Total Noob Question About Wetsuits

[djminus1]

Are there any real differences between a dive wetsuit and a scuba wetsuit? For instance, if I am looking at a Quicksilver 3/2 wetsuit, would that also work fine for scuba? 3/2 is 3/2...right? Here it is...

QUIKSILVER - 3/2 Syncro Wetsuit

 

[djminus1]

Can anyone tell me if that wetsuit will be good or not?

Thanks

 

[Jimmer]

I would expect it would work just fine as long as it fit properly, like any wetsuit. Seems like it might be a decent tropical suit.

 

[djminus1]

Yes this would be my tropical suit for 75F-80F waters. Anything higher than 80F and I would go shortie.

 

[covediver]

Most surf suits are cut to allow a little more freedom of movement in the shoulders than dive suits for paddling out. Some people claim that space means that more water is trapped and needs to be heated by the body, etc. So much for theory. The key is how well any suit fits. I have used 3/2 surf suits that fit me well for tropical diving with no problem. When I worked on as ad DM on dive boats in SOCAL, we would get kids on who dove in the summer in their winter-weight surf suits because that is what they owned and could not afford a rack full of water-sports specific suits. None of them ever seemed worse off for the experience. Sorry, don't know anything about the Quicksilver line being an XCEL and Oneill fan.

 

[Rhone Man]

I always buy surf suits for diving - because I am tall and skinny, I struggle to get shorties that fit but don't squeeze me in the cojones. The only generic wetsuits that I find that are 'jacket only' tend to be surf suits.

No problems yet.

 

[girlgonediving]

It has been my experience that the best suits are custom made. Wetwear offers a great line of affordable custom wetsuits. You don't have to worry about it squeezing your cojones as Rhone Man has experienced. In my opinion there is a big difference between a surf suit and a diving suit. Surf suits are made with a different type of neoprene that dose not hold up under water compressions. Dive suits use a different grade of neoprene that keeps you warmer at depth. I am a firm believer in my Rubatex Wetwear suit...I am never cold and it fits me perfectly.

 

[ajmataz]

djminus1 -

You are a genius and have excellent taste - I have the exact same suit and use it for tropical diving!

I LOVE IT. The surfing wetsuits fit me a lot better. I workout quite a bit and have pretty wide shoulders, so I really like the sizing of the Quicksilver line where there are variations for size and height. And overall, the wetsuits are cheaper too. The Synchro is easy to don on and off and is really comfortable to move in, likely tailored to greater movement in surfing than in scuba diving. But I don't feel any extra water seeping in or anything just because it's a surfing rather than a scuba wetsuit.

Oh, and I see you're from Detroit. I go to UM-Ann Arbor. Go Blue!

 

[prskate2]

Just make sure it fits. You should try it on before you buy it, if you can. If it's too big it will be letting in water like CRAZY!

 

[ajmataz]

I'm also considering my next wetsuit to be one through a surfing company.