Selecting a suit

[Manta Matt]

Hold on... The New ScubaPro Wetsuits eliminated the Silver Core. I personally don't like the Core Stuff just for that "Sticky" Reason... The Silver Core is now in-between the Materials...

But Look at the EverFlex Post to get more info on that wetsuit.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Can anyone recommend a good suit? I don't remember the brand I wore during my certification, but it fit well. Any ideas or opinions would be greatly appreciated!

As posted by Jonnythan:

"Nitrogen-blown' suits compress just as much as regular ones. Remember, air is 79% nitrogen.

I hear the Hyperstretch suits, because they're so flexible, also compress a bit more and don't last quite as long as some other suits. More air and less actual neoprene in them, or something like that.

Forget all the hype, and the nitrogen-blowing, and the reflective Titanium barriers and all that trash. Buy the suit that fits you best and offers you the thickness you need."

He said it best, and in the fewest words, but I would echo his comments in this manner.

(1) Choose a suit with the thickness you need for the area you are diving in most.

(2) Of those, choose a suit that fits you comfortably. If it does not fit well, it will make you miserable.

(3) Choose a suit that is not the very cheapest, nor most expensive. The very cheapest do not last long, and the most expensive do not give you enough improvement to make up for the extra $$'s you spend.

(4) Did I mention it should fit well?????

 

[Hoosier]

Henderson Gold core or Triple_L wet suit. That is my choice.

 

[ScubaDadMiami]

I have to disagree somewhat about saying that all neoprene is basically the same thing. There is a shop down here that makes custom wet and semi-dry suits. They carry the better stuff but within that segment, there are still degrees.

They have shown me, by taking samples of each type of neoprene and putting them into a pressure pot, what happens at depth with each grade of neoprene and then what happens when the pressure comes off. They put all pieces in at the same time, subjecting them all to the same pressure for the same time. http://wetwear.com/chambertest.htm

You would be surprised at how much more the lower grades of neoprene compress and how much less they come back to their original thickness after going through this process.

Now, like I said, they carry the less expensive to the most expensive grades of the better neoprene. So, they will make a suit for you out of whatever you want that they carry. There is definitely a difference in price that comes with using the better grades.

The G-231 Rubatex is the top of the line. They made a hood for me, which was over a hundred bucks (not cheap at all). I have used it on about 150+ dives so far, and it is still working pretty much like the day I got it. Some of these dives have been to 250 feet, so there has been some pretty serious pressure on them.

This place is not cheap, but they do good work.

 

[Azza]

The only suit I know of that doesnt compress is a membrane drysuit.

Just get what ever fits and feels comfortable. If you are diving warm water in a 3mm then compression isnt going to be too much anyway, especially between different grades of neoprene.

 

[flyhigh123]

i was debating over brand akona and subogear.... subogear says it has glide skin throughout the whole suit while akona is just cuffss and neck area... if both suits fit me well, is the glideskin throughout the whole suit worth it?

 

[Canadian_Diver]

The only suit I know of that doesnt compress is a membrane drysuit.

Crushed neoprene. They squish / crush the bubbles out of the neoprene. It's buoyancy is negligible, if not downright non existant. Expensive though.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

i was debating over brand akona and subogear.... subogear says it has glide skin throughout the whole suit while akona is just cuffss and neck area... if both suits fit me well, is the glideskin throughout the whole suit worth it?

I just saw the new Akona stuff. One of our guys just bought a 14mm (7mm/7mm) suit. Also, I read an article recently in Scuba Diving that reviews the new wetsuits. The new Akona suit was rated highly, and IMHO, it looks very well constructed with good seals to keep water in the suit.

 

[ranger979]

You would be surprised at how much more the lower grades of neoprene compress and how much less they come back to their original thickness after going through this process.

Now, like I said, they carry the less expensive to the most expensive grades of the better neoprene. So, they will make a suit for you out of whatever you want that they carry. There is definitely a difference in price that comes with using the better grades.

The G-231 Rubatex is the top of the line. They made a hood for me, which was over a hundred bucks (not cheap at all). I have used it on about 150+ dives so far, and it is still working pretty much like the day I got it. Some of these dives have been to 250 feet, so there has been some pretty serious pressure on them.

This place is not cheap, but they do good work.

So how do you know what grade neoprene a suit is made of? Most of the suits I've seen make absolutely no mention of it.

 

[jhelmuth]

First Hyperstretch, there is no such thing as a free lunch. I do not nor have owned one. There are consistent postings of rapid warmth loss, velcro attacks and overall short life. If you fit into one such that is very stetched (claims to 250%) it's obviously getting thinnner before you even get wet. The properties that allow for stretch would seem to also make the suit vulnerable to compression and loss of insulating capability at lesser depths. You will hear from divers that love them with the most common claim being comfort and easy donning. If those are the top priorities then so be it.

There are some claims of higher density neoprene, Rubitex also shows up as premium maker of material and there are variations as you mentioned of gas content. I have also heard of clay fillers being used as opposed to pure base material. These details are very hard for the consumer to get hard facts on a brand by brand basis.

So what is important? Fit, seals and thickness in my opinion.

The suit must fit you closely and some light compression is a good thing. Make sure it's comfortable in the chest and will not interfere with your breathing. Your arms should have full range of motion and you should be able to bend over. Getting into it should not be a circus act though if it's your first time it may take some practice. Start by getting your legs in up to your knees and get that just right and roll your way up. You will be wet in a wetsuit but water volume should be minimal as close to a film as possible.

You want internal rubber surface seals in the calf and forearm area as well as a smooth surfaced collar that you can adjust with velcro. These will help keep water from flushing in and out of the suit.

Lastly is thickness of material 7mm is the thickest common material and suits can be configured to provide 2 layers on your core. I prefer a fullsuit (like a jumpsuit) with a hooded step-in vest. The farmer John/Jane and jacket are the other common option.
You might look at the Bare Arctic items either the SGS of basic. You can mix and match items depending on conditions.

http://www.bare-wetsuits.com/baresh...asp?dept_id=230

Have fun
Pete

This was the most intelligent response... and from a newbie!

Congrats Spectrum! (you're one of the few that get it)