Surfing wetsuit for diving?

[Splitlip]

I recently picked up a new Epic 3/2 full by O'Neill from one of the big dive shops. Fit well, very fluid. Felt so good I asked the folks in the shop if they were sure it was a dive suit and not a surf suit. (I have a couple surfing wetsuits as well as diving wetsuits). They insisted it was a dive suit even though it has the wax shield on the chest. Well according to O'Neill's web site the Epic is a surf suit.
Has anyone ever used a surfing westuit for diving and found anything objectionable about it? Do they in fact compress more? Using a dive suit for surfing has it's own issues, but wondering about the other way around.
Thanks

 

[spectrum]

This comes up from time time to time and I'm sure you can find other threads on the topic.

Imgeneral there is no reason not to dive the suit and it's probably every bit as good as many so called "dive suits". Being a 3mm suit you aren't in for major exposure protection anyway so if it does compress more readilly it's a marginal diadvantage.

I assume that a surf suit is more flexible and a diver never complains about that. As long as it has good knee protection it's probaby fine.

All that being said if you shop carefully for a dive suit you may find one that is even better suited. Also since you have planted the seed of doubt it will contnue to grow and you may never be happy.

Pete

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

Our local surf shop has the largest selection of wetsuits on Cape. Don't see much difference between diving or surfing in freezing Atlantic waters!

Check out the link, it a pretty cool shop:NAUSET SURF

Rap

 

[Splitlip]

This comes up from time time to time and I'm sure you can find other threads on the topic.

Imgeneral there is no reason not to dive the suit and it's probably every bit as good as many so called "dive suits". Being a 3mm suit you aren't in for major exposure protection anyway so if it does compress more readilly it's a marginal diadvantage.

I assume that a surf suit is more flexible and a diver never complains about that. As long as it has good knee protection it's probaby fine.

All that being said if you shop carefully for a dive suit you may find one that is even better suited. Also since you have planted the seed of doubt it will contnue to grow and you may never be happy.

Pete

Thanks Pete. You are correct on surfing suits being more flexible. And thinking about it I believe you are correct about the compression. You are also correct in that I can be some what obsessive when I make a gear purchase. Good call!
Nice call on the knee protection too. This suit actually has lighter knee pads than my 2 mil surfing wetsuit but the same as my 1 mil Harvey's diving suit. I will need to keep that in mind during lobster season. Funny I never gave that a thought.
Fact is, I was considering a 3/2 full suit for surfing this winter so if this works for surf and dive, more the better.

 

[Splitlip]

Our local surf shop has the largest selection of wetsuits on Cape. Don't see much difference between diving or surfing in freezing Atlantic waters!

Check out the link, it a pretty cool shop:NAUSET SURF

Rap

Rapidiver:
Thanks for the link. Sure wish I could grab that 10 RA "what I ride" glass board they have listed.
Comment totally unrelated to the thread, but since I started it.. Clark Foam, the company which makes the blanks for most of the "real" boards in the US is going out of buisiness. Going to really open the door for all those mass produced "tuppaware" boards coming into the States. The tuppaware boards were already hurting the local shapers. Sad.

 

[spectrum]

Thanks Pete. You are correct on surfing suits being more flexible. And thinking about it I believe you are correct about the compression. You are also correct in that I can be some what obsessive when I make a gear purchase. Good call!
Nice call on the knee protection too. This suit actually has lighter knee pads than my 2 mil surfing wetsuit but the same as my 1 mil Harvey's diving suit. I will need to keep that in mind during lobster season. Funny I never gave that a thought.
Fact is, I was considering a 3/2 full suit for surfing this winter so if this works for surf and dive, more the better.

The knees may be the thing....

You mention lobstering and as you know the knees can get severe use at times, especially if you are faced with crawling out in a less than placid exit.

Back to perspective, are we talking about a $100 suit? a $300 suit?

Sturdier knee pads can always be added now or when wear begns to show. Just do it before the material becomes unstable.

Pete

 

[Splitlip]

The knees may be the thing....

You mention lobstering and as you know the knees can get severe use at times, especially if you are faced with crawling out in a less than placid exit.

Back to perspective, are we talking about a $100 suit? a $300 suit?

Sturdier knee pads can always be added now or when wear begns to show. Just do it before the material becomes unstable.

Pete

$119.00 out the door. (MSRP is $149.99 plus tax)
I like the idea of adding knee pads if wear shows. So far my Harvey's has no sign of wear, but then I can't recall that I've worn that suit chasing bugs. Typically if I have a need to settle on the bottom, I am careful to do it on sand only, but chasing bugs all that changes.
As for shore entry and exits only place i shore dive is in a protected inlet, and that only to check out new gear.