I am looking at an economical 5mm or 7mm wetsuit to use for both scuba and recreational freediving (mostly freediving, bifinning). What are your suggestions??
Thanks!
CUH
Thanks!
CUH
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Biggest Bang for my Buck
- Thread starterCold_Under_Here
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
check out a brand called mendocino, they are pretty decent. Honestly bro, save up the extra $$$ and get a decent suit. I bought an Oneil J-hook full suit (I think it is a 7mm) and it is hands down the best suit I have ever owned. I use it for both. It has plenty of maneuverability for freediving.
What do you think of being a second hand $50 wetsuit; as I can't afford much more for now (until I graduate and get a job). I'll have a look at the mendocino though.
cheers.
cheers.
Diveskin suits are pretty affordable, and I hear the fit great! You just have to save up another $120. A bad wetsuit will ruin your experience. I had a beat up action plus wetsuit when I first started, and I could only stay in for an hour before I was freezing. Now I usually am in the water for 4-5 hrs.
A cheap suit usually means that it doesn't fit you so well (not made to measure), in water as cold as in Canada this could make a world of difference regarding relaxation and session length. I'd consider a diveskin suit (probably the cheapest made to measure) or a used apnea suit if it happens to fit your measurements. Another option is tailoring the suit yourself after you got it.
Go 'open cell' whatever You choose. a snug fit will keep You toasty. If You don't have bizarre dimensions then you might find an off the rack works fine. I wear a perfectly snug off the rack 6.5mm suit out here in norway and I can spend hours in the water...possibly days but My mrs won't let Me.
How viable an option is tailoring your own suit? Could I hand sew with a hooked needle (blind stitching), seam tape and some seam glue? Has anybody had experience with this?
cheers.
I'd say not very viable. You would probably eat up any savings in your learning curve. I ended up having a yard sale to get my first elios suit. It is black shadow neoprene with new black coating in and superstretch nylon on. You'll save about 35 euros if you go with just open cell in - just need a little more lube putting it on. As mentioned elsewhere my 5 mil served me well right through a couple of michigan winters - water temps 36F and air down to 14 F - I now use a 6 mil smoothskin out top for winter - smoothskin wicks less heat away in the wind. Anyway - that first suit - superstretch nylon out and open cell or coating in was an excellent investment - very sturdy and still going strong. These suits are much warmer than scuba suits. Winter before last a couple scuba divers were making fun of me because I was shaking a little as we stood around in the 25 F air after a dive. They were cold too, but warmed up fast after they got out of their dry suits - I was still in my 5 mil.
I asked them how long they stayed warm in those dry suits and they said 45 minutes to an hour. I'd been diving for 2 1/2 hours and standing around chatting for another 30 minutes.
I asked them how long they stayed warm in those dry suits and they said 45 minutes to an hour. I'd been diving for 2 1/2 hours and standing around chatting for another 30 minutes.
butchering a suit is often done... don't look pretty tho. If You look at this link and scroll down to where it says 'slakting av drakter' There is instructions in Norwegian with some pretty self explanatory pictures. Frivannsliv.no - Dykkerutstyr
just a case of marking, cutting and gluing.
The sizing tables near the top of the page works just fine in most cases for an off the rack. tailored suits are not cheap.
just a case of marking, cutting and gluing.
The sizing tables near the top of the page works just fine in most cases for an off the rack. tailored suits are not cheap.