Wetsuit advice ?

[YiNYaNg]

Well I'm in need of a wetsuit but kind of stuck if I buy one and in a year kick myself for buying it.
I'm 5'6" male and decently in shape weighting 150lbs.
My diving is going to be year round near Panama City so it gets pretty cold sometimes but hot too.

 

[smellzlikefish]

How cold is cold? Here in Hawaii, cold is 75 and people are wearing 5 mm wetsuits or more. I still rock a 3/2 and get the slightest bit chilly. It really is a matter of personal preference. I actually now have three functional wetsuits, a 4/3, a 3/2, and a 3mm shorty.

One other piece of advice, try to find an outlet store in your area or any way to get a discount (other then buying used...eww!). On the north shore here we have an Excel outlet that significantly marks down a lot of their merchandise periodically and I have gotten some great deals as a result.

 

[YiNYaNg]

No outlet store here just either buy new or find used deals on craigslist or know people selling. Water gets about 50°F during winter and as warm as over there during summer. I want to know what brand and which I should go for since I don't trust most salesmen at any kind of store.

 

[YiNYaNg]

Any feedback on Henderson Hyperstretch ?

 

[jtpwils]

The search function is your friend - I put "Henderson Hyperstretch" in search titles only and came up with 127 results. That should be enough to answer your questions. One popular opinion on the super stretchy or elastic suits is that they stretch to accommodate poor fit and that by default they get thinner/offer less protection when they're stretched.

In general though wetsuit advice is like mask advice - the best one is the one that fits you and is in your budget. There are a lot of companies and you can get a variety of features like seals, better zippers, ankle zippers etc. throughout a price range.