wetsuit lifespan (Cressi Tecnica Review)

[divebuddy80]

Hi there,

I am wondering what your experience with wetsuit life span is (excluding wear and tear due to rock contact etc.)???

I have a Cressi Tecnica 5mm, 2.5 years old now, used for about 3 spearfishings a week, dives usually not deeper than 5 Meter. I realised that the neopren surface at the inside has become a bit brittle/crumbly, especially in the hood and at the ends of the sleeves and legs. Moreover. the thickness has thinned to about 3.5 to 4mm (measured including the outer lining). It seems to me that in about 6 months I should get a new one, which makes a life span of 3 years.

What are your experience??

Moreover, if the lifespan is a function of the neopren quality which is in turn a function of the money, do you get the double lifespan from doubleing the money (e.g. go from Cressi/Omer to Yamamoto made).

cheers

divebuddy

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

150 days of diving each year, for 2.5 years. That is a very respectable life span for a wetsuit.

I sell Yamamoto rubber suits, which we think is the best material available. However, in all honesty a wetsuit has a limited useful life span, even if you only dive to shallow depths.

Dive Safe!

Dano

 

[Erik]

150 days of diving each year, for 2.5 years. That is a very respectable life span for a wetsuit

+1. That's a lot of use for a freedive suit. You've got your money's worth and more I'd say! You could possibly get more life out of a medium density Heiwa 39 or similar, but they are not as warm or comfortable, and IMO would still be worn out with that amount of diving.
Freedivers put their suits through way more compression cycles than any scuba diver would, so to me, replacing suits is part of the deal
Cheers,
Erik.

 

[mariusshobo]

seac sub python 3,5 mm.
used about 4 years, 35 days / year. I kind of abuse it, never clean it after dive (except at the end of the usually 7 days holliday).
After 4 years I feel that it is not as elastic as it was when new. But it is still do the job.