Many/most spearos use wetsuits with an unlined open-cell inside, with no zips are Connor points out. You usually need tube (e.g. dilute shampoo/conditioner/soap or even mineral oil, or water - warm from a flash or cold from the sea) to slip them on. It can be a rigmarole so it's worth learning how to do it properly [ref.
www.Eliossub.com ]. They fit so close, they usually get little or no seawater inside - at least that's how mine is.
The jacket is usually a simple design with a hood, arms and often a reinforced, padded loading pad on the chest. Mine has a "beaver tail" crotch strap, fastened by a "frog"/toggle at the front. Some use a button or velcro closure. I don't like the crotch strap (too hot around "the old home town") but it does the job; some suits forgo the crotch strap & just use velcro patches front & rear that allow the jacket to be anchored on the pants.
Spearo pants seem to come in 2 styles: high waisted spearo-pants (Italian-style?) and long-john/farmer-John which come up over the chest and fasten over the shoulders. I have the former and it was warm enough in November for me to overheated. The latter would presumably be considerably warmer still - so perhaps handy if you plan to use a thinner suit or need more warmth (used to warmer climes and/or skinny/low body fat), might also be handy if you plan to kayak with your jacket off - as it will leave your shoulders free.
I would suggest nylon outer & open cell inner, 5mm neoprene for the UK. If you have mobility issues in your shoulders, or just want a suit that is easier to put on & take off, in might be worth considering lined and/or zipped options - I think OMD uses such a suit these days(?).
If your suit keeps you warm, that's the main thing. I often stay out around 3.5-4 hours in mine -- I'm usually not allowed to stay out longer
-- but it's probably lost some of its "loft" as I felt the cold a couple of times this year. Competition spearos often stay out 6 hours.
Just wondering if some of you people can offer advice on wetsuits.
