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Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

benbmw

Member
Feb 18, 2021
3
3
8
27
Hello,

I am new to freediving and may start spearfishing later on down the road once I become proficient. I recently moved to San Diego, CA which is what spurred on my interest in novice freediving in order to enjoy the ocean wildlife here. As the water got colder through the winter I was no longer able to bear the low to sub 60 degree water without a wetsuit. I would like to be able to dive all year round and am interested in getting my first wetsuit. So far I have narrowed my needs to:

5mm
open cell
two-piece (jacket + high waist bottoms)

Other than that, I of course need it to fit well. I am 5' 9.5" and 150lbs, athletic/thin build, size 30 waist. I have keyed in on two highly recommended wetsuits in the $200-$250 range:

For $220
The Speardiver Pacific 5mm - Medium
(Size medium: 5'6" - 5'8", 150lbs - 180lbs)


OR

For $250
The Mako YAMAMOTO 3D REEF CAMO 2 PIECE OPEN CELL WETSUIT 5mm - Medium
(Size medium: 5'4" - 5'9", 145lbs - 160lbs)

Fit:
I fit squarely in the medium size range for the Mako, but am a little tall and almost thin for the speardiver. However, Dave promptly responded to my concern and said I was a medium. SO, assuming both fit well (anyone with similar measurements chime in!), I am left with the performance and durability comparison between these similarly priced wetsuits.

Material:
Mako proudly touts the use of Yamamoto 39, whereas Speardiver implies they choose another material for more durability/less compression.
- I do not have the knowledge or experience to know which of these I would benefit most from.

Features:
Mako does have a few seeming benefits over the Speardiver, namely the ankle, wrist, and face cuffs/seals as well as the integrated knife pouch.
- I defer to people who have used both to tell me if the added seals on the Mako are a noticeable improvement.

I'm sure that either would fit my needs very well, but they seemed different enough that I would like to get the advice of experienced divers who may have used both and could give me some pros/cons or an outright recommendation.

Thanks for your time,
Ben
 
Fit:
I fit squarely in the medium size range for the Mako, but am a little tall and almost thin for the speardiver. However, Dave promptly responded to my concern and said I was a medium.
Oops, I meant Dan, not Dave!
 
If you have any worries about the fit being too looose, go with the Yamamoto. It really is stretchy and sticks to your skin very well
 
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