I needed a 3mm camo wetsuit and for the first time considered an open cell wet suit.
I dive around rocks, and often pull crayfish from deep crevices, lay on the rocky floor waiting for fish, etc. so need a bit of abrasion resistance and didn't want a suit which would last me one season only.
I found my other wet suits to be restrictive with breathing, and was also keen on a camo suit so decided to go for it.
So I analysed pictures, prices, read comments, talk to people, compared size charts, prices and decided that the Omer Holostone pattern is the closest match to the environment I dive.
Next I found a local shop with a reasonable price (AU$350)
The first unpleasant surprise was that one cant' try it on. I understand the reasons, but how do you tell if the size suits?
I'm 193cm tall, with long arms and legs and 120cm chest. The size chart clearly put me on the size 7 (the largest). Pulled it off the hanger and checked against the body and decided to buy it. .
Couldn't wait to put it on and the very next day and went diving for crayfish.
So in front of the car I used a previously prepared bottle of hair conditioner with water and properly lubricated the suit. Nice and slippery to put on. The only issue was putting on the hood - as the hair provided some resistance.
The upper part is nice and snug and I can breathe nicely and freely. The hood is nice and soft around the face. Just right. Quite happy about it.
But...my lanky thighs didn't' quite fill the suit and it was loose around the crotch. Also loose just under the knee.
Now, If I could have tried the suit before buy - this would have been the end of it.
So I jumped in and floated like a cork. The air trapped around the crotch and thighs kept me afloat. Also realised there is a bit of air under the hood - hard to get out.
So I dove upside down and stayed like that for some time and the air slowly bubbled through and the crotch and thighs finally closed up to the skin. The wrinkles on the tights were there - but there was no air trapped any more.
Turned on the shark shield - and could feel each impulse in my teeth. Quite unpleasant. The suit is a conductor? That's new. Or was it the hair conditioner?
But it stopped as I got away from the shallows.
I was told I'll need much less weigh than my Winter SEAC 5mm for which I use 10.5kg.
So I removed 3kg. With 7.5kg I could dive with some effort, but but for spearfishing, I like a bit of a negative buoyancy, so I'll add another 1.5kg next time.
So that theory is not quite true.
The suit is nice and just right for about 18C-20C water. Not quite as steamy as I expected it to be, but good enough. The shoulders are exposed and I can feel a bit of a cold, but the middle bit is quite warm and snug due to the double layer (trousers and top overlap for half a meter).
I went down to the seabed, stretched my arms to compare the pattern, and it matched perfectly. So the camo bit is really nice.
I can breathe easily - almost no restriction - this is great - I can stay under much longer. Once I add more weight to it, it will improve my diving time.
Found a deep crevasse with a cray in it and I tried to get to it by hand. The sleeve scrapped the rocks a lot. Got out, checked the sleeve - no mark on it. Good.
Got out and the suit slipped right off - no issues. Cool
Summary:
First - I expected it more warm. Not sure why. Stories I heard from other divers and salesman? But it will suit me fine.
So the suit is nice and I would recommend it, but it seems that the top is a spot on but the bottom is a size too big. If I had a chance to try it on, maybe I would have bought the 6, or combined the top 7 with 6 bottom?
Hard to say - there is no opportunity - so I bought a good suit with a slight issue which will annoy me every time I get into the water.
My recommendation to the manufacturers:
Make a closed cell version demos for the retailers so people can try it on !!!
I dive around rocks, and often pull crayfish from deep crevices, lay on the rocky floor waiting for fish, etc. so need a bit of abrasion resistance and didn't want a suit which would last me one season only.
I found my other wet suits to be restrictive with breathing, and was also keen on a camo suit so decided to go for it.
So I analysed pictures, prices, read comments, talk to people, compared size charts, prices and decided that the Omer Holostone pattern is the closest match to the environment I dive.
Next I found a local shop with a reasonable price (AU$350)
The first unpleasant surprise was that one cant' try it on. I understand the reasons, but how do you tell if the size suits?
I'm 193cm tall, with long arms and legs and 120cm chest. The size chart clearly put me on the size 7 (the largest). Pulled it off the hanger and checked against the body and decided to buy it. .
Couldn't wait to put it on and the very next day and went diving for crayfish.
So in front of the car I used a previously prepared bottle of hair conditioner with water and properly lubricated the suit. Nice and slippery to put on. The only issue was putting on the hood - as the hair provided some resistance.
The upper part is nice and snug and I can breathe nicely and freely. The hood is nice and soft around the face. Just right. Quite happy about it.
But...my lanky thighs didn't' quite fill the suit and it was loose around the crotch. Also loose just under the knee.
Now, If I could have tried the suit before buy - this would have been the end of it.
So I jumped in and floated like a cork. The air trapped around the crotch and thighs kept me afloat. Also realised there is a bit of air under the hood - hard to get out.
So I dove upside down and stayed like that for some time and the air slowly bubbled through and the crotch and thighs finally closed up to the skin. The wrinkles on the tights were there - but there was no air trapped any more.
Turned on the shark shield - and could feel each impulse in my teeth. Quite unpleasant. The suit is a conductor? That's new. Or was it the hair conditioner?
But it stopped as I got away from the shallows.
I was told I'll need much less weigh than my Winter SEAC 5mm for which I use 10.5kg.
So I removed 3kg. With 7.5kg I could dive with some effort, but but for spearfishing, I like a bit of a negative buoyancy, so I'll add another 1.5kg next time.
So that theory is not quite true.
The suit is nice and just right for about 18C-20C water. Not quite as steamy as I expected it to be, but good enough. The shoulders are exposed and I can feel a bit of a cold, but the middle bit is quite warm and snug due to the double layer (trousers and top overlap for half a meter).
I went down to the seabed, stretched my arms to compare the pattern, and it matched perfectly. So the camo bit is really nice.
I can breathe easily - almost no restriction - this is great - I can stay under much longer. Once I add more weight to it, it will improve my diving time.
Found a deep crevasse with a cray in it and I tried to get to it by hand. The sleeve scrapped the rocks a lot. Got out, checked the sleeve - no mark on it. Good.
Got out and the suit slipped right off - no issues. Cool
Summary:
First - I expected it more warm. Not sure why. Stories I heard from other divers and salesman? But it will suit me fine.
So the suit is nice and I would recommend it, but it seems that the top is a spot on but the bottom is a size too big. If I had a chance to try it on, maybe I would have bought the 6, or combined the top 7 with 6 bottom?
Hard to say - there is no opportunity - so I bought a good suit with a slight issue which will annoy me every time I get into the water.
My recommendation to the manufacturers:
Make a closed cell version demos for the retailers so people can try it on !!!