Henderson Wetsuits

[WanderingGal]

Hi ladies, I've been doing some research and I was thisclose to ordering a Henderson 3mm full length wetsuit (based partly on the awesome reviews I've read here, so thanks for that!) However, I was reading some reviews on another site and a couple women mentioned that they felt the 3mm didn't keep them as warm as other manufacturer's suits. This seems a bit odd to me, a 3mm is a 3mm, right? But I thought I'd ask you all and see if you had any thoughts on the subject.

Thanks!

 

[oly5050user]

Hi ladies, I've been doing some research and I was thisclose to ordering a Henderson 3mm full length wetsuit (based partly on the awesome reviews I've read here, so thanks for that!) However, I was reading some reviews on another site and a couple women mentioned that they felt the 3mm didn't keep them as warm as other manufacturer's suits. This seems a bit odd to me, a 3mm is a 3mm, right? But I thought I'd ask you all and see if you had any thoughts on the subject.

Thanks!

Quality of the neoprene and fit all contribute to comfort and warmth.Perhaps for those that claim Henderson was not as warm as other suits had a better fit with the other suits.I find a 3mm aqualock gives a great fit and is a bit warmer than a thermoprene because of fit for myself.

 

[Ayisha]

No, all 3mm's are not created equal. The reason that Henderson is very stretchy is the same reason it's not as warm as some other wetsuits. The cells within that type of neoprene break down more readily and tend to remain compressed after about 150 dives, losing their thermal quality. A wetsuit routinely compresses at depth and then thickens toward the surface, but the Henderson Hyperstretch, for example, compresses more readily and eventually stays pretty compressed. There was a thread several years ago that you might be able to search for which referred to some scientific testing of various neoprenes, their thermal qualities, and wear and tear. IIRC, Thalassamania was very familiar with various wetsuits and their qualities.

Given the above, if you are doing really warm water diving for short to average times, and won't be using it all that often, the performance or longevity may not mean anything to you. A Henderson may just be perfect for you. Some people will take the stretchiness over the warmth of a stiffer wetsuit.

Fit is vital to keeping you warm. A wetsuit should be snug and fit properly everywhere. If it is too loose, there will be a lot of water transfer, cooling you down. It should not be too tight, constricting your breathing or restricting your movements.

Try a search for a thread comparing the neoprene used by Henderson to Rubatex. We saw the effects in the chamber and the measured thicknesses after repeated compressions. It was pretty interesting. Here is some info: Wetwear - Why we only use Rubatex

 

[Ayisha]

Here is a chamber test: Wetwear - Hyperbaric Chamber Test Wet Suits for Neoprenes - How does yours hold up?