Sturdy alternatives to Scubapro Thermal Tec Steamer 5mm suits?

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afieldofblue

Contributor
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
Messages
363
Reaction score
146
Location
Indonesia
# of dives
2500 - 4999
Hello all,

My wife and are instructor/guides, diving over 60 dives per month on average.

We need to replace our current wetsuits, Scubapro 5mm Thermal Tec Steamers (Scubapro Thermal TEC Steamer 5mm ) which are now down to less than 3mm, full of holes and falling apart...
These well designed wetsuits lasted us almost two years, so well over 1000 dives, making them some of the most durable we've had, and were nice and warm - and we know our exact sizes, ie man L/52 and woman XS/36/2. Main downside was their dry weight...

Alas, the range has changed and it seems Scubapro is no longer making these (though they still can be found in Asia, Singapore, Thailand etc).

We're now looking at alternatives 5mm full suits, but can't really find anything that looks as durable for heavy usage.

Looking into the range by makers such as Scubapro (Everflex or Definition steamer, but really doesn't look as sturdy) Aqualung (Dynaflex 5.5mm), Waterproof W7 5mm, Bare Velocity 5mm, but not really sold...
Some seem really well designed, but the choice of external material looks like it will degrade easily when used daily, which isn't great given that these are on the high side price-wise.

We were planning on making the purchase during a coming return to Europe, but really not convinced by anything found so far.

Sitting on the fence as to whether we should simply order some of the remaining Scubapro Thermal Tec models from Asia instead...

Any tips on sturdy 5mm for heavy professional use?

We're interested in primarily in durability and warmth.

Thanks!
b
 
Looking into the range by makers such as Scubapro (Everflex or Definition steamer, but really doesn't look as sturdy)
What makes you say so? Do you have first hand experience with it?


A friend of mine bought this suit over a year ago and uses it for commercial diving in the oil & gas and power industry to inspect pipelines and other submerged structures and abuses the heck out of it and still has no issues with it at all:

Note: He may not dive as often as you do but he most likely abuses the heck out of it a lot more than you do.
 
Hi and thanks for your reply. It's good to hear this.

No, I do not have first hand experience with the current Scubapro models, but have been through a lot of wetsuits, with the usual wear and tear, and I was judging by what I saw in the pictures of the suits' design and assembly, especially the closeup of panels, seams etc...

First hand experience is very welcome indeed, and it's good to know the "Definition" is holding quite well for your friend working as a commercial diver.
I e-mailed Scubapro to try and find out which of the Everflex or Definition is considered the successor of an old-time favorite like the Thermal Tec. The Everflex is more expensive, but the Definition looks more similar by design.

Regarding the old Thermal Tec model, has a non-porous layer of what Scubapro calls "fairskin" on the torso and back panels, which is really super solid. Apart from a few dents, it's basically untouched on both wetsuits (it's probably what adds most weight to the suit, as it is heavy...)
Main rippage/holes at the moment is under the armpits, around the neck area and also on the legs which are falling apart, basically all the areas which have a more standard build.
The seams, all the zippers, torso, back all held up really well, way better than previous wetsuits, and the inner orange panel ("heliospan", basically a type of fleece fabric) also resisted compression really well.

The newer designs seem to have do done away with this, which is why I'm a little concerned about the durability - this based on appearances of course, which is why feedback is very welcome.
The other option is simply to buy a cheaper, more disposable suit and change it every six months, but we're not great fans of the concept.

Thanks
b
 
Hi oppo,

I would suggest this suit for you: One-Piece Fullsuit - JMJ Wetsuits. Ours are some of the best made and most durable suits available.

If you have any questions please do let me know or give our shop a call at 310-212-3040

Kind regards,
Derek & JMJ
Thanks Derek - we weren't really considering custom-made wetsuits at this point, for practical purposes, but will keep it in mind.

b
 
Thanks Derek - we weren't really considering custom-made wetsuits
You're very welcome oppo - I'm happy to help. In case you didn't see it, we do also have stock sizes available at a lower price. Same quality suit, just cut from a pattern instead of custom-fit.

Hope that helps,
Derek
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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