wetsuit brands...

[ichigolin]

The best wetsuit is the one that fits you properly and of appropriate thickness for your dive conditions. As for brand, I've dove Henderson, Xcel, and Pinnacle. I'd recommend any of them.

For the dive locations you mentioned... Ginny, Crystal River: I've dove both of these sites in a full 3mm w/out hood. After the second dive of the day, I'm usually cold. I'm fine all day when I wear the 3mm w/a hood. I've also dove them in a full 7mm w/out hood and never got hot. In the Caribbean, you'll find me either skinning it or w/the full 3mm.

 

[Footslogger]

I ended-up with a 3/2mm Bodyglove suit, desinged for and sold to surfers, but it fit me and a my tropical diving needs.

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Same here. For under $80 you can get a good 3/2 suit from BodyGlove that will more than suffice for tropical diving. At that price I can justify replacing my wetsuit a lot easier than if I had paid upwards of $300 ...which I once did year ago.

A BodyGlove 3/2 with a hooded vest is a good combination for extra torso/head warmth.

 

[spectrum]

I have a Bare that I can't say enough good things about. It was relatively inexpensive, is durable, and fits like a second skin. Bare has a fairly extensive sizing chart, so getting a good fit is easy.

I concur but as always fit is top dog.

Pete

 

[Divrdug]

I have a Bare also. What lead me to them was the extensive sizing chart mention earlier. Quite durable. Would purchase the same again .Mine is 3mil and is perfect for the tropics. If I'm doing a lot of diving in one day I add a 3 mil hood. A lot of heat and comfort lost through the head.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

For Crystal river, you will need a minimum of a full 5 mm suit and hood, especially if you go in the winter and the air temperature is 35 degrees. The water temp should not be below about 68-70 degrees. If the coldest water you are diving is 70 degrees, you do not need the best suit made. This suit will be too warm to dive in the carribean in the summer when the water temp can be 86 degrees.

Unless you are rich, Ii suggest buying two cheaper suits, 5 mm and 3 mm. Scubamax makes some decent suits that are very inexpensive.

I would also rather have the 3mm loose rather than tight. If you are diving in a full 3 mm in 80 degree water, fit will not be that important and a somewhat larger looser suit will be easier to take off on on (whenthe air temp is 88 degrees) and it will be more comfortable. For the 5mm suit to keep you warm, it will need to fit snuggly...

 

[docmartin]

and if you get a good 3mm you'll be fine.

a 5mm will probably be too warm in tropical

i can see a number of reasons for not getting a 5mm - more expensive, harder to don, less freedom of movement, more weight required but too warm? i cannot see how one can be too warm in a wetsuit (drysuit is a different story). if you really became uncomfortably warm all you'd have to do is flush a little water through which is easy to do through the neck opening. i have never felt too warm. in the caribbean i can guarantee you that in the water you will never ever feel as warm as on land - even if you wore a 7mm.
i used to dive with 3mm. now i do not even own one anymore. a 5mm is more versatile. works in tropical water and with a hooded vest can take you to pretty low temps, too. when i do repeated dives in the caribbean over a couple of days i get chilly in a 3mm. diving in the florida springs/caves at 72F with a 3mm makes me shiver on the second dive. admittedly, temp sensitivity varies widely but from your original post it sounds like your tolerance is not that high. furthermore, being cold is unsafe. therefore, if you only want to invest in one wetsuit for the type of diving you describe i would recommend a 5mm.

 

[diveborg]

....a 5mm will probably be too warm in tropical

a 5 mm definitely isn't too warm for me. I've never been too warm on a dive, ever, but I have been too cold. Cozumel in December wearing a 3mm full suit was cold, so I bought a Bare 5/4 mm suit for the next year. It was fantastic.

I have a Bare that I can't say enough good things about. It was relatively inexpensive, is durable, and fits like a second skin. Bare has a fairly extensive sizing chart, so getting a good fit is easy.

As other have said, getting a good fit is way, way more important than the brand.

Pretty much sums up my opinion. I got my suit from www.scubatoys.com They had the best price and the customer service was excellent.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

i ? i cannot see how one can be too warm in a wetsuit (drysuit is a different story). if you really became uncomfortably warm all you'd have to do is flush a little water through which is easy to do through the neck opening. i.

This is totaly wrong. It is quite possible to overheat underwater in the wrong wetsuit. Additionally, I find it extremely uncomfortable and promotes feeling of claustrophobia. The only thing worse than being cold is being way overheated underwater.

Try beach diving in August off the southwest coast of Florida. The water can be well into the 90's and just about any wetsuit could be too much, especially if you are swimming.

 

[zen_man]

Just try them on. What fits well for one person may not fit right for you. I was looking at Akona, but it was just too tight in the <cough> "fruit basket" area for me.

I was a little bummed because otherwise, it fit very well and was a very good price.

I ended up with an Aqualung Aqua Flex. It was soooo comfortable, I wanted to pee in it right there in the LDS to make it mine! I absolutely love it. Though, it was a little more expensive than others.

The only other brand I have tried was ScubaPro and it was ok, but nothing special for me.

 

[spectrum]

I did the Crystal river in early April,this year, I logged 73F. I was wearing my Bare 5/4 velocity which had not seen a lot of scuba (depth compression damage) use. This was dive day 4 of 4. On the river dive the second hour was certainly on the cool side. My 3/5mm hooded chicken vest would have been a great addition since it would have taken the neck opening out of the equation. When it was time to come up at 2 hours I had had enough.

Can you overheat ion a wetsuit? Sure, I have been in pools where they wanted us in full rubber and it was miserable. The same be said for any tropical dive-site.

The bottom line is that there is no one wetsuit. If there will be any variability in your diving you are heading for a wardrobe. Just start with what's coming up and add from there. If you look in my profile you will see what I mean, and they all get used in a given year.

Pete