What do you think about wetsuit sold at Sams Club?

[ppatrick]

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I went to Sams Club and found a very affordable wetsuit (about thirty something dollars). The brand was O'Brien. It was a 3 inch think short sleeve. Just wonder if anyone ever used it. Is O'Brien a decent brand? I know that I should not expect high quality from cheap product. But all I want is a suit that will keep me warm. Your opinion is always welcome!


Patrick

 

[Soggy]

It'll probably be a little cold for diving in Chicago.

 

[Bottom Scratcher]

I think you mean 3 mil thick, and they are fine if all you are doing is surfing and water skiing. No, they are not suitable for diving, they are designed for skiers.

 

[ppatrick]

It'll probably be a little cold for diving in Chicago.

Yeah, you're right! Actually I plan to use it when diving in Florida or Thailand. In fact, I'll buy a 6 mm one to dive in Chicago.

 

[ppatrick]

I think you mean 3 mil thick, and they are fine if all you are doing is surfing and water skiing. No, they are not suitable for diving, they are designed for skiers.

Yup, I meant 3 mm. You think it's too thin even for diving in the tropical area like Florida? I plan to have two suits: 3 mm (for tropical temperature) and 6 mm (for mild temperature). I'm not interested in cold water diving at all.

I'm pretty sure that it's not for skier. I snowboard and never seen anyone ware that kind of suit...

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

O'Brien used to be a pretty decent name in wetsuits designed for surfing or waterskiing. Since Sam's Club is selling them though, they're probably being made in China, and as such, are probably complete crap and will likely fall apart after a few dives, however, if the price is right, why not buy & try? (as long as you have a quality back-up, just in case...)

3mm is fine for diving in Florida, unless you're diving freshwater springs or quarries.

 

[Ed Marshall]

It's going to be fine for tropical diving. Others have made good points ... it won't last as long as a more expensive suit made specifically for diving. But surfers and wakeboarder have to stay warm as well. I wore a Body Glove 3 mm shorty for lake diving all the time last summer, in 84 degree water. Worked great!

Ed

 

[Bottom Scratcher]

Yup, I meant 3 mm. You think it's too thin even for diving in the tropical area like Florida? I plan to have two suits: 3 mm (for tropical temperature) and 6 mm (for mild temperature). I'm not interested in cold water diving at all.

I'm pretty sure that it's not for skier. I snowboard and never seen anyone ware that kind of suit...

Water skier

 

[fishoutawater]

Maybe somebody can clear this up for me.
I dive with my Henderson front zip shorty, and I've also dove with my O'neill shorty with the zipper in back. Except for the zipper being in the back on the O'neill, I can't tell a bit of difference.
I asked about the difference between surfer shorties and diver shorties a long time ago, and was told that on the surfer, the zipper is on the back so you don't scratch your surf board, but you shouldn't dive with it because the long zipper pull is an entanglement hazzard in the event one would need to doff his BC.
But now when I walk into dive shops, most of the divers wetsuits are back zippered.
So what's the deal?

 

[dbg40]

Not positive, but I think that there a fiew top brands that are being made in China now.