Good evening,
I am off to dive in Cayman islands this next January and am toying with purchasing a titanium wetsuit. Where do I go to find out unbiased information on the benefits and drawbacks of them. I am tall and thin and tend to get cold fairly easily and had heard that the titanium suits are warmer as well as more flexible. thanks! Molly
First, welcome to ScubaBoard. . . next, look at the top of each page, and you will find a button titled "Forums" click there and hang onto your hat, you're going on a ride to find out more about diving than the navy dive manual.
Scroll down past discussions for new divers, below underwater photography, past hunting, keep going down the list, until you reach equipment discussions. There you will find hundreds of opinions of wetsuits. . . everyone thinks their opinion is right. Wetsuits are expensive so few people have experienced more than two suits. In 35 years I've bought 8 different suits, all have been pretty good, some better than others.
The single most important thing is FIT! Most wetsuit manufacturers make 5 to 7 sizes to fit everyone in the world, and no two manufacturers make the same fit for a particular size. If you can find a shop with 5 brands, and compare a size large, no two will be alike. Two methods to get a good fit. . . try on lots of manufacturers suits till you find a good compromise fit. . . or order a custom made suit. I've had three custom suits and they were the best by a huge measure of comfort.
For a couple of dives in tropical waters a 3 mil suit isn't bad, the material stretches more, and can feel more comfortable if you have a bad fitting suit. 5 mil suits are a little less stretch and are warmer, also a good tropical weight if you chill easily. 7 mil suits better fit well because they don't have very much stretch, but they are warmer. All of these suits can be made warmer by putting a wetsuit material vest underneath.
The material the suit is made from is hidden by most wetsuit manufacturers. How the rubber is made, what the inside and outside fabric is made of is important but hidden from the customer. Some manufacturers say the color of the lining matters, some say titanium, anything they say makes them best. . . just like used car salesmen.
Henderson suits are good if it isn't really the right size, it stretches more than most other brands. . . that stretchy lining grabs velcro from across the boat, it snags more than any other fabric I know.
Read more, and search inside the wetsuit forum, before you drop your money. Comfort is the only factor in choosing a suit. And, comfort ONLY comes with FIT, FIT, FIT!
