Purchasing first wet suit 7mm - Henderson Aqualock or Bares Elastik

[wolflegresley]

Good Day SB!

I am still new to diving (11 dives) but am now in the process of buying my gear! I live in Ontario Canada which means almost all my dives HAVE to be in 7mm (or drysuit which I'm not interested in for another year or so) and I have done a ton of research for my wife and I. I am down between:

Henderson 7mm Aqualock
Henderson 7mm Men's Aqua Lock Jumpsuit at LeisurePro

or

Bares 7mm Elastek (With additonal purchase of 7mm step in hood/vest)
Bare 2014 Elastek 7mm Men's Full Suit, Black/Blue at LeisurePro

What I'm looking for in a wetsuit:
Budget of approx $500 (Cdn dollars) - some flexability
Great customer service
a decent range of motion (a tall order for a 7mm I know)
A warranty that the company will honor without too much hassle.


I'm also open to suggestions of other wetsuits in this price range...


OR maybe I should continue to rent my wetsuit this year and then just buy a drysuit next year?

Thoughts?

 

[AfterDark]

I like the Farmer John style with the step in jacket that gives the diver 14mm around the torso and groin. LeisurePro has them in a cold water package for < $250.00. I don't find hard to move but it is warm especially on the surface!

Men's Cold Water Wetsuit Package at LeisurePro

 

[wolflegresley]

I do a like the idea that with the Bare I can get that extra 7mm, and another plus is that its a fully functional 7mm 1 piece without the vest!

 

[icechip]

I have the Henderson aqua-lock 7mm and like it. The farmer john and step in have kept me warm in the lakes and ocean here in Maine. With the hood and some nice boots, I have yet to be truly cold on a dive, even those towards the end of the season in late November.

 

[swamp diver]

I have a Bare Elastek 7mm now collecting dust in the closet after I purchased a drysuit several years back. It is too thick to take to the tropics and the only time I will use it is in Brockville where the water is warmer and a drysuit in the summer is overkill.

You might want to continue to rent a wetsuit for a while yet and save up for a drysuit if you think you are going to continue to do a lot of Ontario diving. If you haven't been up to Tobermory this year you might want to check out the bottom temps once more before committing to a wetsuit. A drysuit is a lot more comfortable up there especially early in the season.

The Elastek is a great suit and I think the new 2014 redesign is better built than the Henderson. Bare's head office is in British Columbia so warranty issues are handled easily.

 

[divin'dog]

I would buy the Bare Elastek...

 

[CT Sean]

I bought the Elastek and am pretty happy with it. I wish it was a little warmer but realize the only real answer to that is a drysuit. The only minor issue I have with it is that it's a real pain to get off my feet due to the "double 3mm GLIDESKIN ankle seals".

 

[jjjjeremy]

I know it's not common, but I suggest trying a freediving wetsuit for cold water. You use a water/conditioner blend to get in because they have bare rubber on the inside. Much easier to put on any freedive suit than any 7mm scuba suit too. Because the rubber is bare, you don't get any water movement at all. MUCH warmer.

If you go this route, I'd recommend ordering custom for your price range, that way you can choose a neoprene that's appropriate for extended time at depth.

 

[AfterDark]

I know it's not common, but I suggest trying a freediving wetsuit for cold water. You use a water/conditioner blend to get in because they have bare rubber on the inside. Much easier to put on any freedive suit than any 7mm scuba suit too. Because the rubber is bare, you don't get any water movement at all. MUCH warmer.

If you go this route, I'd recommend ordering custom for your price range, that way you can choose a neoprene that's appropriate for extended time at depth.

Some things just can't be made better. The 1st wet suits were smooth rubber inside and outside we used talc powder to ease the entry. Those were mainly 1/4" to 3/16" thick. Somebody started putting linings on the inside while other added zippers at the wrists and ankles as well as the lining to ease entry. The smooth skins suits were then considered obsolete, by the dive manufacturers anyway. Apparently some of them have re-discovers the warmth of these suits.

 

[jjjjeremy]

Some things just can't be made better. The 1st wet suits were smooth rubber inside and outside we used talc powder to ease the entry. Those were mainly 1/4" to 3/16" thick. Somebody started putting linings on the inside while other added zippers at the wrists and ankles as well as the lining to ease entry. The smooth skins suits were then considered obsolete, by the dive manufacturers anyway. Apparently some of them have re-discovers the warmth of these suits.

Exactly! There are probably 10-15 companies that make them now, but with super soft neoprene that's really only appropriate for freediving. Now most have nylon or Lycra exteriors for durability, and we use conditioner instead of talc so you can put it on wet.

I've only put on a thick scuba suit once since I bought a freedive suit, and I'm never going back. The only reason I did was because I got a phenomenal deal on a spare so I don't crush my current freedive suit before I find a custom suit maker to use scuba neoprene for an unlined suit. Haven't even used it yet.

Come to think of it, if the OP will fit into a XXL SolaFX, I have one I don't need