Question Poll: Do you dive CLOSED CELL wetsuits or OPEN CELL wetsuits?

[Soloist]

Question: Do you scuba dive in a CLOSED CELL wetsuit or OPEN CELL wetsuit? Can you elaborate why? If you dive both closed and open cell suits which do you prefer?

CLOSED CELL are "double-lined" neoprene wetsuits with a protective fabric exterior and a fully lined FABRIC INTERIOR. The fabric varies from nylon, synthetic fleece or some other material. More often than not, these are one piece suits.

OPEN CELL are "single-lined" neoprene wetsuits with a protective fabric exterior and a raw NEOPRENE INTERIOR (no lining). Open cell suits are typically two piece. Open cell suits can be raw neoprene inside and out too.

Disclaimer: If you only dive a drysuit, swimsuit, birthday suit, Sharkskin, Thermocline, monkey suit, rash guard or anything other than a NEOPRENE wetsuit this poll does not apply to you, so your non-participation is greatly appreciated. If you still have an issue with the poll having only two choices please dial 4 to contact the Complaints Department.

 

[Thunder Struck]

Closed cell. Henderson Aqualock. Interior dries quickly, wicking water down. Wish Henderson would finish the ends of the cuffs though.

 

[loady]

Sent my Henderson aqualock in for repair two months ago and still don’t have it. Did ten dives on it and seams ripped on ankles and wrists .

 

[happy-diver]

Can't wait until my fully lined Henderson suit arrives so I can wear it while my other one dries and rotate them

 

[BjörnBear]

I wear both depending on need. If I really need the thermal protection, then open cell all the way. If I just need something to keep sun/critter exposure down, then a cheap, thin double lined suit is just fine.

 

[loady]

Closed cell. Henderson Aqualock. Interior dries quickly, wicking water down. Wish Henderson would finish the ends of the cuffs though.

I have had aqua lock, body glove and scuba pro 7 mm suits. They all are slow drying inside and out. Henderson 7 mm still takes hours to dry in warm dry temps when hung inside out and outside in. Henderson started coming apart after 7 dives over ten months. Seams and cuffs are not all liquid glued and taped inside and out.
I sent it in and they sent me new one about 7 weeks later. Maybe other Henderson suits are better but aqualock is not worth the money and not warmer then other 7 mm wetsuits. It’s a gimmick. Just buy a perfect fitting suit that’s durable.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I use both.
My freediving suits have always been skin-in/nylon outside. I’ve had several custom suits made that we’re also skin-in.
Any “scuba” type suit I’ve used has been fabric both sides, like my one piece back zip suits that I use with a hooded vest, which is also fabric both sides. It seems to be default for those types of off the rack typical dive shop scuba wetsuits.
Right now I’m using an Henderson 7mm lined bottom with a Yazbeck skin-in top attached hood beavertail freediving top. The reason for the missmatch is because the matching Yazbeck bottoms were too short so I tried to lengthen them and F’ed it all up.
My next suit will either be a custom JMJ skin-in two piece beavertail attached hood 3/4 zip front, or an Elios Sub custom from Italy. A commercial urchin diver buddy of mine swears by the Elios Sub which was $500 shipped! That’s a damn good price for a 10 mil Heiwa neoprene suit.
The reason for skin-in? Because the open rubber is right next to your skin which makes it warmer. The trade off is you have to lube the suit with baby shampoo/water or hair conditioner/water to get in, but sliding in is very easy and they are very comfortable and warm. BTW, the best way to wear them is commando, just sayin’.
Any apparel underneath and it will hang up on the open cell material and act like a brake pad.
And they never smell because they dry really quickly and there is no fabric inside to trap moisture, plus the conditioner makes them smell good and makes your skin soft too.
@MAKO Spearguns has good skin-in freediving suits that could be used for scuba.