Wetsuit divers only!

[mfalco]

How cold is the water? I dive a 7/5 down to the low 40's. I use a seperate hood. Last night the water was warm so I removed my hood during the dive. (careful not to loose the mask) That would have been awfully hard with a vest attached to it.

Also remember more neoprene = more lead. A full suit + a vest is very boyant.

 

[KelpCoasters]

I'd check out the Xcel POLAR Quad-Density. I'm now diving dry but I used that particular suit for a number of dives in Monterey and thought it was great. Bare makes a similar model.

I agree with dsfanda here. I have an Xcel quad. It's one piece and has a dam attched to the hood which helps restrict water entry and transfer thereafter. Plus it's amazingly easy to don for an 8mm due to the front entry orientation. Highly recommend it. I previously dived with a total of 12 around my torso and this suit keeps me warmer than the combination of two ever did. It helps that the hood is 8mm.
Good luck!

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

GET A DRYSUIT. I'm a wetsuit diver, or rather was until I tried a drysuit.

 

[Benthos]

Skip the custom 20mm otterbay two piece and lead vest. Its not the thickness so much as the ability of the design to limit water flow. The 7mm rear entry/ hooded vest combo is very capable. Just make sure the suit has a flap with rubber to rubber seal behind the zipper to limit water flow. Smooth rubber around the neck a and wrists is also a must. The zip should be metal and the knee pads tough. The old 7000x is an example of a good, stiff but durable design in this regard. The aqualung is also a good more flexible design. The 7mm Henderson hyperstretch is a poor design and is not suitable for cold water.

Suits with integrated hoods can cut down on water flow and give you more warmth with less lead. The 9-7-6 skin in Xcel polar is not a bad suit. It is flexible and durable with good construction and components. The chest zip has inadequate seal and needs a rubber to rubber backing added to cut down on water flow. The skin-in hood could use a rim of smooth rubber to prevent migration during the dive. The ankle’s, despite having zippers, have almost no taper and will need to be brought in. The inner ankle dam is not skin in and should be replaced with the ankles of an old skin-in microprine. Once these items are addressed the suit is phenomenal. A .5mm microprine skin can be added along with a 5mm skin in vest. Out of the box is probably fine for recreational diving in Monterey. The 8-7-6-5mm Xcel is also a good warms suit and full retail on that model is actualy very reasonable.

The 12mm J-type could have been one of the great cold water wetsuits. The inner attached vest works like a spray skirt tunnel and is remarkably effective and reducing water flow within the suit. Its down fall was the relatively high flow back zip and hood that does not seal with the body of the suit. Water flows under the hood with ease. In spite of the icy water bathing your neck and shoulders the rest of the suit is fairly warm. As least as much as the Xcel polar but its much thicker and harder to don. Add a skin in mictoprine and donning is arduous. The new ink knee pads are more easily defeated by urchin spines than the old rubber. The new fluid seam welding can crack with heavy abuse.

Tall boots with no zips and long gauntlet dredging gloves are absolutely heavenly at reducing water flow.

The above suits are fine with bottom temps in the upper 30’s. The retention of motor function ranges from 85 minutes with a low work load to 150 minutes with a high work load. Beyond that is pushing it. The third dive is usually dry. The Scotia and 8mm pinnacle look promising but I have never dove them.

 

[mikeguerrero]

I will be diving with an Pinnacle Escape 7 farmer john and top. That would be 14mm at the torso and 7mm at the extremeties for my open water cert in Monterey.

I have so far purchased the Pinncale's Merino Elastiprene 7mm full with Merino, the Merino 7mm hooded vest with 3mm in the torso and the appex boot 6mm and the karbonflex Merino 4mm gloves.

Since I want to do a cross analysis for comparison; I'm going to dive with what my certification paid for, the Escape 7.

This way I will know the difference and share with other divers.

MG

 

[saf1]

I'm not an expert but here is my experience so far after diving in Monterey.

Originally I used the rental wet suits - they are 7 mil, farmer john style. So chest area was a total 14 mil with legs and arms left at 7. Not too bad, but fit was questionalble and I did feel the water coming in, etc.

Did my first boat dive in the rental wet suits and to be honest, I had to abort the dive because I never got my breathing under control. Fear and cold I guess. I'm leaning more towards the cold since it was my first dive in the area. All previous dives off boats are in warmer waters and using 3 mil shorties...

In June I picked up a better fitting suit made by aqua-lung. 7 mil full suit with a 3 mill chest and hood combo that either can be used inside or outside. My next dive in Monterey off the cypress sea was better and I was actually able to make all 3 dives that day with comfort.

I started to notice the temps on the 3rd dive for sure. That day the temp was 47 degrees at 94 ft.

I'm on a budget but if I was to dive more often I would go with a dry suit. I just think dive times tend to be morning, it is cooler, water is cold anyway - might as well be dry and enjoy the dives more.

Dunno of this helps any - but I also wanted to add the part about how often you dive and in what water temps. Because it may make some sense to move that 400 bucks to a dry suit kitty. I know I'm wishing I did anyway.

 

[DarkCoffee]

Other than the thickness, which you can decide upon based on temps where you are diving most, IMO the three key issues with a wet suit are FIT, FIT and FIT! The less water that flushes through while you are diving, the warmer you will be.

After that, an attached hood is nice in that you can put your suit on entirely by your self, seems to be less 'claustrophobic' if you are bothered by tight neck seals and, again, it seems to help keep the water from flushing down your neck.

Don't forget some nice warm dry gloves (neoprene with the latex seal at the wrists).

 

[Jim Ernst]

A nice cozy warm, did I mention WARM..... DRYSUIT!!!

Ohh the picture (avtar) yes it is a wet suit from the past, Great one though, XCEL tri density polar!!

 

[muddiver]

http://www.eaglereef.com

Custom suits are the only way to go. Eagle reef is way cheaper than M&B.

I don't like attached hoods because I have different hoods for different applications. Right now I am trying to get a hood with the seal skin on the outside around the face so I can dive my full face mask over the hood instead of fighting to seal the mask, pull the hood up to it and then pull the mask strap over the hood. The mask strap always pulls the hood back when I am doing this.

7 mil?!?!? Woosies, I dive a 5 mil farmer john and if it gets cold I throw a hooded vest on under it.

 

[Hinalo]

I will be diving with an Pinnacle Escape 7 farmer john and top. That would be 14mm at the torso and 7mm at the extremeties for my open water cert in Monterey.

I have so far purchased the Pinncale's Merino Elastiprene 7mm full with Merino, the Merino 7mm hooded vest with 3mm in the torso and the appex boot 6mm and the karbonflex Merino 4mm gloves.

Since I want to do a cross analysis for comparison; I'm going to dive with what my certification paid for, the Escape 7.

This way I will know the difference and share with other divers.

MG

I have used both of those suits, the 7mm Pinnacle merino with a 7mm hood/3mmvest like you have. I vastly prefer the jumpsuit to the Escape, even though the Escape was fine. It did require a lot more weight than the jump suit.

You should be comfortable in either one though.

I dove yesterday in 52 degrees with the jumpsuit option and wasn't cold. The merino lining is pretty warm.