Purchasing first new wetsuit. Suggestions?

[eldiablojoe]

I'd suggest go with the custom suit that is cut to your body's measurement. You will also have the opportunity to add various pockets, knife sheaths, zipper placements if those items are what you wish to have. I have found that pockets on exposure suits are a lot easier to get to and more streamlined than pockets on BC. JMJ out of Torrance, California is well respected for turning out great wetsuits. As is Horizon Wetsuit out of Fullerton, California.


An excellent wetsuit costs about $500, and I don't spend fifteen minutes trying to don it or doff it either. It keeps me warm thus far to 50-F.

The place in Fullerton is now going by the name "New Wave Wetsuits" I believe. It is Theresa Dye's place at 1112 E. Ash Ave, Fullerton, CA 92831. Her phone is 714-744-1365 and her email is newwave@prodigy.net

I went in, got measured out, she templated and fitted me a week later, and then finalized it a week after that. I think it was just over $400 out the door. She will add zippers where you want them, or don't want them, and customize the colors and a host of other options.

For the extra $100, who wouldn't want a suit that CUSTOM fits their every angle, curve, bulge, etc.??

FWIW, YMMV.

EDJ

 

[AtomicZ]

"Waterproof" Aries. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Coelacanth]

I'm in the same position as you, first time 7mm shopping. I looked into the ^Aries, looked like an awesome suit. Though now I'm leaning toward the BARE Elastek 7mm because it does have zippered ankles.

Oh and I simply love that all my LDS fail to stock anything but outdated Hendersons and Harveys, and therefore I don't really get to try before I buy!

 

[fnfalman]

what/who is an excellent wetsuit for 500?

The place in Fullerton is now going by the name "New Wave Wetsuits" I believe. It is Theresa Dye's place at 1112 E. Ash Ave, Fullerton, CA 92831. Her phone is 714-744-1365 and her email is newwave@prodigy.net

I went in, got measured out, she templated and fitted me a week later, and then finalized it a week after that. I think it was just over $400 out the door. She will add zippers where you want them, or don't want them, and customize the colors and a host of other options.

For the extra $100, who wouldn't want a suit that CUSTOM fits their every angle, curve, bulge, etc.??

FWIW, YMMV.

EDJ

I also have a Horizon wetsuit and I know plenty of people that have JMJ wetsuit and happy as a clam. I went to visit JMJ and the owner is most knowledgeable and he has more options for wetsuit styles and materials than what's shown on the website.

Mine own is from Horizon (aka New Horizon), it's made from the material called TPlush (titanium lined or something like that for extra warmth with fuzzy liner for quick on & off and comfort against bare skin). I chose the front zipper, two colors, zippers at wrists and ankles and a calf knife sheath with Kevlar kneepads. I believe the toll was like $500.

Granted that I do have some natural insulation (200-lbs, 5ft6), but plenty of robust people dove in fancy smancy big name wetsuits and complained about the cold while myself and another dive buddy who sport New Horizon wetsuit are happy as clams. On a typical boat dive, between the second dive, lunch break and third dive, we'd doff our wetsuits and hang them up. By the time the third dive arrives, the suits are nearly dry.

 

[clifftondiver]

This past season I purchased an Aqualung Solafx semi-dry and LOVE IT!:banana:

I dive out here in Monterey, while it's not the arctic, 49-52 degree water is a bit nipple-y and I stay good and warm all the way to 90-100 feet. Plus, with the gaskets that make it a semi-DRY, I don't hate life between dives:cheerleader:

If memory serves me correctly, I paid $450 at my lds and have been very happy. I took it to the Channel Islands for 4 days and felt like I was taking a warm bubble bath! However 2 weeks ago I did manage to break some teeth off the zipper and had to return it to Aqualung. It has a 1 year warranty and the lds said they'd(Aqualung) probably would give me a new one. Let's hope so:luxhello:

Plus, it has some tough-looking graphics that scare fish!

 

[CapeUW]

I have a small dive shop and we have carried the Waterproof line for several years now. Waterproof has been an excellent line for us, and the suits, boots, and gloves have been very consistent in earning strong positive feedback from our customers, both in renting and purchasing. We have had the Waterproof DuraZor suits in our rental program. They have held up extremely well to the use (and sometime abuse) a rental suit gets. The DuraZor will tend to be a better fit for a leaner person in a similar size range as other suits, such as the Bare Arctic 7mm suits we also sell and rent. The Aries suit, the newest wetsuit they offer, has only high praise and positive feedback from our regular customers who have purchased them, and we have had no returns or quality issues. The fit, also, seems to be closer to the mainstream than the DuraZor suits, and the sizing options, with talls, shorts, and plus sizes, makes finding the best fit much easier. I am personally diving a Bare Arctic 7mm now (great suit as well) but I will get the Aries 7mm for my next suit. The Waterproof 5 and 3mm gloves are excellent as well. Warm, durable, great fit. When people try them on, they usually buy them. The Aries suits list at $449.00, but you can find them on special for $399.00. The Bare Arctic suits have also been very good suits, and list at $251.95. I work as a diver as well, and have used the Arctic suit exclusively for the last 4 years and have been very pleased. I dive wet from May to December in New England, so I have had a pretty good experience level in a variety of temperatures with the suit. We have had a few issues in rentals and returns for zippers and pull straps, but overall they have been durable and warm, and also come in a variety of sizes including tall, short, and plus. We did have a bad experience with Bare SGS stretch neoprene suit we let a customer use as a demo suit. The smooth neoprene from inside the suit adhered to itself and tore away in chunks from the crotch of the wetsuit. This suit style has been replaced in the Bare line now (obvious reasons, I think), and we waited too long to return it to the company. Even though it was an obvious defect, they would not replace the suit, only offer a discount on a new one. Considering the condition of the suit (almost new) and that pieces of the suit had pulled away leaving only nylon shell in the suit crotch, it was not replaced (Note:if anyone is interested in an almost new Bare SGS Stretch wetsuit, size XXXL, with no insulation in the crotch, I can make you a good deal on an almost new suit!). This aside, my experiences with Bare and Bare suits has been overall very positive, and I still would recommend the product and company. I hope this has helped you a little, and you have great diving in whatever new suit you choose.