My first Elios, 2 Q´s

[joeklok]

I´m about to order my first wetsuit ever. I will use it for swimming, spearing, dynamic and occasional deep dives.

This is what I´m considering:

Heiwa, medium density
outer lining, nylon superstretch or elastic nylon
High waist pants 5mm
Top with hood 6 mm,
inner lining, open cell or black shadow
+ chest loading pad

I thought the 6 mm top would be good as I´m quite slim and dive mostly in Denmark, meaning not too warm waters.

1) Is the superstrech much more flexible (for swimming) than the elastic nylon?

2) I´m not shure whether to go for open cell or inner coating. Some say open cell is easy enough to put on, some say it´s a struggle.
What do y´all think?

Thanks for an awesome site!
Joe

 

[Fondueset]

For a first suit I think a coating inside is a good thing. I haven't noticed that much difference between superstretch and normal nylon - but I have a superstretch suit in 5 mil and nylon bottoms and a smooth out top for my winter 6 mil suit. I would think the difference, if any, would show up in the top.

 

[spaghetti]

I see Fonduesets' point as a wise one: a coated inside makes it easier to wear the suit (and this helps if it's your first one).
But an open cell inside gives you so much more in terms of comfort and warmth: the only hassle with open cell is that you have to lube it before wearing, and pay attention to cuts and tearings (easy to self-repair with newprenic glue).
I couldn't recommend anything better than superstretch outside/open cell inside. Only one thing would be better: smooth skin outside/open cell inside (Fondueset's favourite, if I remember well Chris?), but that's an upgrade I wouldn't suggest for a beginner.

 

[Garfish]

I'll agree with fondueset. Two of my suits have the coating inside & it slips on very nicely.

My outer lining on the suit is elios normal nylon & i find its very stretchible.

e-mail eliossub and ask questions & get their advice.

sam

 

[sanso]

For my first elios cold (4˚C) water suit, I chose the same setup as You propose, but with 5mm for the arms and just the torso and hood in 6mm for increased agility.
I've been out there for an hour a couple of times so far and always was nice'n'comfy.

For the inside I got opencell with the "new black coating" and am also very happy with it. It's possible to don the suit without lube, but a little baby powder makes things even easier. I think for a first suit this makes sense, because there's less risk of damaging the suit for lack of experience on how to do so properly. (uh, does this sentence make sense? - hope so...)

I have 5mm superstretch three-finger gloves with something called 'thermal pile' inside (no open cell in the gloves because it's so fragile) and those are great. Make sure You get a pair as well. Best bang for the buck.
Also the socks are said to be good, but I already had a pair of 3mm. They do the trick, but If Your fins will allow thicker socks, do get more than 3mm. :t

HTH,

 

[joeklok]

Thanks guys...
Sanso: I´ll be diving in temperatures from 6-22 C degrees. So do you think 6 mm will be too hot?

 

[sanso]

Thanks guys...
Sanso: I´ll be diving in temperatures from 6-22 C degrees. So do you think 6 mm will be too hot?

Not for 6˚C, but It'll certainly be too hot for 22 - I don't think You'll find a suit that covers that spectrum. I have a cheapo 3mm shorty that works well for those warmer waters.

 

[joeklok]

Not for 6˚C, but It'll certainly be too hot for 22 - I don't think You'll find a suit that covers that spectrum. I have a cheapo 3mm shorty that works well for those warmer waters.

Well it´s only for a few weeks in the summer that the temp. will be that high.
Mostly it will be between 8-18 degrees so maybe I should settle with 5 mm

 

[Fondueset]

Just to be clear - I advocate open cell inside with the New Black or Titanium coating - not a lined suit which is indeed less warm than open cell. Coating on open cell makes it slide on a little easier and make it a little harder to damage without losing the suction effect of open cell. At 22c you'l be miserable in a 6mil suit. 5 mil is as close as you can get to a sort of universal suit. I dove all last winter (2c water) in my 5 mil - and my daughter and two of our friends have been diving with me this winter in 5 mils.
Spaghetti's right! When I finally replace my 5 mil suit it's going to me all smooth on the outside! Fragile but really warm and with cool camo

 

[joeklok]

Yeah well maybe the solution is to buy an extra smoothskin top, so that I have a nylon piece for spearing/snorkling and a smooth piece for dynamic and descending...ok it´ll mean an extra buck or two...

