Microprene

[mlove]

Is anyone familiar with the 1 mil microprene from Henderson? I am thinking of ordering one on line, sight unseen. I am also thinking of a 1 mil neoprene from Mares.
Any feed back appreciated,
Mike

 

[Bob3]

I'm not familiar with those particular suits, but the .5mm (1/2 mm) suits are verrrry nice in warm water, much better than a skin. (I have a couple for commercial bug diving)
You can sometimes find them for $55 or so.

 

[miked]

To Mike from Mike about mic(roprene),{sorry I couldn't resist},

I have a Henderson microprene suit, which I wore on a recent (Aug.'01) trip to Cozumel. I very much liked the fit and feel.I was doing 4 dives a day (water temp 80-87 deg. F), and I was completely satisfiedwith the suit's performance. On/off was easy, even when wet, and the suit was very comfortable. In the admittedly warm water,there was no chill at all-even on the forth dive of the day. In fact, on occasion I would pull the neck seal away to let in some water-and I am a non-roster member of the CAD group.
One minor concern :the velcro waist band from my BC did cause some abrading to the stitching on the thigh of the suit, but it does not appear to have caused a problem in terms of the suits integrity. [ I think the fault was mine "or the BC's", rather than a design problem in the suit.]
Finally, fit is important, especially regarding the neck seal. It is a 1 " wide wrap-around seal, and as the zipper goes all the way to the top of the suit's neck, you could encounter a leak if the seal has to be pulled tight to the extent that the zipper top gets folded over. Keeping the neck seal snug is critical to maximizing this thin a suits "thermal protection".
(BTW, Henderson's sizing charts are not very accurate, either. I would suggest going with the smallest size that you feel you fit, or be sure to get an option to return/resize the suit.)
Good luck with your purchase, and let us know how it turns out,
Miked

 

[mlove]

Mike
That was a lot of good information. How would you compare the microprene to the neoprene in weight and warmth? I am thinking I may be able to fit this 1mm suit under my 7mm suit for spring dives in NJ. Sounds like I am getting close to buying a dry suit, doesn’t it.
Mike

 

[miked]

Mike , "Microprene" is Henderson's trade name for its 1 mm neoprene. As such, it is the same material, only, due to its "thickness" (thinness?) it provides just a little warmth- but more than a polartec suit- probably due to the sealing properties.It worked fine in the "Coz in Aug." temps I described. As for your question aboput wearing it under another suit, it might help. (Hendersons early ads for the micro suggested that as a possible use, but I have no first hand experience.)
Based on my experience with the suit alone :If your 7mm suit has a bit of "give" or slack to it, the Micro couldfit fit ,and help add some more warmth and dryness.
It could be worth looking into.
Keep us posted, and feel free to ask any other questions, I'm glad to try to be of help.
Mike

 

[mlove]

Mike
I bought the microprene suit today, $65 at Leisure Pro. This is the lightest suit by far I have had. It should work out fine for the warm waters of the Caribbean.

Thanks for the advice,
mike