Searching for a wetsuit with specific fetures.

[kronek67]

It has been a while since I have been on here, but I'm getting back into freediving and wanted to see if anyone knew where I could get the suit I want. There just does not seam to be as many out there as there used to be. I'm putting a group together that I can use to make the Freediving DVD that I have always wanted to make, so I'm not opposed to custom ordering a suit for the whole group. Here are my specifications.

-It needs to be high contrast / visibility as most of the dives will be in springs, caverns and caves. I may be willing to add color to a black suit if I can't find the color I want. Black and Silver or Black and Yellow is what I'm looking for.

-I prefer no reinforced padding such as knees, elbows or loading pad.

-It needs to be yamamoto neoprene with lycra exterior.

Small list of requirements but hard to find.
Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Apneaddict]

Your requirements don't seem too bad, except for the insistence on Yamamoto.

Elios and Oceaner use Yamamoto for custom suits, but if it's for Florida caves, I assume it's 3mm, so why insist on Yamamoto?

It will cost you 2x+ what other custom made suits could run you.

 

[kronek67]

Basically I want a competition type suit with a lycra exterior. I have dove yamamoto before and loved the feel and the way it behaved while diving. All of the good suits I have looked at use it too. I mainly just don't want the same neoprene they use for scuba suits. It does not last for freediving. I can only get about a year out of them.

 

[kronek67]

An update to my post. I'm starting to think about finding a good black lycra exterior suit and then attached reflective silver lycra panels for visibility. Has anyone done anything similar or know the best way to attach it?

 

[Apneaddict]

For visibility, alchemy has some REALLY trick stuff, from white fin rails, a white weight belt and 3m reflective tape for your fins. I've seen reflectors used around the arms / legs as well for awesome visibility.

To me, a competition type suit is SLICK... Other than that, custom fit it key. In fairness, I've never used Yamamoto neoprene, but have heard from people that have them that the softer model (45 I believe) gets thin / cold quickly with depth / compression.

 

[Apneaddict]

You can also stencil / iron on a while logo or pattern on the back / front as well. This is commonly done by a number of manufacturers.

 

[kronek67]

I have not dove the yamamoto deeper than 80 ft yet. But for most of my diving, I can dive for 6 hours in 72 deg water and not get cold. I do like the way it compresses and expands though. I don't think that it getting thin and cold at depth will be an issue as I will not real deep for too long. I dive in caves and only a few go too 100 ft plus.

I have the reflective tape for my fins. But I'm still hard to see coming up unless I have my light on. Also this will be for filming, so the more visible I am the better. I just don't want anything that causes drag.

I thought about getting a competition suit, but the smooth skin will not hold up to spring and cave diving. Even with a lycra exterior I have to be careful with yamamoto.

By the way, thanks for your imput and help. It makes me think about things that I have not considered yet.

 

[kronek67]

I did not know you could iron on designs to the wetsuits. I have a friend that does screen printing and I can airbrush fabric, so I have thought about doing one of the two. Screen printing would be for the lettering so it does not limit the stretching of the suit.

 

[Apneaddict]

I'm paranoid about safety and visibility an have tried everything from flashing lights on my mask strap, a super-bright strobe on my lower back on my belt, etc.

Lights are VERY directional and as such, multiple reflectors will make you more likely to be noticed from one angle or another.

For some weird reason, regardless of what I'm wearing, my immersion e:green fins are more visible than almost anything!

I recall there being a guy (either here or on spearboard.com) that did a DIY camo paint job on his black wetsuit.

You could use the same paint, but use high contrast, instead of blending in.

For your film, maybe some form of personalization / personal identifier would add to it, as we all look the same with a wetsuit on to the novice viewer.

Maybe a white initial, a "jersey" with name / number, a logo or website address.

 

[kronek67]

I have some fabric paint, so I'm going to paint an a cheap scuba suit I have to see how well it works. If it works, I may paint the new suit to give it contrast, then just add the reflective lycra to the top of the hood.

I do like the idea of the personal identifier and have thought about this. I will have 4-6 divers that are outfitted the same and I would like to do something a little different to each suit that makes them distinctive. Maybe do a stripe of accenting color that is a different color for each person. The "jersey" thing might work good too.

