Newbie Looking for Advice: 1st Wetsuit Selection

[Ryan Neely]

Greetings ScubaBoard friends!

I'm in the process of researching my first wetsuit purchase (I'm one of those explore all the options and over-analyze everything before purchasing).

There are a handful of dive shops in my area (and, by "my area" I mean within a four-hour drive), each one offering a different product line-up.

I know that I am easily chilled. I know that here in northern Minnesota and southern Canada I'm going to be mostly cold-water diving (though, my wife and I do have plans to travel regularly down south for some tropical dive vacations).

Our first thought (which seems to have been mentioned here several times) was to "layer up" our exposure suits. Our dive-shop-of-choice (only a 90-minute drive) sells AquaLung products and is also a retailer of Lavacore, so our first instinct was to buy a Lavacore we could travel with and use in the tropics and then wear it under a 5mm or 7mm wetsuit while diving locally.

However, in searching out options, I see that Bare Sports has a fabulously warm wetsuit using their Celliant Infrared technology. The glide-skin neck and wrist cuffs call to me. (I can travel a few hours south to a dive shop that sells these so we can try them on before purchasing.)

Then, there's the Fourth Element line. They have the Proteus II in a 5mm and a Thermocline skin suit that seems like it would act very similar to an AquaLung Flex and Lavacore. The Fourth Element suits have this thing called HexaCore (whatever that is) that seems to also add additional warmth. (There is a dive shop a few hours west we can visit to try these on before purchasing).

So, here's my question: Before I go traipsing across the globe to model wetsuits, do any of you have any opinions, tips, or advice regarding the brands and products listed above (or any other general exposure suit purchasing wisdom you'd like to pass along)?

I am new, but I've done a ton of research. I'm also not easily offended, so if you'd rather chime in with "none of the above you daft idiot," that's fine, too. :-D

Thanks in advance!

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

I have the Proteus II, fantastic suit.
Good quality, keeps you warm for long and its comfortable .

I've only had 1 suit from Aqua Lung which started breaking apart after 1 month of use, so i cant say i recommend them.

You might also want to consider a Dry suit for the type of weather that you have, can always pick up a shortie if you plan on traveling anywhere tropical.

 

[Malarky]

Saying you are easily chilled indicates a dry suit for local diving and a 3mm full for tropical. Possibly a boat coat to go over your 3mm.

I get chilled easily as well.

Keep in mind the chill factor of a wetsuit when you are out of the water and in the wind. Brrr.

 

[arcticat99]

i live in canada and only wore a 7 mm for my open water after that first thing i bought was a drysuit .and never regretted it .the whites fusion is really cost effective .and when i dive south i wear a a shorty 2/3 they are cheap to buy

 

[ScubaSam]

"None of the above you daft idiot"....just kidding.

It has been over 10 years since I bought a wet suit but I will pass along what personal experience I have about exposure suits.

I have heard good things from others about Lavacore. I am a big fan of Fourth Element because of their wicking and undergarments for drysuits so feel their wetsuits are worth a try.

I would suggest you try on several brands of wetsuit to see how they fit on you. Each brand will fit slightly different. I tried a few at some local dive shops in Manhattan before I made my decision.

Personally, I found the Henderson wetsuits fitted best with its forgiving nature for a woman's shape. Before my drysuit purchase, when I dived in cold water (which for me was anything from 40's to 70's water temps), I wore my Henderson 5/3mm hooded vest under my Henderson 7mm wetsuit.

I dove the following sites: Dutch Springs (a quarry in PA), St Lawrence River, Long Island Sound, NJ wrecks, Catalina Island, and San Diego for 1.5 years wet before I purchased a drysuit. I listed the sites because they have similar water temps as your local water temps. For warmer tropical salt water dives, I wore my 3mm Henderson suit.

I know your question was about wetsuit but you may want to consider a drysuit if you get easily chilled. I felt more comfortable and warm in my drysuit during cold water dives than I ever did in a wetsuit. The drysuit allowed me to extended my local dive season. With a wetsuit, March, April, May, Oct, Nov, Dec diving was cold in the water so the dives were shorter but not the case with my drysuit. Surface intervals were spent warming up my chilled body so I could do a second dive but not the case with my drysuit.

