Which 3mm wetsuits don't have a thick zipper seal? Do I need one?

[OceansideOcean]

Hi all,

I've narrowed down my choice of 3mm jumpsuit westsuit to just 3. However, this wetsuit is strictly for travel to the tropics as in sunny SoCal (Southern California), water temps are in the 50's so I have a drysuit.

I'm looking to travel with a 3mm wetsuit that is VERY packable. I'll be using it for diving the tropics; 77+ degree water only. However, some of the ones I'm considering have a 10-12mm zipper seal. I'm thinking this would be tough to pack - or take up a lot of space at the very least.

Top choice right now is the Pinnacle Seal 3mm Merino Lined Jumpsuit available from LP right now for $100. Reading the recommendations on this board, this suit is fantastic. With this deal, the price is fantastic. However from what I can find out, it has a thick zipper seal.

Since I've never owned a wetsuit, I don't know how much trouble a thick seal causes when you pack it.

Final question - what negatives would there be to cutting all, or maybe most of the seal off?

So again, I need answers to the following:

1. Will a 3mm suit with a thick zipper seal pack down small?

2. If not, what is the downside of cutting the seal off for 77+ degree water?

3. As an alternative, what 3mm jumpsuit can you recommend which doesn't have a thick seal?

Thanks,

mike

 

[weaserm99]

I would not worry about packing suits, i sometimes pack my 5MM merino elastiprene suit and still get everything that i need into my bag. I would not cut the suit though, once you cut the suit it loses any type of warranty that it might have, i know there is not much that can go wrong with a wet suit but if the zipper breaks or something goes wrong i would rather get a warranty claim over having to pay for the new suit.