Suit question

[groats]

I intend to get myself a suit soon, but have no idea what thickness of fabric i should go for and unfortunately I^m not rich too. I train in a pool most of the time, go to corsica (med sea) for holiday this summer and want to do some lakes this year... I got into a nice scubapro 0.5mm suit today and it was quite warm, should be enough for the pool. For my holidays i could buy a shorty and wear them both at the same time. Seems to get cheaper like this than buying just a normal suit. Thing is, this won`t be warm enough for the lakes, does it? Is there a suit for all three conditions? How thick should it be?

Thanks for any tips! Joe

BTW, these fancy titanium mimic apnea frottee things are just way out of my budget...

 

[Seal]

Ok i just got back from a 4 hours dive. In 8 degree celcius water.

My suit was a 5mm with titanium (no real difference from Open cell)
So my advice from here on would be if you dive in water from 5-18 celius I would recommend a 5mm. And I would never recommend one with smoothskin outside. I just breaks too easy when you are new to diving.


*To sum it up* If I where you on a budget, I would buy the cheapest 5mm surf/dive wetsuit I could get, and a hood, if it wasn't on the suit.

 

[unirdna]

Groats,

If you're on a tight budget, I definitely recommend the Cressi suits (competition and super competition). You might also want to look at the Picasso Apnos. All three of these are in the sub-$200 US catagory. Jon has a supercomp, and uses it for ice dives or long (3+ hours) 10 degree dives. If you are planning on using the suit for water in 10+ degree water, I recommend you grab the 5mm competition because the extra 1.5mm on the top of the supercomp will limit mobility. If you want a 3mm suit, I recommend the apnos. I don't actually own one (I think rigdvr does), but I do own a 5mm commercial termic and love it. All these suits are nylon on the outside, and this is a must for anyone who expects durability and longevity from their suit.

The deeperblue shop carries all three of these suits. I know your pocketbook is a little light right now, but I highly recommend saving up for an apnea suit with open cell on the interior (all three of the afore mention suit have this) . You'll be very disapointed with a nylon-in-nylon-out zipper wetsuit, and wind up wishing your spent the extra modest amount of cash on a freediving suit.

A final option may be the eliossub suits. But I know little to nothing about these. Perhaps someone esle could lend their expertise.

Good luck finding a bargain. Be frugal, but not cheap .

Ted

 

[fpernett]

Elios

Hi,
I'll recommend you Elios suits, because the versatility in choosing the one right for you.
Follow this link http://www.eliossub.com/html/contacts.html
And fill the form with your needs and budget.
The best option is a freediving suit

 

[efattah]

Heiwa neoprene is virtually indestructible (compared to yamamoto), even with smoothskin outside & open cell inside. It is almost as stretchy as yamamoto. For this reason, I never recommend a nylon suit or a suit with any type of material reinforcement. Just get heiwa neoprene, open cell inside, smoothskin outside. It comes in three densities, low, medium, and high, the low being the most stretchy and air-bubbly and the high having the least buoyancy change.

To give you an idea of how strong this material is, you can pull your nails 'through' a 2mm sample as hard as you want, and it will never rip or even show any memory of your intent to rip it. It is almost as stretchy as yamamoto... but, it will not be quite as warm as yamamoto of the same thickness. [if you try the same test with yamamoto, it will tear instantly even if the yamamoto is 4 times thicker than the heiwa]

Elios will make you a suit out of any material (heiwa low/med/high, or yamamoto).


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

 

[OceanSwimmer]

Suit question...

I've been reading all the threads about suits and this is the first one that is coming together in my little brain! I never dreamed suits could be so complex, multi-choice or plain overwhelming! Thanks for the input here, Seal, Unirdna, fpernett, and effatah..it is evident this requires some serious study.

