What's a good 7mm wetsuit?

[Neon]

hi there,
new to diving here. just got certified and looking into buying a wetsuit. i'm from LA so i'm mainly looking for something that will keep me warm all year long in cold water. the rental wetsuit i used when i was taking the class was a scubamax 7mm jumpsuit and a henderson 7/5mm hooded vest. that kept me pretty warm in low 60s water, but the wetsuit was a pain in the butt to put on. the aqualung aqua flex got pretty good review online, i'm wondering how does it compare to henderson thermoprene. the henderson hyerstrentch is a bit out of my budget. i'm trying to keep the cost below $400 with wetsuit and hooded vest together.

thanks

 

[kwest]

I was in the same boat as you 3 months ago and ended up with a 7mm Harvey's Flex wetsuit. I can't believe how much I like the thing - worth a look - really well made and feels great.

-Kevin

 

[maged_mmh]

if cost is not a constrain; i would think about going dry instead of too much neoprene;
OTOH, try to test scubapro scotia.

 

[bubble-head]

I have a Bare Artic 7 Mill. I have been using it for several years and have been very happy with it. It has kept me comfortable for a 30 minute dive in 47 F water on one occasion. It is reasonably comfortable and a very warm suit. I highly recommend taking a look at one. Dry suits are nice, however, and hopefully I will be upgrading to a Bare Tech in the near-future.

 

[hobodiver]

To paraphrase someone else on here (who's handle I don't recall):

"The best wetsuit is one that fits"

Anyway, I recently purchased a Pinnacle 7mm Elastiprene suit, which fits me well (although the arms are a bit too long), and has kept me warm down to 52 degrees.

 

[merxlin]

To paraphrase someone else on here (who's handle I don't recall):

"The best wetsuit is one that fits"

Anyway, I recently purchased a Pinnacle 7mm Elastiprene suit, which fits me well (although the arms are a bit too long), and has kept me warm down to 52 degrees.

+1 on the Pinnacle. I have the 7mm merino elastiprene. Very warm, very flexible, easy on & off and will hold up quite well. Add the Merino vest and you'll be toasty. Watch Scubatoys for sales. I got mine for under $400.

 

[cavediver08]

+1 on all of the pinnacle merino suits... They are all on the lower end of the spectrum under $500 bucks, they work wonders... But why not save a bit more for a entry level dry-suit? Well if not, take a look into those pinnacles!

-Tony

 

[scuba_moron]

The most important factor is fit! You want to try on as many different brands as possible until you find one that fits your body.

I dive Socal and went with an O'Neill 7mm Sector because O'Neill fits me the best.
I've dove in 51 degrees without a hood and was still comfortable. Then again my body tends to run hot.

 

[Artimas]

I have a 7mm Henderson Thermoprene John and Jacket (14 on the core). It's pretty easy to put on compared to regular neoprene, and is comfortable. So far It's kept me warm in water as cold as the low 50s, but I've heard it loses some of it's insulating ability as time goes on. Some have said that it compresses at depth and becomes less warm, but I haven't noticed that problem, at least so far. I've had it to 85'.

I agree with the others, though. Fit is critical.

 

[D_B]

Easiest to put on are suits that have been made with some kind of extra stretchy neoprene, but .. they are not as warm, or hold their warmth keeping ability for the longest number of dives
... wetsuits made from regular neoprene are a bit warmer and last longer
... warmest/longest wearing wetsuits are made from Rubatex neoprene (the Wetware brand uses it, NetDoc has one with many, many dives on it)
I've had good luck with BARE, It's a good brand/price, and warm

Custom is an option too, my list ...
Custom Wetsuits ...
Dive Goddess ...... http://www.divegoddess.com/fabcat.html
Liquid Fit ............ http://www.liquidfit.com/ Suit Colors ... http://www.liquidfit.com/products/samples.html
Nemo ................. http://www.nemowetsuit.com/diving-su...collection.php
Otter Bay ............ http://www.otterbaysuits.com/default.cfm ... Suit Colors ... http://www.otterbaysuits.com/colors.cfm ... (can get custom ears or horns addad too)
Terrapin ............. http://www.terrapinwetsuits.com/index.htm
AquaFlite ............ http://www.aquaflite.com/welcome.html
Wetware ............. http://www.wetwear.com/index.htm ... they have good info on wetsuit neoprene
Eagle Reef .......... http://www.eaglereef.com/index.htm
JMJ Wetsuits ....... http://www.jmjwetsuits.com/index.html
Exceed Extreme ... http://www.boatownersworld.com/exceed/exceed.htm