 

[Morg]

roflUh oh... I just ordered an open cell and its my first suit.

I just got an email and Elios has finished the suit faster then what they told me .

I will try and get some pictures of the damage caused by the first wear. That is if I can even get into it rofl.

 

[joeklok]

roflUh oh... I just ordered an open cell and its my first suit.

I just got an email and Elios has finished the suit faster then what they told me .

I will try and get some pictures of the damage caused by the first wear. That is if I can even get into it rofl.

Is that supposed to be funny?:ko

 

[spaghetti]

Water and soap, talc powder, hair conditioner mixed with water (warm water for the cold season): all of this will do to wear it. In summer I just drop my jacket (open cell) in the sea to get it wet and slippery: sure, sea water is enough for me, but I guess it's a bit cold for you over there.
Dressing and undressing technique is important for avoiding damage. I've been taught to do this way. Wearing: arms first, then the head. Undressing: head first, pulling the beaver tail from behind, then the arms. But some people chrythicize pulling the beaver tail: just do it gently.
I also recommend this product, that the british can order from Dave at www spearo.co.uk:
≈ ≈ ≈ Subskin ≈ ≈ ≈

 

[deep thinker]

I have a 5mm Nylon outside and opencell inside suit from coral wetsuits. Having a built in inferno I now wear the pants only with a surfing second skin over that in any water that is warmer than 18deg... For colder water I wear the full suit but it gets damn hot in there even in cold water . So you could always do that, wear it as is in cold temps and when the water warms up just go with the pants and a second skin, the second skin is only to protect against sun and jellies...

 

[sanso]

elios acutally have a howto (with pictures) for putting on and taking off their suits on their website. I found that very helpful.

 

[TheDude]

I got my first Elios couple of weeks ago. It's a 3mm Black Shadow - black coating/nylon outside. All I can say is wooow :inlove. We dove with it last weekend in 9 degrees for almost an hour. Fellt much better than the scuba suits we used before in a 13 degree water.

The best thing is I can put the suit on without any lube quite easily. But only if I am completely dry. I tried it once when I was wet and almost could not get into it.

I would say the black coating is well worth the money. No hassles with lube, and I don't see any negatives compared to a pure open cell.

 

[spaghetti]

I have a 5mm Nylon outside and opencell inside suit from coral wetsuits. Having a built in inferno I now wear the pants only with a surfing second skin over that in any water that is warmer than 18deg... For colder water I wear the full suit but it gets damn hot in there even in cold water . So you could always do that, wear it as is in cold temps and when the water warms up just go with the pants and a second skin, the second skin is only to protect against sun and jellies...

I will post a pic in the next days of me diving in Sicily, in August, a couple years ago: air temp was 46 C° and water not much cooler, so I couldn't dive or swim with anything more than speedos and a shirt just to avoid my back from being sun burnt while surface swimming. When suddenly found myself in the middle of a massive pour-in of jellyfish, then I felt a bit...desperate :head.
(...and on the same day a speared red mullet bit my forefinger more painfully than one could imagine :martial )

 

[deep thinker]

For temps like that, boardshort with second skin and booties just so the fins dont chafe up your feet ( this I found out the painfull way ). And gloves for the above mentioned reason and holding on too rocks.

 

[joeklok]

Great info you guys...
I now have ordered a open cell with new black coating on inside and superstretch outside. I guess it´ll last longer and be easier to put on. Maybe I lose a little warmth but then I´ll just have to work harder...
By the way - do you think it will be cool with colored sewings on the black suit (yellow or blue maybe)? Of course it´s a matter of taste but let me know anyway...

 

[Fondueset]

My daughter has rainbow stitching on hers. Another friend of mind has blue - it looks cool.