wetsuit questions

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Hi neighbor, welcome to this neighborhood.
A couple of things.
If you've purchased most or much of your gear somewhere, you aren't being a rat to actually (some would gasp!) shop another store, be it online or down the road. I feel quite comfortable supporting the local economy, getting some competition and variety. Dive shops everywhere are a local economy to me; the Kona side is just a smaller part of it.
And don't worry, Kona is Kona, like many things Hawaiian, you ain't on the Mainland any more (yeah, we are going to fly to the UK or something for a shop worth it's salt.)

However, here is some of my local experience over the years, thought for shop local.

My LDS has the reputation for being pricy and guaranteed highest. Not always tourist pricing this local says (and sure not everywhere.) I've found this out by assuming it true and purchasing elsewhere, only to find I paid more. Other items I've compared and with shipping were equal online, not found at the other, and yes sometime a bit more. At least what I've sought has been in comparable online to local for the most part. Tanks were a big exception, got a killer deal there...and have a killer deal here on air.
I've paid $60 to ship a $20 1 Ž½# replacement item from el cheapo LP, only because it was the only place I could find it, AND the only way they would ship it. (Still really PMO. Compare that to one steel tank free shipping, the other $14 for crying out loud AND just as fast!!!!!)
Ok, I'm calm again, some day I'm sure I'll get over it.

I think a lot depends on the specifics. I rarely shop for the cheapest, but highest quality I can afford (who really needs furniture or clothes?) And, I will say I do find IMO, just MO, lower quality are lower online, if even available here. And the #1 online store, I want to give them business and really annoyed they do not carry what I'm looking for. Heck, there is always e-bay too.

On the other hand my last major purchase, went to my LDS and they did their best to get me what I wanted and could not (new item, size issue.) I went online and after a while just tried to find anyone I could throw money at to get them to no avail (out of stock or not sell my size.) So, on a whim I checked LDS #2 who did have them (now) and had the dickens of a time getting the mgr to let me buy them, seriously! There was in no way, any encouragement to buy what is a relatively expensive fin. I had to rather stridently insist. But, he gave me Kama'aina + and I've no idea why, didn't ask, which came out to 1/2 the lowest online price if I could have got them. (I was saved by Online inadequacy.)

Point is it can really vary. Point 2, again IMHO, your best bet is to go with what is the best that you can afford vs what seems similar and cheaper. This may be a matter of fit which to me is part of quality. If it doesn't work for you, not gaining anything it cost's less or more.
I rarely voice an opinion about wetsuits (other than relay my choices and why.) You said the Everflex fit like a glove to me that's your bingo. (Personally LOL, I got about half way in one and...well, not my choice, does not fit me at all LOL.)

So for a suit, here again is some of my experience. Think about how warm you've been in a shortie here. Is the protection the main goal? If warm enough in a 3ml shortie, a 3 mil ought to be fine.
But, here is another little point of concern. I was fine, toasty in fact in a 3ml - for a year. New divers expend more energy than they have to. Once they get settled down, and calm down, they are not revving up the engine as high. I began to get a bit of a chill at dive 3 and 4 so looked for a 5ml and feeling sheepish, yea gads it's the tropics. In retrospect this was in time with a fair amount of 'getting it' and streamlining technique and gear. Lot's of little details added up to I was not working so hard at diving. Now that 5 ml suit is my primary suit and it's gonna be real toasty out there for me to get into the 3ml.

What I dive, or where how, boils down to short trips anywhere out of the water in a wetsuit. I do not have an overheating problem as long as the turons aren't lined up 12 deep, oblivious to anyone might want a turn to just step off and taking forever trying to figure out how to get out at Two Step.
As long as the neck will allow you to pull it out and flood, a bit over warm suit now, your diving will grow into it.
From what I can tell, mostly from reading here and other people's take on their locations, we are a bit unique. We get cool enough to want a wet suit. The Lava is brutal and we want full protection (a skin wouldn't cut if for me, that stuff slices tires.) We aren't sitting in that suit in the hot baking sun for hours. The water is not cold enough we could not dive without it. Ergo the legendary Kona climate. Don't need no fancy schmancy whiz bang make the most warmth and cost for the suit trying desperately to keep the water out, some water is fine, never notice it. In fact, it's refreshing (and handy to flush, er, some extra, out if need be.) The stretchy suits are perfect without all the double seals etc. anyway.

Then there is another option. Is there a suit that you can get the shortie over or under? Layers, add layers, subtract layers. Maybe just a 3ml, and add the Henderson Core Warmer over when chillier or even later once you are not working so hard. They really, really stretch. You'd have to see the fellow that borrowed my small one night (forgot his suit so I sacrificed my 3rd dive extra layer. Was worth it to see him actually able to move in it much to my surprise.)

Oh, talking about suits reminds me...anyone know where the funniest thread on Scuba board is? The new folks probably would like to :rofl3: too.
 
All good comments. Fit is king and the dive shop can really help you with that. If you're going to a full wet suit try the 353 where your arms and legs have 3mm and your torso has the 5 but stay off the coral. Good buoyancy is the mark of a good diver.
 
The big difference b/w the 3mm and 5mm my wife says is the bouyancy. We dive in the same waters as you here in Kona and she went with the 5mm full suite for the warmth. But still gets a little chilled so she got a 7mm for night dives. I think if you like the shorty you would do fine with either choice.
 
Personally, I don't want anything on my arms or legs. The coldest I have dove is in 63 degree bottom water on the Speigle Grove last winter in a 2mm shorty. The surface water was 73 degrees and it was a little chilly.

Glad to see a more experienced diver that's of a differing opinion. I'm the same way.

Beware of the opinion and recommendation of a "more experienced diver" who thinks there is a 10 degree difference at the sand of the Speigle Grove. It felt 10 degrees colder, because you didn't have the proper exposure protection! :eyebrow:

As was posted earlier the average temp is something like 75. There is ~ 6 to 10 degrees of swing seasonally, with Winter lows from 70-72 and Summer highs of 78-80.

During droughts temps will run higher, because the seeping fresh groundwater (and rivers/rains) is what brings the temp down. The more it rains the colder the diving.

I only know of less than a handful of regular Hawaii divers who dive regularly in less than 3 mm full wet suits. I only know a handful of instructor/guides in less than 5 mm fulls. Now that Macho isn't such a necessary attitude there are a lot of vests, hoodie vests and hoods being used in the winter. I'm only 6', 180; I wear my 3 mm farmer john under my full 5 mm to be comfortable at the end of a Winter dive. :coffee:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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