3mm full suit which packs for travel well

[Suppresst]

I have some general questions for any of you on this thread who care to reply (please do) -

1. I live in an area (West Michigan) underserved by dive shops so trying wetsuits on is problematic (but not impossible, if we want to drive a ways; one shop about 2 hour distance carries both Bare and Henderson, but two others closer by carry Henderson).
2. Our one very local PADI shop sells nothing but Lavacore and touts it as the ultimate solution to exposure wear.
3. We intend to dive nothing in future but 80 F. and above water.
4. When we vacation we want to both, on same trip, snorkel privately from shore sites and SCUBA off dive boats with dive operators.
5. This latter point has several implications: A.) When snorkeling from shore site to shore site by automobile we likely don't want to take off our exposure gear every time we get in car, and I'm wondering about whether Lavacore-type fleece lining dries quickly enough to sit in a car seat. I find wetsuits dry quickly enough to sit on towel. B.) One gets good buoyancy from neoprene so don't have to wear life vest for snorkel, but not sure about Lavacore-type suit. Of course one could argue for multiple suits but that is not going to happen. Looking for best all-purpose snorkel and SCUBA suit for 80 F. and above water, that provide buoyancy, gets damp-dry quickly.
6. Ladies, my wife is not slim like fashion model - she is short and a bit overweight (desk job) and needs suit that conforms to not-perfect body proportions. Best company for that; best model?
7. Age old question - we wore shorties for 84 F. water in June in Carribbean but going back soon for 80 F. water. Will we need full, or will shorties work for us (we always dive above 80 F.)? I tolerate cold very well, my wife can't stand being cold.

 

[scrane]

I dive a 3mm shorty, but I also wear a 3mm vest underneath. A cap also adds quite a bit of warmth.

 

[Soloist]

Take a look at the MAKO Yamamoto wetsuits. These suits are extremely warm and flexible with far less bulk of a standard suit. Very lightweight even when wet. These are open cell suits, so they require lubricant when donning, but they conform to your body like a second skin.

Review: Mako Yamamoto Two Piece Open Cell Wetsuits (3mm and 5mm) MAKO Spearguns

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Lavacore. Packs tiny and dries completely overnight if you get good air circulation.

I find I'm comfortable to 68 - 70 fahrenheit.

To answer some of your other questions...

Yes, you should be able to sit on a towel.

It's probably not positive enough to help you float but that's what body fat is for, right?

I always dive a full even if the water is warm. You never know who or what is going to rub up against you.

 

[CarstenS]

You may want to look at the Fourth Element Thermocline - not cheap but hard to beat in terms of weight and bulk for travel in the tropics. I have the one piece. Warmer than Lavacore/Sharkskin (I haven't been cold in it down to just below 80 F) but more comfortable on the surface than neo. Their zips are cheap plastic and break easily (at their pricepoint that's quite disappointing), I replaced mine with a standard steel zip and have been very happy since.

 

[ReadyDiverOne]

@CarstenS I have the same question and I’m wondering if you (or anyone else) has tried the Fourth Element Xenia suits, which they tout as being great easy on easy off for LOBs etc.

Xenos - Fourth Element

thanks.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I have some general questions for any of you on this thread who care to reply (please do) -

1. I live in an area (West Michigan) underserved by dive shops so trying wetsuits on is problematic (but not impossible, if we want to drive a ways; one shop about 2 hour distance carries both Bare and Henderson, but two others closer by carry Henderson).
2. Our one very local PADI shop sells nothing but Lavacore and touts it as the ultimate solution to exposure wear.
3. We intend to dive nothing in future but 80 F. and above water.
4. When we vacation we want to both, on same trip, snorkel privately from shore sites and SCUBA off dive boats with dive operators.
5. This latter point has several implications: A.) When snorkeling from shore site to shore site by automobile we likely don't want to take off our exposure gear every time we get in car, and I'm wondering about whether Lavacore-type fleece lining dries quickly enough to sit in a car seat. I find wetsuits dry quickly enough to sit on towel. B.) One gets good buoyancy from neoprene so don't have to wear life vest for snorkel, but not sure about Lavacore-type suit. Of course one could argue for multiple suits but that is not going to happen. Looking for best all-purpose snorkel and SCUBA suit for 80 F. and above water, that provide buoyancy, gets damp-dry quickly.
6. Ladies, my wife is not slim like fashion model - she is short and a bit overweight (desk job) and needs suit that conforms to not-perfect body proportions. Best company for that; best model?
7. Age old question - we wore shorties for 84 F. water in June in Carribbean but going back soon for 80 F. water. Will we need full, or will shorties work for us (we always dive above 80 F.)? I tolerate cold very well, my wife can't stand being cold.

