Hollis Neotek or Mako 5 or 7mm for colder waters

[Diver-Drex]

I'm looking for some opinions and experiences to help me decide on a cold weather suit. I dive in NJ in a 5mm shorty over a 3mm FJ. My normal dives are 85 to 100' for 35 to 45 minute run times. I'm generally ok in 55 degree and higher bottom temps. I'd like to lengthen my dive season by two months or so and do some diving in the Great Lakes. I have no desire to dive in a dry suit.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

-D

 

[RyanT]

I love my Hollis Neotek. It's super warm and easy to get into. I don't think I'd last long in 55 degree water wearing a 3mm with a 5 mm shorty over the top. If you're comfortable in that, I think you'll find the Neotek will fit the bill for you.

 

[Diver-Drex]

Thanks, I've seen and heard all good about the Neotek. I'm sure it will do the job from a thermal protection standpoint. The added buoyancy and restriction is my hesitation. If I can use a 5mm spear suit and avoid that I would be happy. Maybe not a huge difference between the Neotek and a 7mm Mako?

 

[RyanT]

My neotek adds roughly 20 lbs of buoyancy. Thats going to be quite a bit more than a 5 mm would add. A standard 7mm suit will definitely be closer to the Neotek (being an 8/7/6 mm suit).

 

[dumpsterDiver]

what water temperatures are you looking at on the bottom? If it is approaching 40 below the thermocline, I would go with the MAKO 7 mm suit.

 

[Diver-Drex]

Dumpster, Upper 40s at depth would be the absolute coldest May to October is usually over 50. Have you used both the 7 and 5?

 

[Diver-Drex]

My neotek adds roughly 20 lbs of buoyancy. Thats going to be quite a bit more than a 5 mm would add. A standard 7mm suit will definitely be closer to the Neotek (being an 8/7/6 mm suit).

Ryan, When you say the Neotek added 20lbs do you really mean 20 additional pounds or 20 total when you wear it? 20 additional compared to what, a 3mm full suit?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I've used the MAKO 3 and 5 mm freedive suits and have not had a need to purchase the 7 mm since i am in Florida. May is pretty damn cold in NJ below about 70 feet as I recall. October, the water is still really pretty warm at depth.

I did some scuba and freediving in Maine with a 7 mm freedive jacket (custom from Elios) and 5 mm FJ and was pretty warm and did some scuba to 60 feet or so as well.

I used to freedive and scuba dive with about 22 lbs of lead with that suit combination. If you want to go in the Spring, i just don't see going less than 7 mm. Suit compression and loss of buoyancy is not that big of a deal for a scuba diver - just add air to the BC. Freedive suits are much more comfortable than a typical scuba suit.. they completely eliminate the inside nylon liner and this alone adds a lot of flexibility.

I think the brand new 7 mm suit might make you add about 8 to 10 lbs of lead compared to what you are wearing now... whatever that might be .. depending on tank selection.. etc.

Since you have a 5 mm jacket with a zipper I assume, you could wear the 7 mm mako fj pants and the old - current jacket as the water warms up.

I just checked.. MAKO has a Black Friday Sale on this suit.. killer deal.. $232 for a complete 7mm suit- shipped..(I have this exact suit in 3 and 5 mm. I wore the 5 mm in the summer in Rhode Island for freediving 6 hours in the water and I cut the pants off at the belly to allow me to relieve myself while on a kayak.

http://www.makospearguns.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BF2016-M2YRC

 

[RyanT]

hey Diver Drex, I'm not comparing relative buoyancy, the suit itself is about 20 lbs positive. Of course you get some compression at depth, so you'll lose buoyancy as you descend. But you definitely need to plan to offset that 20 lbs of suit buoyancy near the surface. I dive doubles, so I don't require any additional weight. My buddy dives a single tank. So to offset the suit weight, she dives a steel back plate and single tank adapter (-7 lbs), a steel 100 asahi tank (- 5 lbs empty), and an additional 10 lbs of lead.

I've dived my Neotek as cold as 58 F for an hour and I was really comfortable. I tend to run cold, so warmer-blooded folks may be comfortable in even cooler water. By comparison, a number of years ago I dove a two-piece 7mm farmer john and noticed that I started to get cold about 30 minutes into dive in 64 F water. The chest dam and arm and neck dams in the neotek seem to do a really good job of limiting water exchange.

The only downside to the Neotek is that Hollis seems to have put a cheap zipper on it. Mine came apart the first time I zipped it up. I was able to get the zipper to zip together again. Since I've been more careful about zipping it slowly and I haven't had any more problems. Otherwise, it seems to be a well-built suit.

 

[Diver-Drex]

Thanks for the input guys. I carry no additional weight when diving side mounted lp85s. With my hp100s I'll be fine with the Neotek or 7mm, but I usually only dive those in NC where I don't need the extra exposure protection. Easy enough to bring the bigger cylinders.
I do think the 5mm Mako or a 5mm full suit with a hooded vest may be enough. The Mako would be 2 more mils at both the torso and legs. With the integrated hood and no zippers I could be ok without needing more than a four pounds of lead.