Wet Suit for Cold Water

[GreyIII]

I'm very new to diving and am looking at buying a 7mm wet suit.

However, I don't know much about the different brands and styles.

Is there a performance difference between BARE wet suits and Akona or Scubapro? I'm on a limited budget but don't want to buy the less expensive wet suit only to have to respend the money because it's crap.

Any suggestions on brands and styles would be appreciated.

 

[Quarrior]

I can't speak about the brands, but, I do dive with a 7mm farmer john style. It's the only way to go in cold water if you can't go with a dry suit. I know some that have the 7mm semi dry suits, but they are not 100% dry, therefore they are semi wet too. Difference is, the farmer john actually gives you 14mm of nice warm protection in the middle of your body where you need it most because it is two pieces.

I'm very new to diving and am looking at buying a 7mm wet suit.

However, I don't know much about the different brands and styles.

Is there a performance difference between BARE wet suits and Akona or Scubapro? I'm on a limited budget but don't want to buy the less expensive wet suit only to have to respend the money because it's crap.

Any suggestions on brands and styles would be appreciated.

 

[scubabamatxn]

This is dangerous territory, because product recommendations are often based upon limited experience and personal preference. I'll give you some input, and hopefully several others will 'pile on'. My personal preference is Henderson Gold Core 7mm full. I've used it for a long time, and it has held up great, except for the gold thread around one cuff. I'm told that Henderson will fix it for free, but I wouldn't take the time to get it done--not really a big deal. The 'Gold Core' is a slick material inside the suit that seems to stick close to your skin-- a good thing; it prevents water flow through your wetsuit. I was just on another thread and some members are giving good reviews to the Henderson 'Hyperstretch'. This is a more stretchy neoprene, and it reportedly 'hugs your body' well--this also prevents water flow. SeaQuest makes a version of this product also. You should go to a shop and try each on-- at the end of the day, it needs to fit your body best. Hopefully, this is just a start of feedback for you.

 

[jonahfab]

I have the bare 7mm suit with the arctic vest. It's a nice suit and has held up well. Have had it for about four years and about 50 dives on it and shows only minor signs of wear and tear. I like it too because it versitile in that for those warmer days I just wear the 7mm suit without the vest, but when wearing the vest it gives you 14mm in your core area.

 

[SDAnderson]

• The two piece suits are warmer.
• The one piece suits are more flexible.
• The biggest and most important issue is fit. You have to keep the water from pumping.
• Titanium is for...uneducated divers.
• The slick interior finishes eventually wear off, then you'll want a skin.
• The latest thing is the hyperstretchy stuff, people like the comfort.
• None of the name brands use junk neoprene, many of the off-brands do.
• There is something of a corrolary between what you get and what you pay.
• A custom-cut suit may well be worth it in terms of comfort and warmth.

And then start saving your nickels for a dry suit - they're worth it.

 

[ScubaDadMiami]

Find what fits best and go with that brand first.

 

[String]

How cold is the water? If its cold enough to consider 7mm+ suits then consider a drysuit.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

A semi dry has seals in the arms and legs (and sometimes the neck) and in my experience a good fitting one piece semi-dry is just as warm as a 2 piece farmer john but with less bulk and less weight required. The one piece semi-dry has less insulation over the trunk but also less water flow through the suit. You can also hedge your bets and wear a vest with an attached hood under your one piece without feeling excessively bulky. Many vest/hood combos have a bare rubber section on the neck to mate with the rubber on the neck of the semi-dry. This gives you 3mm to 5mm more insulation and the benefit of an improved neck seal and a longer path for any water that may pass through the seal. In my cold water opinion, this is the way to go.

Both cases however assume a good fit is achieved. A semi-dry can tolerate a slightly looser fit, but not much, and in general the suit that fits the best will be the warmest.

I would worry less about brand and worry more about fit as it is a more critical factor in warmth. Definitely not something you want to buy on-line.

Another difference is that most one piece semi-dry's zip in back instead of down or diagonally across the front. Less shoulder movement is required to get the one piece suit on and it is a lot easier to get off. But getting it zipped by yourself can be a problem if the suit is even a little too tight across the shoulders.

Some semi-drys incorporate a rear entry dry suit zipper and what almost amounts to a neck seal. I have dove these suits and had parts of the suit remain totally dry.

 

[mweitz]

I dive Monterey in an XCel 9/7/6 (the chest is 9). I REALLY like the integrated hood. It is a one piece, front entry. Sorta expensive, but I stay pretty warm. My fingers do get cold on some dives (I use 3mm gloves, may get some 5's) but that is pretty much it.

I would recommend doing a drysuit class before purchasing a wetsuit if you can. You can then decide if you want to put some bucks into a good wetsuit or if you want to maybe get something less expensive and save up for a drysuit or rent till you can get one... last weekend I dove with a group of about 10 and there were only 2 wetsuit divers.

Mark

 

[mech]

I also dive the xcel 976.
Darn nice suit and yes kinda spendy.
I never get cold in it when I'm in the water.
My buddy has an el cheapo one piece semi dry that cost $180 and his keeps him warm as well.
It's the fit that does it...not the name.