Why I chose Yamamoto Neoprene to make my MAKO Freediving wetsuits

[MAKO Spearguns]

“Why I chose Yamamoto Neoprene to make my MAKO Freediving wetsuits.”


By Dano
MAKO Spearguns


For those of you with very little time, “Why I chose Yamamoto Neoprene for my MAKO Freediving wetsuits”, can be summed up in 3 sentences:

#1: Yamamoto neoprene is the highest quality neoprene available.
#2: Therefore, my MAKO wetsuits made with Yamamoto neoprene are some of the highest quality wetsuits available.
#3: And, because I sell direct to divers, instead of through dive shops, my high quality MAKO/Yamamoto freediving wetsuits actually cost less than non-Yamamoto wetsuits made with lower quality Chinese neoprene.

Now, for those of you who have a few minutes, there are some interesting facts about Yamamoto that I would love to share with you.

To begin with, did you know that Yamamoto neoprene is made from Limestone?

That’s right. Unlike Chinese neoprene that is made from petroleum, the Yamamoto neoprene is made from eco friendly Limestone. Why is this important?

a) It eliminates skin irritation.
b) It is warmer.
c) It is more stretchy.
d) It is more durable.
e) It is more impermeable.

How is this possible? It’s simple.

Both Yamamoto Limestone neoprene and Petroleum based neoprene are made up of independent cells which basically act as air bubbles packed together to provide insulation. However, because Yamamoto uses Limestone, instead of petroleum, the limestone neoprene has over 30% more air bubbles than the oil based neoprene. This means the Yamamoto suits are 30% warmer. This increase in warmth means you can wear a thinner suit and still stay warmer and more comfortable in the water for a lot longer.

In addition to being 30% warmer, Yamamoto suits have 30% more stretch than oil-based suits. How is this possible? Again, it’s because there are 30% more air bubbles in the Yamamoto Limestone Neoprene.

This increase in tiny air pockets makes the Limestone neoprene a lot less dense, which means it has a lot more stretch than oil-based neoprene suits which have a lot less air pockets (higher density).

This increase in stretch means you will have a much better fitting suit. It will be much more ergonomically form fitting with less bulk. And, equally important, the increase in stretch also translates into longer breath holds and longer bottom times as well as a major increase in overall enjoyment when diving.

Without getting too technical, there are a few other important differences between Yamamoto Limestone Neoprene and the oil based neoprene that I would like to point out. I mentioned above, the Limestone neoprene is comprised of tiny air bubbles. Well that is not exactly accurate. The bubbles are actually individual cells filled with Nitrogen Gas (not air) which provide amazing heat retention and an increase in efficiency. It is important to note that the Yamamoto neoprene has a much higher nitrogen cell content than competing materials. And, this high cell ratio found in the Limestone based, Yamamoto neoprene, also results in lower water absorption and increased durability over petroleum based suits.

At the risk of boring you with further details about why MAKO freediving wetsuits are made using Yamamoto material, I will cut this short.

But before I do, I want to say how fortunate I am to be working with the Yamamoto Corporation of Japan. I have had the opportunity to meet Tommy Yamamoto and his representatives and I am honored to have become friends with them.

Wherever I dive, I often see guys getting in or coming out of the water wearing my MAKO/Yamamoto wetsuits and I always ask them, “Hey man, how do you like that suit?”. Thanks to Tommy and the wonderful people at the Yamamoto Corp. of Japan as well as my guys at the MAKO shop taking great care of our customers, the responses I get to that question are nothing short of awesome.


Wetsuits | MAKO Spearguns

Thanks guys for taking time to read this.

Dive safe,
dano

 

[tbone1004]

why the decision for open vs closed cell?
why traditional 2 piece beaver tails instead of steamers?

 

[Freewillow]

"Without getting too technical, there are a few other important differences between Yamamoto Limestone Neoprene and the oil based neoprene that I would like to point out. I mentioned above, the Limestone neoprene is comprised of tiny air bubbles. Well that is not exactly accurate. The bubbles are actually individual cells filled with Nitrogen Gas (not air) which provide amazing heat retention and an increase in efficiency. It is important to note that the Yamamoto neoprene has a much higher nitrogen cell content than competing materials. And, this high cell ratio found in the Limestone based, Yamamoto neoprene, also results in lower water absorption and increased durability over petroleum based suits. "

I am sorry but this souds very much like marketing BS. I can understand that nitogen is better than air for preservative purpose because there is no oxygen to oxidise meat or vegies, but in terms of thermal conductivity, the difference between air and nitrogen is 4%. Negligeable, I am afraid .

 

[Vicko]

Will yammamoto be the best choice for spearfishing over 30 meters?

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

why the decision for open vs closed cell?
why traditional 2 piece beaver tails instead of steamers?

