Wetsuit for Monterey diving

[binkleyboo]

Looking for feedback on diver experience w/ wetsuits for Monterey diving. I have tried on the Henderson Hyperstretch....love it....but have heard that it can be colder then regular wetsuits and that everything sticks to it causing pilling. Also, what mm is generally used in Monterey? I have been renting a 7mm farmer john suit w/ a 7mm core warmer and have been a little on the warm side.

 

[boomx5]

Have you thought about buying a drysuit?

 

[binkleyboo]

Right now I am pretty comfortable with the wetsuit. I might do a drysuit later.

 

[Scubaroo]

I got by for a year using a 7mm neoprene semi-dry, although semi-dry is a misnomer - it's just a wetsuit with neoprene neck and ankle seals. Minimises the water flow, which is what the hyperstretch is supposed to do.

I sea people using 7mm full suits and core warmers - often the core warmers just seem to add more buoyancy that needs more weight to get it down under the surface.

The Mares Isotherm semidry is a popular suit in Monterey, and people swear by them, but I did the drysuit move a couple of months ago and paid about the same for an entry level drysuit as one of these wetsuits.

 

[lanun]

i used a 7mm 2-piece (rental). not too warm once in the water, though if you go deeper (say monestary or boat dives) the compression could make it a bit chilly. < 60' works fine. but ... bouyant.

now they have (or had - this info is from more'n a year ago) an 8-7-6 one-piece wetsuit with hood - zipper horizontal across the front. didn't get a chance to use it since i got a drusuit by then.