Monterey/Carmel wetsuit, boots and gloves advice

[dlndavid]

And where did you get them? Can you get them online? How hard are they to don/doff?

I'm in the market for some new ones and these sound pretty good.

Gregg

I'm in the market too, can't seem to find dry gloves online for some reason.

 

[Peter_C]

I have a wool lined Pinnacle Polar, and will admit I get cold under almost all conditions. I now wear my 2/1 shorty underneath it. That helps keep my core warmer. If I had to do it over again, I would go dry from the beginning and will soon enough.

 

[dannobee]

Sport Chalet has them for $32 ($5 more if they have to order them) Joel (techdivinglimited.com) has them for about $40 - you'll need to call as Aqualung doesn't do the internet thing. As for don/doffing, they aren't any harder than wet gloves unless you do the under-the-wrist-seal thing, in which case they're about the same as most dry gloves that detach. If you use them as drygloves, with the "seal" under your wrist seal, then the flap over your wrist seal, they are dry. Otherwise they're semi-dry, with little or no water flow through them.

And where did you get them? Can you get them online? How hard are they to don/doff?

I'm in the market for some new ones and these sound pretty good.

Gregg

 

[KelpCoasters]

I'm in Sunnyvale/Redwood City, but I can go to Concord if the price is right.

http://www.onlinescuba.com/index.htm
has xcel suits but they can't list the prices. A quick phone call or email, however, will get you a price quote from one of their reps.

There's also a place in Pacifica that stocks the tri and quad density. I'm very interested in that suit myself so I've done the research and so far this place has the lowest retail price:

ANDERSON'S SKIN & SCUBA DIVING
541 OCEANA BLVD
PACIFICA CA 94044
(650) 355-3050

Someone was also selling their brand new tri density:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=140462&highlight=xcel

 

[Katz]

http://www.onlinescuba.com/index.htm
has xcel suits but they can't list the prices. A quick phone call or email, however, will get you a price quote from one of their reps.

There's also a place in Pacifica that stocks the tri and quad density. I'm very interested in that suit myself so I've done the research and so far this place has the lowest retail price:

ANDERSON'S SKIN & SCUBA DIVING
541 OCEANA BLVD
PACIFICA CA 94044
(650) 355-3050
[/url]

So what was the price in that shop?

 

[Adobo]

I was in Captain Aqua's recently in Hayward. They carry Xcel Wetsuits. It also appears that they are "motivated" to make new customers.

Ask for the manager named James. He is a really good guy and might be willing work something out.

Captain Aqua's
Hayward Dive Center - (510) 728-0225

 

[Jim Ernst]

You'll want at least 7mm, all around, although I do fine with 3mm gloves. I wouldn't want more than 5mm gloves, else you can barely move! If you're prone to cold, you could consider a 3-5mm hooded vest over the 7mm suit, to keep your core warmer.

As for recommendations, I've been very happy with my Henderson InstaDry, but if I had it to do over again, I might consider the Xcel SCS Polar (9/7/6) or Titanium Polar (8/7/6/5) wetsuits with integrated hoods. The people in those suits are the ones I see continuing to dive, even when the rest of the wet crowd threw in the towel, keeping up with the dry folks in 49/50 degree water.

i will have to 2nd all that is said here as i own an xcle scs polor, and it has worked great, though i have just gone to dry, but that is only because i teach and am in the water so much and for very long periods of time, other wise i have tried several other wetsuits and found the fit and warmth of my xcel best, do remember that THE FIT is one of the most impotant factors!!

 

[KelpCoasters]

So what was the price in that shop?

What, you don't read minds?????:11:

Sorry bout that, the Quad Density was $299 which I thought was surprisingly low, considering the Tri Density retails for like $475-$525. I guess the Tri is considered semi dry though.

 

[Katz]

What, you don't read minds?????:11:

Sorry bout that, the Quad Density was $299 which I thought was surprisingly low, considering the Tri Density retails for like $475-$525. I guess the Tri is considered semi dry though.

I just checked in Wallins. Quad Density was $370 and Tri Density was $450. Quite expensive. How about Bare Alpine? I can be bought for $200.

 

[KelpCoasters]

I just checked in Wallins. Quad Density was $370 and Tri Density was $450. Quite expensive. How about Bare Alpine? I can be bought for $200.

Did you check Anderson's in Pacifica? I could have sworn the employee I had on the phone quoted me $299 for the Quad.....