Eliossub heiwa suit

[alastair]

I can normally be counted on to chime in at this point about TopSub suits.

Rather than reiterate the benefits of the company itself, I will just say that their biggest selling neoprene is Heiwa, so it's certainly not an Elios exclusive.

I guess that any custom-made Heiwa suit at under 180 Euros (like Elios or TopSub) is a bargain.

Al

 

[h2schmo]

Alastair,

Which Top Sub suit do you have? Do they make the cassia (or caccia) with heiwa?

Cheers

Hadley

 

[alastair]

I have a 5mm titanium coated opencell inside and nylon outside (merou d'or), and a 3mm opencell inside smoothskin outside (supercaccia).

I paid about 170 Euros for the supercaccia.

They have a reseller in Australia...

http://www.topsub.it/il_vostro_spazio/foto91.htm

The owner is a champion spearo. He organized a 'Hunt between friends' earlier this year and 80 people showed up. A couple weren't wearing Top Sub suits...

Al

 

[h2schmo]

Thanks,

I think the supercaccia is around $450 here, so the difference isn't all that bad. Will probably go for the caccia though, don't like the idea of having to soap up all the time.

Hadley

 

[alastair]

I'm pretty sure that they're made here in Genova and then shipped to Oz!!

If you have any problems then I can go and see the guy.

Al

 

[h2schmo]

Cancel that, the supercaccia is $600, the caccia is $450, or thereabouts.

Yep, they are made in Italy then shipped out, I have seen them advertised in one or two shops now. No need to go see anybody Al, thanks for the offer though!! I found the local importer's number so will get a hold of them and see if a custom order can be placed through them. Once I get the scratch together, that is

Cheers

Hadley

 

[JimGlynn]

Suit came today. Super stretchy and fits really well. Put a small fingernail nick in the pants already so I am gluing that. It is gold coated inside and went on easily w/o lube. I am a little nervous because it is smooth skin outside and seems fragile. They sent a few scraps of neoprene and so I tried to put my finger through one and it went right through with a hard push. There was a scrap with nylon on one side and that is almost impossible to put my finger through. I should be diving tomorrow so i will let you know.
Jim

 

[Pezman]

Wow, based on Eric's posts, that would suggest that you have the mightier finger.

Guess I'll see you (and the suit) tomorrow.

 

[unirdna]

Originally posted by JimGlynn
...Put a small fingernail nick in the pants already so I am gluing that. ...seems fragile. ...finger went right through with a hard push. ...nylon on one side and that is almost impossible to put my finger through.
Jim

As Mr. Pez has noted, It would seem that there is an experimental incongruity regarding the 'finger push' test :hmm.

Hope that bugger holds for ya, Jim.

I look forward to your full report .

Ted

 

[JimGlynn]

I am thinking that perhaps these scraps are not all the same type of neoprene and may have just been used for the packing process. Some of the scraps seem much more durable to the finger than others. We will see how things go today.
Jim

 

[JimGlynn]

Dive report- this suit is fantastic. Extremely warm and incredible fit. Custom sizing makes a big difference. There are no pockets of material anywhere. I had to be very careful penetrating some of the wrecks in the quarry, but so far so good. My advice- get the heiwa, custom, with nylon on the outside.
Jim

 

[unirdna]

Jim,

Thanks for being the guinea pig. I'd throw some karma at ya....alas, db suggests that I spread it around before ya get any more. How would you compare the gold lining to Picasso's termic lining. Pretty similar?

Sounds like the heiwa stuff is a bit tougher than yamamoto, but the 'durability jury' still recommends nylon for venturing into scratchy areas. It's one thing to stand up to a stretch test, but to resist being cut by a sharp edge (rocks, wrecks, spines, etc), seems that ya still just gotta have the nylon. A material that could be stretchy and resist a jagged edge [at least as good as nylon] seems to still be out of reach .

 

[Pezman]

Unirdna,

I'll karminate him for ya. We need a little extra cheer in our neck of the woods (long story).

mike

 

[JimGlynn]

Update- I have ripped the suit twice already. The first time I tore the sleeve putting it on. The second time I tore the pants putting them on. I have become very adept at gluing neoprene! From now on I will not get into the suit unless I and the suit are wet. Oh well, life is a learning process. If Heiwa is more durable than Yamamoto I cannot imagine what that is like re: fragility. Updates to follow.
Jim

 

[laminar]

JimGlynn,

Your ripped your suit and it has nylon on the outside? Wow, you should use some/more lube!

Wearing pure open cell suits, and also doubling them up in the winter, gives you lots of practice in not ripping suits. Lots of lube (as gross as it is), flat hands, short nails, and easy-does-it are the key to making Yamamoto last.

After a while, though, once compressed and stretched out, Yamamoto self-destructs and not even the most careful person can't prevent a tear or disastrous rip!

The better the fit, the more careful you have to be. It was agonizing putting on my custom Yamamoto open cell Elios suit for the first time after seeing so many Picasso's die a slow death.

My 3mm Heiwa suit arrived today (efattah's got one, too). I'll try it out this weekend and let you know how it goes.

Peter
Vancouver, BC

 

[JimGlynn]

Laminar- my Elios is open cell smooth skin. The NEXT Elios will have nylon exterior.
Jim

 

[Jay Styron]

I can second that Jim. The first day I had mt suit I put a huge rip in the top. Good thing it glues together so well.
Jay

 

[O'Boy]

Some news from Elios

I just thought that this could be interesting for you Elios heiwa fans (this is directly from Elios people)

About your request, we have these prices:

1) 5 mm ,tailor made, heiwa neoprene high density, closed with
incorporated hood, high waist,Open cell/smoothskin Price Euro 142,00
2) 5 mm, tailor made, heiwa high density, closed with hood, high waist,
Superelastic lining IN/smoothskin OUT Price Euro 177,00
3) 3 mm, tailor made, heiwa high density, closed with hood, high waist,
Superelastic lining IN/smoothskin OUT Price Euro 169,00

We are waiting also for a new neoprene for High performance:
Heiwa neoprene Open cell slide inside for little more easy to wear /
Smoothskin Slide black outside for the best idrodynamic into the water.
(we are proving it in this days and is fantastic!)
For Example prices:
5mm suit in tailor made Euro 209,00
3mm suit in tailor made Euro 200,00



Do you know something more about that NEW magic Heiwa? (Efattah?)

Erik
ZV,SVK

 

[BladeRunner]

Does anyone know if Elios has this dark green smoothskin outside/ Superelastic inside lining in 3mm. I want to know if anyone has had a suit made like the one I'm looking for? I'm Including a pic, the pic is 3mm open cell inside but I want one that I don't have to worry alot about taring on me and I want to last longer than my picasso smooth skin unlined suit did. I have smooth skin outside lined inside in 1.5mm from beuchet and like it alot and I don't to worry about it taring as much as I did with my Picasso!

Does anyone have an e-mail for Elios so I could get some answers?

 

[DeepThought]

Try looking for their email in http://www.eliossub.com/