MaxE
Contributor
This summer I received a new Hollis NeoTek 4/3 wetsuit. I have had the opportunity to put a few dives in on it. I dont see this suit talked about so wanted to give a little write up.
It seems this suit is based on the 8/7/6 semi-dry suit they make but it's not called a semi-dry. It does seem to move very little water during the dive and has ankle and wrist rolled cuffs and material that functions like a seal.
It is a hooded suit with front chest Zipper.
Getting into the suit with the hood and internal bib takes a little more effort than a back zip suit but not impossible, getting out also takes a bit more thought the first few times. The biggest issue I have it the extra fabric for the bib seems to want to bunch up and getting it all sorted out without help requires flexibility and patience.
The suit has large stretchy pockets. Not as big as on my drysuit but larger than the glue on ones I have put on all my other wetsuits. I really wish more manufactures would add large pockets to wetsuits.
This is a serious wetsuit. I have mostly purchased cheap suits in the past and have had no big issues with them, this suit is in an entirely different league. This is probably the nicest wetsuit I own, construction, fit, materials this suit rocks, a close second is my deep6 7mm but honestly when I need that i'm going dry now. I don't like being cold and am typically in more exposure protection than most others in similar waters, this suit is warm. I have had it in water from 74-84, on the lower end I can certainly feel the water chill at first but it quickly warms up and I can make a nice long dive with no issues. On the top end to that water range it was toasty but not hot. I never felt overheated but 83+ is probably pushing it, I would probably opt for a traditional 3mm there and have a hooded vest available if needed. This suit may replace my need for a 5mm, time will tell
In full disclosure... I won this suit during Dive Right In Scuba's virtual dive show this spring and I know this is not a cheap suit, the deep6 was not either but I bought it when they were discontinued and on sale. I will probably be much more willing to look at and consider higher end suits after owning this and the deep6 suit.
It seems this suit is based on the 8/7/6 semi-dry suit they make but it's not called a semi-dry. It does seem to move very little water during the dive and has ankle and wrist rolled cuffs and material that functions like a seal.
It is a hooded suit with front chest Zipper.
Getting into the suit with the hood and internal bib takes a little more effort than a back zip suit but not impossible, getting out also takes a bit more thought the first few times. The biggest issue I have it the extra fabric for the bib seems to want to bunch up and getting it all sorted out without help requires flexibility and patience.
The suit has large stretchy pockets. Not as big as on my drysuit but larger than the glue on ones I have put on all my other wetsuits. I really wish more manufactures would add large pockets to wetsuits.
This is a serious wetsuit. I have mostly purchased cheap suits in the past and have had no big issues with them, this suit is in an entirely different league. This is probably the nicest wetsuit I own, construction, fit, materials this suit rocks, a close second is my deep6 7mm but honestly when I need that i'm going dry now. I don't like being cold and am typically in more exposure protection than most others in similar waters, this suit is warm. I have had it in water from 74-84, on the lower end I can certainly feel the water chill at first but it quickly warms up and I can make a nice long dive with no issues. On the top end to that water range it was toasty but not hot. I never felt overheated but 83+ is probably pushing it, I would probably opt for a traditional 3mm there and have a hooded vest available if needed. This suit may replace my need for a 5mm, time will tell
In full disclosure... I won this suit during Dive Right In Scuba's virtual dive show this spring and I know this is not a cheap suit, the deep6 was not either but I bought it when they were discontinued and on sale. I will probably be much more willing to look at and consider higher end suits after owning this and the deep6 suit.