Wetsuit neoprene is actually all made from closed cell neoprene, however everyone in the industry seems to use the term open cell to indicate that the neoprene is unlined, meaning bare rubber (on one side). We choose to use place the unlined rubber on the inside and the outside has a layer of fabric on the exterior - which provides abrasion resistance and UV protection of the neoprene.

Open cell neoprene has better stretch than double lined wetsuit material due to the elimination of the internal fabric layer. So that is why freedivers who want the warmest, most flexible suit will select a neoprene with no lining.

We offer a closed cell one piece suit with a back zipper in 2 mm neoprene, this is more of a traditional "scuba suit" design. We use fabric on both sides on the 2 mm suit, because it provides added strength for this thin neoprene - plus this particular suit is not intended to provide much thermal protection.

Our open cell suits are offered in 3, 5 and 7 mm thicknesses.

The smooth rubber interior (besides providing additional flexibility) also helps to drastically reduce the migration of water into the suit and movement around the suit when it does leak in.

The traditional two piece design with a jacket that has an attached hood and zipper is extremely warm because it eliminates any neck seal or zippers which can leak. Often divers will need to peal the face seal away a little to allow some water into the hood because the smooth rubber seals so well that an external ear squeeze will result from this type of hood. You only need to let a tiny bit of water in and this is done only once on the intial descent to allow pressure equalization on the outer ear.

The two piece pants are designed to allow the diver to cut off the top of the farmer john pants if they do not need the full layer of neoprene and it also allows the diver to relieve themselves, by pulling the jacket up and the pants down - WITHOUT removal of the suit. A nice option for kayak divers or people wearing the suit for a long time.

Thanks for asking about our suits!
Dano

 

[Akimbo]

Wetsuit neoprene is actually all made from closed cell neoprene, however everyone in the industry seems to use the term open cell to indicate that the neoprene is unlined, meaning bare rubber (on one side)...

Getting deeper into the weeds, the inaccurate but common "open cell" term is really "split cell". This is just like the raw ends of closed-cell foam Neoprene used on all wetsuits -- the cells that are literally cut in half. All those cells that are open on the surface act as tiny suction cups which further minimizes water circulation between the suit and the diver.

Smooth-skin is also available and is preferred by competitive deep freedivers for the outer surface because there is less hydrodynamic resistance than Nylon or split-cell surfaces. Smooth-skin is seen a lot on Neoprene wrist, ankle, and neck seals used on semi-dry wetsuits. There is relatively a lot of sliding resistance of smooth skin compared to Nylon lining. Split-cell has much more resistance than smooth-skin and is almost impossible to get on without a wet lubrication like diluted soap or hair conditioner.

As I understand it, Neoprene is made in big blocks about 3'/1 meter plus thick. Sheets are then cut to the desired thickness. Both surfaces are "split cell" at that point. The split cell is what is under Nylon lining, which provides some "tooth" for the adhesive. Smooth-skin is produced by passing the sheets with split-cells over heated rollers.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Yes I would agree with most of that. A suit with a smooth rubber exterior does have some benefits. One major benefit is that the suit is very warm on the boat... When the weather is cool, it is very nice to have a suit that dries almost instantly.

The negatives of this approach include the fragility of the suit with poor resistance to abrasion and abuse from active use...Like climbing in the boat, contact with rocks.

Another reason we avoided the "naked rubber"exterior is that the back and shoulders are very susceptible to cracking associated with ultra violet light.. the suits get sun burned.,.

Thanks
Dano

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Will yammamoto be the best choice for spearfishing over 30 meters?

We have quite a few. Customers who freedive below 100 ft. The suits are popular with more advanced freedivers.

 

[lowviz]

@MAKO Spearguns Dano,

I have nothing but good to say about you and your company based on past experience. Let's talk neoprene. I'm from the OTHER big chem company in Delaware. I know a bit about neo. What is Neoprene? From DuPont Laboratories to Neoprene Roll and Stripping!

Limestone is a filler, it has a purpose. You can't make neoprene from limestone. You just can't. It is a mineral, an additive. Maybe it is in there to keep the cells from compressing, IDK. Would love it if you ask your supplier for an explanation.

True open cell foams allow water to drain through. The cells connect to each other. Closed cell foams consist of intact bubbles in the bulk material. Akimbo has it right.

Bottom-line is how well the final material performs at depth and holds up under both environment and wear.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Yes wetsuit neoprene is a foam rubber which has voids that are independent and not connected, or the material would be water permeable and would become saturated with water like a sponge.

I'm going to bow to your neoprene specific technical expertise. Perhaps a look at the Yamamoto website might provide some more info. I am on my phone and don't have all the links handy.

Thanks for the positive comments!

Dano