That is all the experience I have to share. Good luck with whichever suit you buy.

Safe dives!

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

I just got the 3mm Deep 6 wetsuit and was plenty warm doing the same dives I used a 3mm AND a 3mm shorty. There is a difference.... and $100 off with a free rash guard and gloves! I'd bet the 7mm with a hood would keep you roasty- toasty even in the North. Their 3mm with a lava core would probably be as warm as the 7mm And meet your tropical suit needs. These suits really restrict the water flow and are warmer than any other suit of the same thickness I have dove.

Specials

Safe travels,
Jay

 

[stuartv]

If you are going to dive around where you live and you are easily chilled, get a drysuit. Layering under/over a 7mm is going to sound good on paper and suck (for you) in real life.

A Seaskin Nova drysuit is good quality, made to measure, and can be had for well under $1000.

Dry Suits from Seaskin Custom Drysuits home page - Seaskin Custom Diving Suits

For wetsuits, my personal experience is with ScubaPro EverFlex and (I just got a) Bare Reactive.

The suit that will be warmest for you is the suit that fits YOU the best and has the best seals. I think the EverFlex with its DiamondSpan lining and the Reactive with its Ultrawarmth (formerly, Celliant - same thing, new name) lining are totally comparable. I suspect that the top-of-the-line Henderson is, too, but I haven't tried one.

Waterproof also makes very high quality wetsuits, but I'm not sure if they offer anything with the same amount of stretch and the same high-tech, fleecy lining as those other suits.

I have no experience at all with Fourth Element wetsuits. Their drysuits are top quality, but I would not assume expertise in drysuits automatically means expertise in wetsuits.

In the end, how it fits you is so important that the only real option is to do that traipsing around and try stuff on. Or order a pile of suits from LeisurePro, try them all on at home, and return the ones you don't want (which could be all of them). Their Pressure Free Fit guarantee is very handy in this regard.

When trying on wetsuits, remember that you want it to be snug everywhere, including snug all the way up into your crotch and all the way into your armpits. You don't want pockets of water in your pits or crotch. It's important to pull wetsuit legs ALL the way up and into your crotch before putting the top on. Otherwise, it can feel like the suit torso is too short for your body. And possibly not feel snug in the armpits, like it would and should.

After fit, I look for:

glued and blind stitched seams (or the Bare No Seam Tech - just not flatlock stitching, which lets water through)

a nice lining that is on the entire inside of the suit, not just the chest and back

glideskin seals at the wrists, ankles, and neck

spine pad/flap to help seal behind the main zipper

On a 3mm, no wrist or ankle zips. On a 5mm, ankle zips, but no wrist zips. On a 7mm, wrist and ankle zips. That is just for ease of donning vs convenience, comfort, and sealing once donned.

I just remembered. 2 of my EverFlex suits are older and have a normal, straight zipper. My 7/5mm is a little newer and is like the current ones, which have, I believe, a diagonal zipper on the back. The diagonal zipper sucks. That is why I just got a Bare suit instead of a new ScubaPro suit. If SP had a straight zipper, I would have gotten a new SP suit, just because that's what I have and like and I don't like change for no reason. I haven't gotten in the water with the Bare yet, but I LOVE the feel of the lining and how easy the suit is to put on.

 

[Marie13]

Get the Bare suit. I have the women’s version. I know a number of us diving them in cold Midwestern quarries and the Great Lakes.

 

[Akimbo]

All factors discussed so far pale in comparison to the fit; and nobody can tell you what fits you properly without seeing you in the suit. Insulation value is pretty constant for a given thickness but big pockets of water and circulation can make you feel naked in two 7mm layers of material.

Another important factor in wetsuit selection is depth. Insulation is reduced with suit compression. I am perfectly comfortable for over an hour at 40' in Monterey. I start shivering in 10 minutes over 60'.

 

[broncobowsher]

Fit matter most. Water flushing through will make the warmest wetsuit a cold dive.
Don't rule out semi-dry as well. Any Hollis dealers? I hear there semi-dry is pretty good.
Personally, drysuit.