In praise of using freediving gear for scuba diving

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We use a lot of freediving gear for scuba as well. Both of us purchased 3mm and 5mm Mako Yamamoto 2 Piece open cell wetsuits recently and have been amazed with the warmth, fit and elasticity of these suits. We have never seen anybody diving open cell wetsuits in the Caribbean, so this was something new for us. I also really like diving the Mako freediving fins with the standard plastic interchangeable blades when possible. Now that I finally have an aluminum Freedom Contour plate :) I will be using a Mako rubber weight belt for the first time on our next trip.
 


  1. @drbill You dive to 200 feet - what at 175 at Italian Gardens ?

Sam,

There are SO many dive sites off Catalina where one can reach 200 fsw close to shore. Even Little Italian Gardens. Of course my favorite deep dives were off Ship Rock and Farnsworth Bank, but we had plenty of deep sites right along the leeward coast of the island.

Here is one profile from one of my 200 fsw dives:

Dive profile 200 ft 720x480.jpg
 
Italians gardens was one of your basic Instructor the late Ron Merker, my dive buddy for over 50 years favorite deep dive. We made many jumps there
I am both amazed and surprised that you who have been diving Catalina since God filled up the ocean did not dive there

Lots to see and much to do in a short deep dive with great rewards-- we were busy...

As you probably recall I was one of the first to dive Farnsworth Banks. Initially in the 1950s with some scientists from Kirkhoff marine labs in Corona Del Mar and in December 1960 organized and lead the first recreational dive to Farnsworth

So much has happed in 60 plus years

SDM
 
What makes free diving wetsuits warmer than scuba wetsuits/semidry wetsuits?

Closed Cell versus Open Cell

Closed cell neoprene wetsuits have a nylon or synthetic fleece material lining the inside of the suit. Closed cell or lined suits are by far the most popular type of suit currently used for scuba. Both closed cell and open cell neoprenes typically have a protective nylon outer shell, however, the inside of an open cell suit is unlined, so you have raw neoprene instead. Eliminating the inside lining promotes elasticity and allows the suit to be dramatically more flexible, so the suit will stretch to accommodate different body types and the physical demands of the diver. Moreover, having the raw neoprene in direct contact with your skin forms a natural suction that maintains that thin layer of water between skin and suit that is so effective for staying warm. @MAKO Spearguns

https://www.makospearguns.com/Yamamoto-3D-Reef-Camo-2-Piece-Open-Cell-Wetsuit-p/m2y3drc.htm

 
What makes free diving wetsuits warmer than scuba wetsuits/semidry wetsuits?

It's hard to say for sure. We have the distributor/retailer's explanation, and we have personal experience.

There is very little water flow anywhere in these suits. The integral hood, relatively long sleeves and legs, and elastic nature of the material all contribute to this. There is no zipper to act as a source of leakage. The unlined (aka "open cell") design may help with this somewhat.

I think that the greater elasticity of the material and the unlined design also contribute to less total water entering the suit initially to fill the space between the skin and the rubber, which helps a little with initial warmth. Maybe.

There do exist some one-piece scuba-oriented wetsuits in 8mm with integral hoods, which are fairly new to the market. I haven't tried them. They're probably good too, though fit may be more of a problem as they are unlikely to stretch as much.
 
It's hard to say for sure. We have the distributor/retailer's explanation, and we have personal experience.

There is very little water flow anywhere in these suits. The integral hood, relatively long sleeves and legs, and elastic nature of the material all contribute to this. There is no zipper to act as a source of leakage. The unlined (aka "open cell") design may help with this somewhat.

Thanks for the explanation Soloist and 2airishhuman...although from what you're describing it honestly sounds pretty similar to my SCUBA wetsuit! I have a h2odessey Coronado, 7mm semidry wetsuit. It has an integrated hood, seems to be pure neoprene on the inside without a liner. There is a zipper across the chest, which is probably the main water entry point. This is my first wetsuit so I don't have much to compare it to.
 
Thanks for the explanation Soloist and 2airishhuman...although from what you're describing it honestly sounds pretty similar to my SCUBA wetsuit! I have a h2odessey Coronado, 7mm semidry wetsuit. It has an integrated hood, seems to be pure neoprene on the inside without a liner. There is a zipper across the chest, which is probably the main water entry point. This is my first wetsuit so I don't have much to compare it to.
Some ab divers in my area have used those one piece suits with attached hood and chest zipper. They work OK for a while in cold water then they start to cool from water seeping in through the chest zipper. I’ve tried them on the the shop but never pulled the trigger on one. I could never get used to the bulk and resistance of the chest zipper so I never bought one. There is also some voids in the zipper area that will not fit quite right especially if you draw your shoulders forward. Cold water will tend to be trapped right along the zipper line.
Freediving suits have no zippers and are two piece, john jacket with beaver tail and attached hood. There is no bulk or a stiff chest zipper to fight so it’s total freedom of movement and a smooth tight fit. Some water can work it’s way in eventually from under the edge of the bottom of the jacket and it can work it’s way up but it’s very slow and the body has time to warm it so there’s never any cold water shock.
I could not believe how warm they were the first time I used one. I was able the stay in the water for 6-7 hours in 50 degree water but that was freediving. I never got cold but what usually ended the diving session was hunger.
I also had a 9 mil freediving suit once (Picasso). Same cut as the 7 mil.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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