Orca wetsuit for depth?

[demasoni]

Anyone have some input on using an Orca wetsuit in the ocean for depth disciplines with fins?

I currently dive with Elios wetsuits and I've been diving lately without my hood on as it's warmer now (80-81F) and it seems to get me in the groove faster than with using a hood as long as I don't cold.

The idea of having a dive response that may kick in faster/stronger due to no hood and not having to wear as much weight - less buoyancy change - got me thinking about using an Orca with swimcap over an Elios when going for depth.

Does putting your arms out in streamline with a mono wrinkle the suit in such a way as to make water shoot down your back or chest?

Thanks

 

[Mullins]

Great for CNF, but I can't use them for CWT because when I streamline the neck-seal is broken and water floods in. Water also comes in the zip because of all the torso movement.

 

[Will]

Just this week I tested a prototype of a new Orca suit to be released shortly. It solves completely the problem of water entering in the back seal. This suit should be available to order shortly - hopefully before the end of the year, and will be the first one-piece specifically designed for freediving!

In the meantime the Orca Alpha is definitely the best one-piece suit for freediving on the market (it's what I used in record dives this year).

 

[Mullins]

Sounds cool!

 

[bite ya]

Oh bum, i've just ordered my first Orca suit (on my web-site) but as Mullins pointed out its for no fins, i'm not using mine for depth but for DNF so hopefully it will be good?

 

[Mullins]

Yep, very good for DNF too.

 

[demasoni]

Thanks for the info guys, exciting stuff. Let's wait and see what the new freediving Orca suit is all about. Hopefully the price won't be as high as previous top of the lines Orcas.

 

[demasoni]

It seems the Orca Free has been released at $625? Anyone try one (besides Will of course ) ?

orca-free

Looks cool, but 2mm neoprene w/o hood - even if it is super tight - how long can one HONESTLY wear it before the shivers start creeping in?

 

[Will]

It is a performance suit, so it is designed for warm water, or one-off maximum attempts in cold water.
If cold is a problem I would advise wearing the Orca Free with a regular 3mm jacket over the top until you've finished your warm up (if you still do one), then take the jacket off, breathe up and go. The benefits to buoyancy-related energy expenditure and mobility given by a thinner suit are huge, especially in CNF.

 

[Bill]

Hey Josh
If that price is seems high, I know how to get one on the cheap.
Just dive deeper than Will and they'll probably give it to you.
Everyone here likes their 1.5 or 2 mm suits and you can probably talk one of the bikini clad safeties into helping you change. Water is still 77. Let me know when you're coming over to try it out, I'd like to see what Will came up with.

 

[nostres]

unless You don't mind knockoff version, there is this Italian ORCA(sub) that is half the price, has hood, Yamamoto, open cell and custom made...

http://forums.deeperblue.com/wetsuits/84916-orcasub-wetuits.html

 

[flamencoguru]

Ouch!! $625??? I'm sure it's a great suit but I still need to keep warm. Hood please..

Cheers.

 

[diver87]

Does anyone have a Orca Equip Lite ? Possible to use it for CWT? I´m using a Camaro Speedskin ( Hoodless) and I have no Problems with Water that floods in?

 

[Robertwantsmore]

Would anyone out there have experience with the Orca 3.8 wetsuit? As a beginner in this sport I am surprised to find many different models being used, but not the one that I find most aesthetically pleasing... ;-) Curious if there is a theoretical background for this.

 

[Will]

this suit has more buoyancy than the alpha, so not as good for freediving.