Waterproof W1 5mm fullsuit, 1st impressions

[scubafanatic]

A big wow as I'm looking to order this suit on Monday. My key concern is fit.

I usually go with a medium. I'm 5'9 or 5'10 on a good day and 165lbs. Medium is usually fine for me. But sizes vary with manufacturers - any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
John

Hi John,

If you go to the Waterproof manufacturers WWW site, their catalog will give you a good idea if you're an "M" or "L". I'm 5'8", 155 lbs, so we're pretty much the same size, and I'm using "M", so if I were a betting man, I'd have you go with "M". It's been a while since I last bothered to actually see Waterproof's definition of an "M" versus "L", as I already knew I was a "M" based on my prior Aries purchase, I didn't need to revisit their measurement page on this latest purchase.

Well, I just checked their WWW site, it's possible you're a "ML" and not an "M"...you'll have to see their spec sheet and decide where you fall.

Karl

 

[scubafanatic]

Sorry to hijack even further but...

How easy are the wrists and ankles to get on and off? Whilst I like seals, the thing I dislike most about diving is wrestling to get into or out of a suit. Last trip I went on I literally started kitting up 30 mins before everyone else because the suit was so tight and hard to get into.

The other thing is my mixed diving. It currently ranges from 17-30C. Do you think this suit works for that range? I appreciate at the 30C it's probably a little excessive but I'm more concerned about the lower range. Any colder than 16C and I'll be diving dry anyhow.

Thanks again and apologies for the hijack - your post was just very well timed for me.

J

Hi John,
Not sure about the Celcius thing.....I usually dive in Imperial waters! The seals are very easy to doff/don.....and having all the zippers makes all the difference..... a couple weeks ago I literally gave away 3 of my older 7 mm wetsuits (2 were new-never worn, sitting in the closet for years) as they lacked wrist/ankle zippers and I too was tired of fighting 7 mm worth of neoprene!

Temps are a very personal judgement call and everything is a trade-off.

7mm--(bad) bulky/heavy to pack/stiffer neoprene/sweat to death on deck waiting to 'splash'
(good) even at depth, less affected by wetsuit compression/ great for high-intensity diving (5 dives daily-liveaboard) where core temps will drop with time.

3mm--(bad) compresses to basically a 'skin' at depth, so little thernal protection at depth.
(good) light/easy to pack...easy to doff/don....won't sweat to death on the boat

Personally, I'm a tropical diver (aside from my local quarry/lake dives) so I don't require really cold water protection. I never have overheating problems once in the water, so I can happily wear a 7 mm suit in 80 degree + water, 7 mm can suck while waiting on the boat/shore though (hot) and can suck to doff/don, especially without wrist/ankle zippers!

5 mm is a good compromse between 3 mm and 7 mm, if you are a 'tropical' diver and could only afford one suit, I'd recommend 5 mm.

Karl

P.S. ...obviously, bring a tropical beenie/gloves and maybe dive socks to tweak your thermal protection 'on the fly'.
also, at around 25 C (77 F) , on a high intensity 5 dives/daily liveaboard, I'd use a 7 mm, and not a 5 mm....if I'm doing 2 dives daily, I'd be OK with using a 5 mm into the lower 70's....so my choice would REALLY depend on ALL the specifcs, (hours underwater daily/how many days/what depths) not just the base water temp.

 

[scubafanatic]

scubafanatic-

How does the W1 5mm compare with your 7mm Aries in terms of fit, sizing, comfort, ease of donning/doffing, warmth, etc.?

Thanks!
Rick

Hi Rick,

Both suits fit fine, it seems like the 7 mm suit is just a touch 'looser' (a little more room) around the elbow areas. Both suits are pretty equal in ease of donning/doffing, but a 5 mm suit will always have an advantage here, less neoprene will always be more flexible. If you need a 7mm suit, then front zip entry and wrist/ankle zippers will make things as easy as they will ever be.

Warmth, a 7 mm suit is inherently superior to a 5 mm suit in that category. Check out my prior post about the pros/cons of different thicknesses...there is no free lunch and there are always tradeoffs to be made, depending on your priorities.

Karl

 

[scubafanatic]

Karl, i have last years waterproof suit the Aries, what a great fitVery warm and lets in a little water, just to get between you and the suit. I dive mine in Mass. water, which is about 52degrees, let me know how it dives, keith

Hi Keith,

...had it in a 76 degree fresh water university pool last weekend for 3 hrs.....worked fine! I do my vacation diving in the 'tropics', so on vacation I rarely see temps below the mid 70's, in this application the 5 mm will be fine. For your local conditions, I'd definitely go with the 7 mm suit.

Karl

 

[muddyh2o]

just got mine today and it's straight back in the post. too short.

ordered an XL and needed an XL-tall

but otherwise it's awesome. even has a little compass on the wrist!! nice touch.

 

[Doc Harry]

My girlfriend has a Waterproof 3mm Capri and she loves it.

She had Henderson wetsuits and a Harvey's wetsuit in the past.

The Waterproof is by far her favorite wetsuit to date.

 

[Howie411]

Any new updates on this suit? Looking at the 7mm to replace a Pinnacle Elements suit, (which I can't even zipper without a friends help). Anyone taken it in around 50-60 degree water?

 

[Howie411]

Bump! Still looking for info on this suit, can't even seem to find it at the local dive shops.

 

[scubafanatic]

Bump! Still looking for info on this suit, can't even seem to find it at the local dive shops.

Scubatoys has them.....and there is likely a dealer location function on the Waterproof WWW site to help you find someone local. I can't comment on the 50 - 60 degree temp question as that's colder than I usually want to ever dive in anyway...I personally would definitely be in a 7 mm suit minimum in 50 - 60 degree water.

 

[Howie411]

I used the Find Dealer section of Waterproof's website, the first place it gave me was out of business, the second one sold all their suits but the W1, the others are like 25+ miles away.

I've noticed Scubatoys sell the 7mm, but I'd like to see/hear some reviews, the few I've seen give it high praise but nothing official. Sorta surprised LeisurePro doesn't have it.