Hollis Neotek Semi-Drysuit

[Pongo1998]

Does anyone have any experience with this suit?

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

What are you looking for?

One of our customers has had one of the first ones, and is in love with it. He has worn it ice diving multiple times, and out on Lake Michigan a billion times as well as our local quarry.

 

[Pongo1998]

Wanted to know how warm it was.

 

[Omisson]

I love mine- I can dive northeast May-November no problem. Use it for long dives in cave country with no issues.


Dan-O

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mike Taker Maksimik]

I wear a size 3XL Neotek suit. Prior to wearing this suit for diving, I have worn several thicknesses/styles of wetsuit, semi dry suit and drysuit. I have worn a Viking Pro Surveyor suit, 7mm, 5mm, and 8/7/6 semi dry (Pinnacle Kodiak) prior to this Neotek suit.
My size is 6'7". 290 lbs, athletic build. I have well over 300 dives experience.

The suit fits me like a glove. my comparison to the Kodiak suit is the closest, as the Kodiak is the most similarly constructed suit. The Neotek has a built-in hood, and smoothskin seals on the legs (just below the curve of the calves) and the mid-forearm). It's not a full "cuff" style seal, like the Kodiak (which would certainly require zippers), the Neotek is all "pull on". the hood has small vent holes on the crown. the hood did not have to be trimmed to work with my Guardian full face mask. All the stitching on the suit is sealed with a rubber sealant. My dive buddy has the same suit, size 2XL. I can say that the suits are designed to fit with an athletic cut (big in chest and shoulders and arms, narrow in waist.) the knees and butt are covered with kevlar. the suit has a shoulder cowl, goes over the chest and head. hood is then pulled from back to the front. across the chest zipper. zipper flap has smoothskin on one side for better seal.

Diving: I have used the suit in warm and cold (ice) water. and have dove deep. the suit material doesn't compress much with depth. I have dove with this and the kodiak suit in ice. both have similar warmth as you would expect from a semi-dry. I haven't noticed any flushing at all with the suit (because of it's fit to my physique).

I did some minor re-sealing to the seam seals in the crotch area and under the arms. I used the McNett seam seal and it worked fine. I have about 100 dives on the suit, the material isn't fading, it's still comfortable and hasn't stretched out, nor has any of the neoprene torn. the best way to wear this suit is to pull it on FULLY up to the crotch ("suit wedgie"). it's athletically cut so don't wear boxers or board shorts! my triceps are pretty big, so those are the only "issue" pulling on the suit.

I really like the pockets on the thighs, very handy to have for my camera and dive light. there is a d-ring in each pocket to secure whatever gear you are cargoing there. There is a thick spine pad runs the length of the spine, nice to have to keep water from flushing down the back. most suits now have that, this suit doesn't disappoint. I would say the Kodiak is the best runner up to this suit, and only if you seal the seams on the kodiak to keep them from fraying on your equipment. Kodiak doens't have a built-in hood. Nice to have this on the Neotek suit, and again, with the full face mask, I didn't have to trim the hood.

I wash the suit in the McNett wetsuit shampoo, and dry it with the hang-air suit dryer. dries fast that way. put the pocket flaps into the pockets to dry them-- have grommets to drain the pockets as you exit the water.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

I wear a size 3XL Neotek suit. Prior to wearing this suit for diving, I have worn several thicknesses/styles of wetsuit, semi dry suit and drysuit. I have worn a Viking Pro Surveyor suit, 7mm, 5mm, and 8/7/6 semi dry (Pinnacle Kodiak) prior to this Neotek suit.
My size is 6'7". 290 lbs, athletic build. I have well over 300 dives experience.

The suit fits me like a glove. my comparison to the Kodiak suit is the closest, as the Kodiak is the most similarly constructed suit. The Neotek has a built-in hood, and smoothskin seals on the legs (just below the curve of the calves) and the mid-forearm). It's not a full "cuff" style seal, like the Kodiak (which would certainly require zippers), the Neotek is all "pull on". the hood has small vent holes on the crown. the hood did not have to be trimmed to work with my Guardian full face mask. All the stitching on the suit is sealed with a rubber sealant. My dive buddy has the same suit, size 2XL. I can say that the suits are designed to fit with an athletic cut (big in chest and shoulders and arms, narrow in waist.) the knees and butt are covered with kevlar. the suit has a shoulder cowl, goes over the chest and head. hood is then pulled from back to the front. across the chest zipper. zipper flap has smoothskin on one side for better seal.

Diving: I have used the suit in warm and cold (ice) water. and have dove deep. the suit material doesn't compress much with depth. I have dove with this and the kodiak suit in ice. both have similar warmth as you would expect from a semi-dry. I haven't noticed any flushing at all with the suit (because of it's fit to my physique).

I did some minor re-sealing to the seam seals in the crotch area and under the arms. I used the McNett seam seal and it worked fine. I have about 100 dives on the suit, the material isn't fading, it's still comfortable and hasn't stretched out, nor has any of the neoprene torn. the best way to wear this suit is to pull it on FULLY up to the crotch ("suit wedgie"). it's athletically cut so don't wear boxers or board shorts! my triceps are pretty big, so those are the only "issue" pulling on the suit.

I really like the pockets on the thighs, very handy to have for my camera and dive light. there is a d-ring in each pocket to secure whatever gear you are cargoing there. There is a thick spine pad runs the length of the spine, nice to have to keep water from flushing down the back. most suits now have that, this suit doesn't disappoint. I would say the Kodiak is the best runner up to this suit, and only if you seal the seams on the kodiak to keep them from fraying on your equipment. Kodiak doens't have a built-in hood. Nice to have this on the Neotek suit, and again, with the full face mask, I didn't have to trim the hood.

I wash the suit in the McNett wetsuit shampoo, and dry it with the hang-air suit dryer. dries fast that way. put the pocket flaps into the pockets to dry them-- have grommets to drain the pockets as you exit the water.

Thanks for coming here to post that Mike and sorry for bugging you on FB to come here ha ha Welcome to your first post on SB

 

[Pongo1998]

Thanks, that helps alot. I think I am going to buy one.

 

[CT Sean]

Might want to check this out - lots of good info

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/exposure-suits/448480-my-indepth-review-hollis-neotek-semi-dry.html

 

[Pongo1998]

Thanks