which wetsuit?

I'm considering a new freediving wetsuit.. the pro suits I have now are all Eliossubs and they are excellent... but I'm wondering.. is there another suit that compares in price/quality to the elios that I should consider or should I stick with the tried and true? I think I'd like a new spring/fall/winter suit. (crazy maybe.. the one I have works great.. but maybe I'd go with one I don't have to use lube on, and get a 2m vest to go over it)

It's pretty hard to beat the Elios suits. if you wanted something a little tougher I'd suggest an omer. I can't kill mine,l and belive me I've tried. I passed on the Elios suit only because of the rough&tumble spearfishing I do and he omer's are probably the toughest suits out there.

I have a Cresci Supercomp, mainly because it was very inexpensive at DiveInn. I've found it to be extremely warm and tough. I've subjected to all kinds of abuse over the last few years and it's really held up.

All that being said my next suit will be a custom Elios.

I'm a big fan of O'Neill wetsuits. They're marketed to surfers, but I snorkel in my O'Neill suit all the time. Even on the less expensive suits, the cuff are extremely tight and the seams are very well-sealed. On my newest suit (an O'Neill Heat 3/2 Full), I've never had a problem with cold water leaking in.

The suits are also extremely flexible and durable. They're designed for surfers, who move through a lot more body positions than we divers and snorkelers do, so they have a more comfortable fit and greater flexibility than suits specifically designed for snorkeling or diving.

The only disadvantage I can think of is, the cuffs are so secure that peeing in the wetsuit isn't an option. :11ztongue

Bagheera:

I'm a big fan of O'Neill wetsuits. They're marketed to surfers, but I snorkel in my O'Neill suit all the time. Even on the less expensive suits, the cuff are extremely tight and the seams are very well-sealed. On my newest suit (an O'Neill Heat 3/2 Full), I've never had a problem with cold water leaking in.

The suits are also extremely flexible and durable. They're designed for surfers, who move through a lot more body positions than we divers and snorkelers do, so they have a more comfortable fit and greater flexibility than suits specifically designed for snorkeling or diving.

The only disadvantage I can think of is, the cuffs are so secure that peeing in the wetsuit isn't an option. :11ztongue

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I don't think o'neal has a smooth/closed cell outside suit w/hood.. I need it for my extreme snorkeling i.e. less drag on the way down and on the way up.. and the hood for mid 40's - 50's deg F. temp waters + I like the fact that between dives, surface times a smooth outer/closed cell suit drys instantly so no air conditioning effect. Sounds like a good suit though...

bagheeri, if no water gets into your suit, you`ll feel your whole body feel like it`s getting sucked as your suit squeezes when you descend...it`s how well it holds the water in... anyway 40 - 50degrees is similar temperateure wise to where i dive in new zealand.. i dive in a picasso apnos 5mm open cell interior/nylon exterior during the warmer months then move to a picasso 7mm comercial termic nylon/gold coated open cell (bio-termic) in the winter. they are the warmest most comfortable suits in the world! the comercial is a good suit as it has latex knee and elbow pads and all the seams are reinforced, this is a good feature as you don`t lose flexibility, but it saves the suit - most freedive suits completely lack knee and elbow protection. i imagine that in such cold water, you won`t be diving really deep, 'pushing the barrier', i would therefore not take the added drag of a nylon exterior into consideration, the difference it makes is minimal - i speak from experience. the chill factor is good to take into consideration, i use a shell jacket to combat that problem, it works well for me, but i can see that as smoothskin suit would have advantages in that area.. as far as i know picasso doesn`t make a closed cell exterior suit, i think omer might, omer suits are nice too.. not too familiar with elios suits so i can`t comment... my 2 cents.. good luck..*runs off*

"bagheeri, if no water gets into your suit, you`ll feel your whole body feel like it`s getting sucked as your suit squeezes when you descend...it`s how well it holds the water in..."

I know that a suit performs by how well it holds water in (thus the joke about not peeing in my wetsuit anymore). It holds the warm water in and it doesn't leak at the cuffs like a lot of cheap wetsuits do.

Why would my body feel like it's getting sucked as I descend (and why does that sound kind of kinky)? I've taken my suit down to about 10m freediving and 15m in scuba gear, and it's been very comfortable the whole time.

I know that a suit performs by how well it holds water in (thus the joke about not peeing in my wetsuit anymore). It holds the warm water in and it doesn't leak at the cuffs like a lot of cheap wetsuits do.

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My elios suits let very little water in... if any.. and I think that is a key to staying warm.. no water/very little water in the suit.. no water transfer.. if your suit lets water transfer in that means you have to warm the water up that gets into your suit and not nearly as warm as a good suit that doesn't let water in. In my unlined elios I have spent several hours in the water and still come up with dry areas on my swimsuit. If you have a suit that is tight and doesn't let water in, any pocket will sometimes squeeze, sometimes in the most uncomfortable places.

how about the gold core suits for this application ?

it`s the drysuit effect, it happens with both of my picasso suits... anyone who has used an improperly fitting drysuit will be familiar with the feeling, it`s the reason why drysuits have LP inflators, otherwise they squeeze you, it doesn`t happen to the same extent with wetsuits, but at 15+ metres it`s really noticable particularly around the groin and armpits, due to the tiny pockets of air that are trapped... sounds great doesn`t it "try the new picasso, it sucks your groin" maybe it`s just a me thing or a picasso thing, but i have to let a bit of water into the suit before i dive to stop it happening, but once the water is in, it stays in. it`s not the fact that the suits are too small for me, it`s just the whole interior of the suit is like a seal, not letting water in or allowing air to move...