You've been a lot of help. When I get done with the DVD I'll have to send you one. Unfortunately, it will be next summer. I'm putting my dive group together now and we are all training together. I will start filming in the fall.

 

[Apneaddict]

Check out 5:16 and 8:30 for an idea on the reflectors and 8:53+ for the bright green fins.

 

[Apneaddict]

Another idea: Guillaume, Alexei, etc use a small light on a headband during their CWT dives to help them see at depth (no facial equipment).

One pointing forwards like them might help you see... And / or one pointed "up" might help you be seen by the camera as you surface.

I'm just not sure what model of light they use (I assume it's a bright LED bunching and a AAA or AA battery), or how bright it is, but it must work for them to use it.

You can search YouTube for their recent deep dives at Vertical Blue I believe.

I'm biased towards aqualand, but I guarantee you that if you send them an email with your questions re: white or silver hoods, or even possibility of adding reflective silver, Vera will answer your email quickly.

The black and blue wetsuit on this page is a buddy of mine:
http://aqualandwetsuits.com/Friends.html

Perhaps she could do something similar in white?

I've always wanted a wetsuit like the SeaWorld orca trainers have that resembles a killer whale.

 

[diddavetellyou]

Hi,

I was looking at doing a DIY camo job on one of my old wetsuits a while back and found this thread.

http://forums.deeperblue.com/spearfishing-equipment/97030-diy-painting-wetsuit-attempt.html

The long and the short of it is to use Textile medium mixed with any old acrylic paint.

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Folk-Art-Textile-Medium-2-Ounces/dp/B003W08AGG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375125581&sr=8-2&keywords=textile+medium"]Folk Art Textile Medium-2 Ounces: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ggSWikcZL.@@AMEPARAM@@41ggSWikcZL[/ame]

You can defo get white and yellow, I think you might even get glow in the dark???

Then if you have a guy on board that can do silk screen and stencils the only limit is your imagination

Hope it goes well, look forward to seeing the film

Diddavetellyou
__________________

Have drybag will travel

 

[kronek67]

Thanks for all the help thus far. So where I'm at now is I'm planning to order an all black suit. Then probably do a combination of airbrushing it and sewing on reflective lycra. I'm just going to sew it to the outside lycra skin. For the paint, I have paint for my airbrush that is waterproof and designed for fabric so I don't think I'll need the textile medium. It already has it. Now I just need to do some test and come up with the design and some kind of Identifier to tell the divers apart. I'm thinking about running a colored stripe at the color transitions unique to the diver. Also, with the airbrush, it is possible to do a custom design for each, like skulls or fish.

 

[kronek67]

As for the film, the first one will be based in the springs of Florida. Everyone always ask what I see and the only video of Florida springs is not very good. It was shot by amateur scuba divers and jumped around to much. As in one second your on one side of a cave and the next your 50 feet away and have no real idea what it looks like. I want to make a DVD with a continuous shot for each dive, multiple camera angles and information so that people can plan there own dive trip from it.

 

[kronek67]

Thank you for everyone's advice. After reviewing, I'm not using Yamamoto for these suits. The suit will be Heiwa neoprene with nylon outside. This should hold up better for the kind of diving I'll be doing. I found Oceano's website and contacted Spiros to discuss my options. He is making custom suits for my group. We are starting with a discontinued design and modifying it. Each diver will have a different color combination to distinguish between divers. The suits will have a nylon inside with the exception of 8" at the wrist and ankles and about 2-3" around the face. These areas will smooth inside to provide a seal. The nylon inside the rest of the suit should make it easier to put on and hold up better. Not as easy to damage. Spiros was even willing to attach a reflective material when the suits are made if I sent him the material. Unfortunately, it will take too long to get the right material, so I may ad it later. The suits will have two contrasting colors though.

Thanks to everyone and I'll post pics and videos along with a review when the suits come in. We will be ordering them on the 15th.

 

[PoseidonSv]

Google: Mute su misura and you will find a few good italian companies other than elios ofcourse