Wrist seal, ankle seal - Aqualung AquaFlex 7mm

[alecto]

I'm looking into possibly getting the aquaflex 7mm wetsuit. It is very stretchy and easy to get into. I still need to try the next size lower to see if that is a better fit than the one the store had as I would maybe need to remove a part of the back panel.

But one thing that raises concern for me is that there doesnt seem to be any kind of ankle or wrist seal. There is a neck seal of a sort but nothing on arms or legs. How important a function is that? For a $400 wetsuit, it seems like a seal of some kind would be basic.

Has this been a problem for anyone? All reviews only seem to mention the comfort/ease of don and doffing. Does it keep you warm even without the seals?

I'm thinking of using it year round in So Cal waters pared with a 5/3 hooded vest. And then possibly in the winter to the Florida Keys.

Thanks!

 

[muzikbiz22]

There are no seals, as it is a WET suit, not a dry suit. With that said, I have the same wetsuit going on 5 years, with a hooded vest similar to what you are calling out. I dive weekly here in SoCal, and the combo works fantastic, throughout the year.

 

[Keith.M]

Very nice suit, very warm and comfortable.

I got mine for 300 as the next years model had just come out.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

FWIW: I have a Aqualung SolAfx, which is similar price range and same company, but has seals, an internal bib under the zipper and 8mm in the core. It should be slightly warmer. Sometimes people refer to them as semi-dry, but their are not. The problem with the super stretch suits is while they are very comfortable, fit all body shapes well and are warm in shallow to moderate depths, they crush and run cooler if you start hitting 80-100 feet deep.

 

[Keith.M]

Don't all wetsuits compress under pressure? I don't think it has much to do with the stretch, but instead how much air is in the material.

 

[alecto]

Keith, how deep do you dive with your suit?

And I realize that wetsuits dont have dry seals but several other companies such as scubapro have 'glideskin seals' at the ankles, etc. They advertise it as minimizing water transfer. Is that a gimmick since it isn't a normal dry seal or do they actually have some sort of effect?

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Don't all wetsuits compress under pressure? I don't think it has much to do with the stretch, but instead how much air is in the material.

There is a huge difference between materials. If it was just air it would compress like air (50% at 33'), it does not because the neoprene provides some structure.

Older premium materials like Rubatex are warm even at depth because they have a lot of structure and compress much less. This also often require custom sizing with its cost and delivery issues. The old advice about a well fitting suit is a warm suit is based on this ideal.

The newest premium materials allow off-the-rack fit for most shapes and sizes of divers, are comfortable and easy to don and doff. There is a trade off - more crushing at depth because of the flexibility. I was surprised with my SolAfx, I was wonderfully toasty warm on 40-60 dives, but when I hit 80-100 the cold hit me harder than normal. Not the end of the world, just a trade off to acknowledge.

 

[Keith.M]

Keith, how deep do you dive with your suit?

And I realize that wetsuits dont have dry seals but several other companies such as scubapro have 'glideskin seals' at the ankles, etc. They advertise it as minimizing water transfer. Is that a gimmick since it isn't a normal dry seal or do they actually have some sort of effect?

It just depends on where I am diving. If I am diving locally in fresh water, it is typically around 30 - 40. In Monterey it has been anywhere between 30 and 90. I did a wreck class in San Diego and those 6 dives were all around 100.

It is true that you can feel the difference between 40 and 100 in warmth because of the compression. A dry suit is in my future at some point but right now it is dry suit or Cozumel... Hmmm... Cozumel wins!

---------- Post added August 16th, 2013 at 05:13 PM ----------

I don't notice any water transfer on my wrists or ankles either. But I am also in boots and most of the time, gloves. But the way the cufs are created it does make a nice seal anyways.