I spent a lot of time in several dive shops looking at the Hyperstretch, Xcel Infinity, and Harvey's Kobalt, and getting opinions from the various owners. I ruled out the Harvey's because I couldn't get what I wanted in a one piece.
After trying on the Hyperstretch and Xcel, I preferred the Xcel. It's a little stiffer than the Hyperstretch but not really harder to get on because of the slippery lining. It's similar to Gold Core but Xcel calls it Titanium.
I liked the fit better too. The Hyperstretch 2XL was a bit snug while the 3XL had way too much material and it was easy to pinch it away from my body. It was just a little too loose. The Xcel fit snuggly without binding. I could easily do a valve adjustment, squats, and move easily in any direction. It was just as easy in the 7/6/5 as in the 4/3.
The Xcel also has a velcro friendly exterior, which is nice since I have the velcro held weight pockets on my Seaquest BC.
The Xcel material probably isn't quite as stretchy as the Henderson but it's stretchy enough. I also liked the ankle zippers on the Xcel that the Hyperstretch did not have.
I asked for prices on 2 suits; a 3mm and 7/5 Hyperstretch, and a 4/3 and 7/6/5 Infinity for the Xcel. The price difference was negligible, about $5, although I could have received free fly zippers on the Henderson from one dealer. This was a $42 per zipper option. I added a 6/4 Xcel hood and a pair of Harvey's 7mm gloves and paid just shy of $780, including tax, out the door.
I picked up the suits today and hope to get the 7/6/5 wet soon. The 4/3 will have to wait until February when I head to Tahiti (10 day cruise) followed by Hawaii (8 days on Maui for my son's wedding). February 11 - March 3 in the south Pacific. Don't you hate it when that happens.
You can take this for what it's worth since I'm a newbie. I've only been certified for about a year and these are my first wetsuits. But I'm very happy with my purchase.
