Vegan Shark
Contributor
As to the quality of the neoprene, that's garbage.
A wetsuit expert will have to weigh in, but from what I remember from researching before I made my purchase, there are various grades and types of neoprene. The hyperstretch you mentioned is a good example. Back in the old days, a lot stiffer neoprene was used, which was more resistant to crushing and warmer than the stretchy materials we find today. But since people are more likely to buy a suit if it's a piece of cake to get on and off in the dressing room, consumer trends shifted to the stretchy style we see today.
I've no doubt plenty of companies use the same exact material for their line of suits, with only extra features distinguishing the higher end models. But the difference between my 7mm Fourth Element Proteus and my 7mm Pinnacle Cruiser is like light and day. Both might be 7mm, but the Proteus feels like military-grade battle armor neoprene. Stiff and hard to get on, but very warm. The Pinnacle by comparison feels flimsy and cheap, and as I go deeper the loss in warmth from compression alone is dramatic.