 

[OceanSwimmer]

"Just get heiwa neoprene, open cell inside, smoothskin outside. It comes in three densities, low, medium, and high, the low being the most stretchy and air-bubbly and the high having the least buoyancy change."---efattah

The info about the indestructability of heiwa neoprene is exactly what I needed to know, as newbies like me are concerned about durability and performance. Thank you much!!

 

[Jon]

Eric,

Which density did you order???

Jon

 

[okiecaver]

I agree with OceanSwimmer....

I've been trading emails with Alastair over Top Sub suits and if Fred would ever answer his PM's, Eliossub.

The Heiwa seems like the answer for me too. Also, I remember one of these makes stating their hoods had molded earpockets. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

Dive safe
Brock

 

[fjohnson]

Hey, hey, hey Okie...
I only see I received one p.m. from you mentioning the "buddyless too".. did I miss something? or is there another Fred your talkin' too? There are a few of us on the board.
No molded ear pockets that I'm aware of.. but it does have a chin pocket. I do know this.. I was in 52 degF water all afternoon yesterday in my 5mil open/closed and doin' fine. I am not sure about the neoprene I recieved from Elios other than my 5mil and 3mil were what they called their "Professional" and are very stretchy. especially the 3mil. I had the 3mil in 42deg F water but I didn't last too long, still my favorite suit. My 1.5mil is their "econoline", nylon inside, durable, not so stretchy for a 1.5mil but still stretchy enough. Interesting enough the 1.5 mil is tough to get on when u'r wet, 3mil pro with superstretch is a dream to put on, wet or dry.
Fred

 

[okiecaver]

OK, My apologies.....

I thought I had p-m'ed you on Eliossub, but I had a lockup as I was sending, so it probably did not go thru.

Stretchy is good. With my funky (bulldog-ish) body I need all the stretch I can get to keep it tight.

Considering the price, I can conceivably buy a 5mm and a 3mm for the price of one of the Picasso's. This applies to Top Sub too.

Now that I know you are not avoiding me I'd like to PM you sometime about what you do to prepare for cold water diving, your experience, etc.

Dive safe
Brock

 

[groats]

Know the score

Thanks lads!

You`ve been a great help as my general knowledge about neoprene suits has been quadrupled in a matter of a couple of days! Now with solid background i`ll walk into the shop and order an eliossub. Or a picasso..., or go for a cressi? I think i`ll test them all! And Eric, I didn`t have the faintest idea that there are two neoprene manufacturers with such contrary products...

Cheers mates

Joe

 

[OceanSwimmer]

Suit Question...

Say, Jon, did you hear which density Eric chose?

--It occurs to me to ask if these suits are fragile w/regards to beach entry, etc.... I appreciate the info about the Heiwa neoprene from Eric...I've also read some posts here from folks who swear by Picasso suits. Lots of choices. Good options!

 

[w3ac]

That Heiwa neoprene sounds like a winner for us spearos. My OMER is not more than 6 dives old and I have already had to apply wetsuit glue to the seams. The glue the factory used keeps parting and upon further inspection, the stitching is what is holding the seams together. The suit is extremely warm and comfortable (excet for the beaver tail occasionally going up the crack of my @$$) but it seems to be a very fragile suit. Keep in mind that I tend to abuse my gear so fragile stuff doesn't last too long. Definitely going with medium density Heiwa from Elios next.

Brad :martial

 

[unirdna]

To all you fellas buying the Heiwa suits (especially the spearos):

Please let the forum know what you think of this material. I have a picasso commercial termic, and have been kicking the crap out of it (rocks, spearpoints, fish spines, shore entries, winter diving, donning/doffing with a vengeance) for the last few months with NO sign of wear. But oh ho, I paid 400 bones for this luxury, and if the new face of durability is this heiwa material (*for half the price), we had better spread the word for the good of the masses. Tell us how it stands up to the wear of cocking the gun over and over in the same spot...and what happens if your spear gives it a good poke....that kind of stuff.

Thanks, I'll be waiting .

Ted