Questions about Wetsuits

Hi,

I have a couple of questions about wetsuits and need a little advice. My wife and I have been diving for several years now. We dive mostly in warm water with full body 3/2 wetsuits. Over the past year my Wife has noticed that she is getting cold during our dives. Does neoprene lose some of it's insulating properties over time ? Or, perhaps over time is it possiible her wetsuit has stretched out and is letting in more water ??

It's been a while since we have been shopping for a new wetsuit. I've read a lot of the articles about the new extra stretchy materials. If you've bought a new wetsuit recently, what do you think about the newer materials ??? Are they noticably more comfortable than standard neoprene ? What brands have you folks bought and would you recommend them ? I'd really appreciate hearing some of your experiences. Thank you.

Bob

Over years, seams can leak and the neoprene becomes compressed, losing its insulating properties. Being that you were using 3mil suits, I would guess water leakage is the culprit. It could also be that as you are getting a bit older, the cold is less fun.

I recently bought a Bare Velocity 7mil. Particularly at that thickness, having stretchier material is a real plus; it is fairly easy to don and doff and a snug fit means less water leakage. I find the suit to be very comfortable, much more than the non-stretch 7mil suits I rented before my purchase.

I have a early 80s latex here and some neopren,so i can say and think on tha salt

and sunlight will make suits shagy and gray but at all the will stay stabel well

when the ziper stay in condtion...

E.L.7*

For my fullsuits I use the Bare Velocity line. I have their 3/2 and 5/4 and love them. I would recommend Henderson's Gold Core hooded 5/3 vest as an add-on to a 3/2 setup. This should keep you toasty...

Cheers.

-J.-

Yes neoprene does loose some insulating properties over time. Repeated trips into the deep squash the insulating gas cells and they loose rebound over time. Eventually you are wearing something closer to tire tube rubber. It's hard to say from your post if several years of vacation diving has seriously deteriorated the suit but is surely in the realm of possibility. Equally unknown is the quality of the suit to begin with. All neoprene is NOT created equal.

Do suits stretch? Yes they do from repeated donnings doffings and so forth. Seams of such a thin suit don't have a lot of gluing contact so they are prone to developing leaks. One metric I like is to look at the skin after a dive. The suit should have a hint of compression on the diver and you should be able to see the stitching imprinted in your skin when you get out of the suit.

Another possibility is that as she becomes a seasoned diver she is fidgeting and flapping less (or none) and not generating surplus body heat. The suit may be fine but it may be time to add a 3mm hooded chicken vest. I have this in the mens cut and it's an indispensable part of my dive wardrobe. Metabolisms seem to slow with time and we are all several years older now.

The stretchy materials are the rage but they play right into my first paragraph. Being less rigid they have less bubble integrity and will not be as warm mm for mm. Generally they are not as durable but if a diver has a combination that works for them far be it from me to put it down. My mentality stems from cold water diving where we try not to compromise on protection. I have enjoyed warm water as well.

Personally I am fond of the Bare line. They have lots of sizes and the Velocity line is a very smart suit. I have a 2004 5/4mm that I used just yesterday with that chicken vest. The Velocity line uses a mix of material to provide comfort without sacrificing too much bubble integrity.

In the end fit is what makes the biggest difference. Do a good fit check for openers and decide if it's still a good fit,

Pete

I still love Henderson Hyperstretch line for hoods, etc. In the 5/3 range they are MARVELOUS to put on. Such a change from my 7 mil full suit.

Yes, wetsuits do over time and dives compress and lose their some of their ability to insulate. I’m a big fan of custom made wetsuits. Unless you have the perfect body type for an off-the-shelve suit, a custom one is the best option. I see dives struggle into a suit that is too small and yet they still have gaps and bulges that trap air or its stretched so tight they can’t move. The new era of super stretchy suits is supposed to fill the gap of ill fitting suits but for that flexibility, you sacrifice a perfect fit an the life of the suit.

My suits cost the same and in many cases, less than the premium factory suits. The fit is perfect, no gaps or (un-necessary) bulges. Its not a struggle to put on or remove. Flexibility is not an issue as the suit is not overly stretched in any one area. Look around before you buy, try a custom suit at least once – you will never go back!


Dave

BobArnold8265:

I have a couple of questions about wetsuits and need a little advice. My wife and I have been diving for several years now. We dive mostly in warm water with full body 3/2 wetsuits. Over the past year my Wife has noticed that she is getting cold during our dives. Does neoprene lose some of it's insulating properties over time ?

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As others have noted, wetsuits do degrade after repeated excursions to depth. Another thing to consider, though, is whether or not your diving style has changed. If your wife has become more comfortable in the water, more easily maintains neutral buoyancy rather than continuously finning to maintain depth, and just generally is more relaxed, then she will not be exercising as hard while diving. The both lessens the internally generated heat, and also reduces air consumption, leading to longer dives.

If that's the primary factor, then you might consider stepping up to a full 3mm or even to a 5mm wetsuit.

It may be a bit of both loss of insulation and change of diving style.

Charlie Allen