Titanium wetsuits versus neoprene wetties

[Texas Diver]

I agree with you guys. I just bought a Henderson 3mm titanium hyper stretch suit. Haven't dived with it yet. It is definitely easy to put on. My wife has one and she says it also drys faster than her old suit. But I haven't heard anything about it keeping a diver warmer than a regular wetsuit of the same thickness.

 

[ajaxord]

Has anyone dived with or heard stories about those new titanium wetsuits? They are half the thickness of a normal neoprene wettie and weigh heaps less. I like the idea of the titanium one because they take up less room and weigh less for travelling, but I have not heard a great deal about them. If anyone has used them, what are their thoughts and how do they compare to a normal neporene suit?

Titanium used in the manufacturing of wetsuits is titanium dioxide...a pigment, a white pigment...the same pigment used to make paint and caulk white. When used in wetsuits to provide more asthetic appeal to John Q. Public, a slight touch of blue pigment is added to make it look like steel. It provides nothing to suit's insulative value. This is a good example of how much BS there is in scuba equipment marketing. I would recommend staying away from wetsuit manufacturers who market this material as an advantage to their suits. Why encourage deceptive companies by purchasing their products?

Don't get me started on the "hyperstretch" and other neoprene that is supposedly better because it is more flexilbe. Yeah, fit is very important, but the difference in fit vs. the durability and resulting longevity of the material is another thing. Neoprene that is loaded with filler and plasticizer is going to feel like a baby's behind, but it won't last very long. Filler limits its strength, plasticizer volatizes off in air and is extracted by water which results in brittle neoprene that is even weaker in the long run. Too bad RBX Industries (Rubatex Rubber) went out of business.