0.5mm steamer like from Scubapro and Mares and wear it inside your existing wetsuit. More flexibility for tropical dive conditions as well…

 

[Ross19966]

Farmer John's are still a thing:
Overall; Neosport by Henderson waterman
Jacket; Neosport by Henderson waterman

Just a FYI on this farmer john pair. I ordered a 3X because that most matched my dimensions. The chest area was light, belly area was about right and the legs looked like MC Hammer parachute pants. The sizing is really strange. The neo they use is not real flexible of stretchy. so there's not much wiggle room on the sizing. I sent this back for a refund. No way a smaller size was going to stretch to fit my chest.

On the other hand, Neosport XSPAN is much better. The neo is much more flexible and will stretch (they say 250%). The XSPAN suit I ordered was a 3/2 and also ordered in a 3X. The fit was much better but a little baggy. The material is so flexible though, I'm confident that the 2X will be fine. I'm also going to try a 7mm in either Neosport XSPAN or Henderson Thermoprene. I think they use the same material. If not the same, it's very similar.

Might make a trip north to see if any dive shops up there actually cater to local diving with cold water suits and gear in stock. I don't mind paying more if I can try it on and get the right fit. Scuba.com works and they either refund or exchange no questions asked, but it's a process and takes some time to land on the right fit.

 

[bradlw]

some great ideas here so far...thanks everyone!

I was wrong, my old semi-dry is a 5/3.... no matter I still find it uncomfortable. Started to try it on the other day and got it half way and thought it wasn't worth the effort....& I'm pretty sure I weigh less now that I did back then!

0.5mm steamer

that seems like a geat idea. I have a fleecy type of diveskin that adds a little warmth...but a 0.5mm neoprene would probably be thin enough to fit under even a proper fitting suit and still offer great warmth and versatility. Maybe a 0.5mm + a 3mm farmer john would mix and match probably for all my needs!

Just a FYI on this farmer john pair. I ordered a 3X because that most matched my dimensions. The chest area was light, belly area was about right and the legs looked like MC Hammer parachute pants. The sizing is really strange. The neo they use is not real flexible of stretchy. so there's not much wiggle room on the sizing. I sent this back for a refund. No way a smaller size was going to stretch to fit my chest.

On the other hand, Neosport XSPAN is much better. The neo is much more flexible and will stretch (they say 250%). The XSPAN suit I ordered was a 3/2 and also ordered in a 3X. The fit was much better but a little baggy. The material is so flexible though, I'm confident that the 2X will be fine. I'm also going to try a 7mm in either Neosport XSPAN or Henderson Thermoprene. I think they use the same material. If not the same, it's very similar.

Might make a trip north to see if any dive shops up there actually cater to local diving with cold water suits and gear in stock. I don't mind paying more if I can try it on and get the right fit. Scuba.com works and they either refund or exchange no questions asked, but it's a process and takes some time to land on the right fit.

this is my fear about some of those farmer johns...not a lot of choices for them out there it seems, and so that means they are out of fashion...and are probably not being developed for improved great fit or using great materials

 

[JMJ Wetsuits]

Hi @bradlw,

Firstly, we do make the Farmer John with Step-In Jacket combo you speak of: Farmer John & Step in Jacket Combo - JMJ Wetsuits

A 3mm custom will likely be warmer and more comfortable than a stock-sized 3mm suit because it will fit well. If you wanted additional warmth you could do mixed thicknesses in the suit if desired, or add a hood that you can ditch when diving warmer waters.

I would *not* suggest using a surf suit for diving, as they might be made with a different type of neoprene that is less compression-resistant and can be crushed at diving depths.

Let us know if you have any questions - feel free to call our shop at 310-212-3040.

Kind regards,
Derek & the team at JMJ

 

[Ross19966]

Hi @bradlw,

Firstly, we do make the Farmer John with Step-In Jacket combo you speak of: Farmer John & Step in Jacket Combo - JMJ Wetsuits

A 3mm custom will likely be warmer and more comfortable than a stock-sized 3mm suit because it will fit well. If you wanted additional warmth you could do mixed thicknesses in the suit if desired, or add a hood that you can ditch when diving warmer waters.

I would *not* suggest using a surf suit for diving, as they might be made with a different type of neoprene that is less compression-resistant and can be crushed at diving depths.

Let us know if you have any questions - feel free to call our shop at 310-212-3040.

Kind regards,
Derek & the team at JMJ

What's your lead time? Custom built might be my only option.

 

[JMJ Wetsuits]

What's your lead time? Custom built might be my only option.

Currently 2-3 weeks, but let us know your deadline and we'll likely be able to make it happen