Look at the Probe iDry wetsuit and Probe Frogskin products as an alternative to Lavacore and Sharkskin. It ships from Australia at a flat rate of $30 AUD. Don’t write it off given this - it was highly recommended by others here and some friends of mine and I should have bought this way sooner. I bought Frogskin and it didn’t have duty as confirmed with the harmonized tariff schedule. I consulted them on sizing remotely and their suggestions were spot on. As you have dive shops far from you anyway, it’s worthwhile to try it. First exchange is free in that they re-ship the new sizes to you for free. If you do have to return shipping I would use a flat rate intl box.

Probe’s Frogskin is far superior to Lavacore and Sharkskin. It doesn’t bag out underwater and stays fitted. It layers well under another wetsuit like a 3 or 5mm well or wears alone well. Most importantly to your points, the fleecy lining is much cozier than Sharkskin and Lavacore and it also dries within 10 minutes. You read that correctly. I can’t say enough good things about it. Their wetsuits, the iDry, have the same lining and tech. Everyone who I have spoken to that owns the iDry wetsuit loves it. I think it will be my next suit.

I bought this in mid September and just dived 83 dives in Indonesia for the last month with it under my wetsuit on every dive as my wetsuit is now super compressed. It has been tested thoroughly. I also bought their hood. The most comfortable hood! I also aim to dive 80+ water but unfortunately had to deal with some temps down to 69F. It has .5mm of neoprene so it has a little buoyancy whereas Sharkskin and Lavacore is neutrally buoyant. It doesn’t change my weighting needed though.

I always recommend full suits for protection and for cases where you might have repetitive, back to back diving. Your core can cool quite quickly especially with colder surface conditions even with 80+F water.

Let me know if you have any Q’s! Here’s another review from here: Probe Frogskins--Best Dive Skins Yet?

 

[Esprise Me]

I know some places make you wear a life jacket for snorkeling, but I really don't think it's necessary, nor do you need something else that's buoyant. However, if your wife gets cold easily, she might want a real wetsuit even for warm water, at least for scuba diving. If a trip to the dive shop is too far, I believe a lot of online retailers have generous return policies to allow you to try stuff on. Henderson suits seem to be cut a little shorter and wider; I'm a 12 in most brands but a 10 tall in Henderson. Aqualung suits seem to be a little more snug, especially around the wrists and neck. But if you're buying something like Lavacore for both of you, she might be able to just rent a 3mm shorty at the destination to wear over the skin suit. A perfect fit isn't critical when you just need a little extra insulation in warm water, and shorties are very adaptable.

 

[Suppresst]

I have a Henderson Thermaxx 3mm which packs very well. Being fleece lined, it is not as thick as traditional 3mm neoprene yet is as warm or warmer. I've had mine for 5 years now and it is holding up well.

BTW, whether this is correct or not, I don't know. But my LDS told me to never fold a wetsuit other than from side to side, then roll it up. This is suppose to keep the neoprene from creasing and weakening it at said creases.

A dealer told me today that a 3mm Thermaxx has just as thick neoprene as any other 3mm (3mm is 3mm). What do you say to that?

 

[Suppresst]

@CarstenS I have the same question and I’m wondering if you (or anyone else) has tried the Fourth Element Xenia suits, which they tout as being great easy on easy off for LOBs etc.

Xenos - Fourth Element

thanks.

Thanks everyone, for all the feedback thus far - I've been thinking about and it seems one really needs to decide what your needs and applications are. There are so many options to choose from, offering great features that address a variety of needs and wants, but not necessarily our needs and wants -

I like the idea in quote above, which I didn't previously know existed, of a quick dry suit. So, I'm going to focus on those - the one mentioned here and I see that Henderson AquaLock has Quik-Dri technology (anyone with experience with those?) If you know of any more too, please chime in. I also see that Henderson is going to announce suits that are "beyond neoprene" on Nov. 1. I'll probably want to see what that is all about out.