Warmest, most comfortable 7mm

[Guest echeng]

Hey, guys. I've settled on favorite wetsuits of the 3mm and 5mm variety, but I'm still stuck on what to get as a 7mm.

 

I currently use a 7mm henderson semi-dry, and I basically hate the thing because it's so hard to put on. I want to replace it with a warm, comfortable 7mm which I can use with a hooded vest when I need to. Any suggestions?

 

As for 3mm and 5mm, I love the Body Glove 3/2 surf suit (for water around 78 deg F and warmer), and the Henderson 5mm Hyperstretch (mid 70s F). Any colder, and I go 7mm or dry.

[MikeO 5]

Hi Eric,

 

I've had good luck with the Body Glove Excursion Line -- it comes in a 7mm Fullsuit with stretchy neoprene and the "glideskin" lining (which I found to be much more durable than the Henderson "Gold Core" stuff) inside. However, having said that, when my 3mm Excursion wore out, I bit the bullet and ordered a custom fit from AquaFlite and like it very much.

 

Mike

 

EDIT: Oh, and I should probably also say that zippers at the ankles and/or wrists reeeeaaally help getting the suit on and off! If you're wearing gloves and booties anyway, I don't think the zippers cause you to sacrifice much in the way of warmth . . .

[buddy 7]

since a couple of months I use a Waterproof 5mm semi-dry (called lynx?). it is very warm and easy to get into. wouldn't swap it anymore. had a scubapro 7mm semi-dry before and it was a hell of a workout to dress.

 

cheers juerg

[TheQ 0]

I use a Harvey's custom fit 7mm semi-dry and highly recommend it. The ankles are a bit of a struggle when taking it off, but it's a small price to pay for staying warm.

 

Whichever mfg you go with, custom fit is the way to go in 7mm suits. It really doesn't add much to the cost of a good wet suit.

[herbko 0]

I got my first wetsuit, a 7 mil, custom made at Otter Bay in Monterey

 

http://www.otterbaysuits.com

 

I highly recommend it. At the time, about 7 years ago, it was no more than about $100 more than a cheap one off the rack.

[AndyBarker 6]

Interesting thread,

In what conditions do you dive in? In England I dive in a

dry suit & a undersuit to suit the conditions. But when Im

on holiday I also have a waterproof 5 lynxmm it is exellent

suit very warm & comfortable.

 

Andy :ph34r:

[MikeVeitch 0]

I use a Scuba Pro Stek 7mm, comes off and on real easy.

 

A tip for hard to put on wetsuits....

 

Soak your suit in a bucket with water and fabric softener for an hour before a trip. Gets on real easy after that

[yahsemtough 0]

I'd fall more in line with Andy.

 

I usually dive a 3/2mm full in warm water. Have a 5/3mm full for winter warm water. And, for anything else it would be the drysuit with adjustments to the undergarments.

 

I digress...both my wetsuits are Bare and have always been. They make a good suit. I think the stitching is guaranteed for life, or used to be anyway.

[motionsync 0]

Eric

 

I would go with tailor made....

 

I am a freediver and all my souits are tailor made by Elios a italian company

 

The materials are exelents and its fitt like a glove... becauce they have a cutting system for fre movement tey are exelent for photographers to..

 

A suit as

 

7mm Heiwa neoprene Medium density..

Outside superelastic nylon or Kanako (More resident that S nylon)

inside Nylon

protectins for knees and arms as you want.. as I say they are tailor made so you can ask about everything..

 

I have 3 off them and i use to scuba with them to...

 

Lambis

[scorpio_fish 5]

I've become a Henderson hater. Other than quality, warmth and price, they are pretty good.

 

I love the fit and easy donning and doffing of the Hyperstretch, but the stretchy stuff doesn't keep you as warm.

 

I have now become a fan of Bare. I did a couple of dive in 52F water with a 5mm Bare and Gold Core hooded vest. Wasn't cold. This is saying a lot for me. I get cold when the air temp gets below 80F or the water temp below 85F.

 

A Bare is worth trying. If the cut fits, its great.

[Craig Ruaux 0]

I've become a Henderson hater.  Other than quality, warmth and price, they are pretty good. 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Seconded with extreme prejudice. I would have phrased it "other than quality of construction and materials, warmth, price, and durability..."

 

I like Body Glove and Bare, but my 7mm is a cheapo generic model I bought off eBay, I then adjusted the wrists to fit my forearms with some barbarian surgery, aquaseal and strong nylon suture material.

[Lionfish43 0]

I've had an Xcel 7mm one piece suit for about 9 years. I've used it with a vest with attached hood in water as cold as 45f although I was freezing my a$$ off. The suit has proven to be very durable and well made. I will purchase another one when this one wears out.

 

Larry

[bacripe 0]

I would second the Xcel recommendation - they are extremely durable, and hold warmth very well through heavy use (I work on a liveaboard - I put a lot of abuse on a suit).

 

Avoid henderson hyperstretch - I have a suit that was 5mm hyperstretch when it was new - it's about the same thickness as my 0.5mm suit now (and about as warm too).

[t-bohn 0]

Try Bare, they have a lot of sizes and taller/shorter cuts.

They have flip seals in the arms and legs that can't rip off.

Of all 7mm suits I had it's certainly the best...

I used it in Germany, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland...

 

Most common problem with custom tailored wet-suits we had, is the questionable quality of neoprene...

 

Cheers

Torben

[ce4jesus 1]

I use a 7mm Zippered Seaquest long sleeved shorty over the top of a 3 mm full farmer john. Makes getting into and out of them a snap and I stay warm enough.

[John Bantin 101]

Pinnacle Stealth. Its the warmest I have ever worn and I get to wear a lot! If you do not need one so warm, get a Pinnacle Polar.

[bvanant 195]

I will second the Aquaflite recommendation. Custom fit, zippers at the ankles to make it easy to take off. Warm enough and quite well made.

[SCubed 0]

Xcel Polar Quad-Density suit is great. It uses 8mm, 7mm, 6mm, and 5mm throughout the suit giving alot of flexibility and warmth where needed most. Its the warmest wetsuit I have ever dove.

 

http://www.xcelwetsuits.com/dive/home.html

[Scubaskeeter 3]

I really like my semi-custom 7mm Farmer John from Aquaflite of California. Easy to donn & doff, dries quick, reasonable cost:

http://aquaflite.com/welcome.html

[onokai 20]

I have a few friends who rave on the Xcel suits. those otterbays are super as well.I seem to always be in a dry suit in those temps or a cheap wetsuit if its's a commercial dive job in cold water as they(job) tend to trash the suit very soon. Mark

[Giles 1]

Um ... 7mm ... when you get to that sort of thickness wouldn't it be easier to just go for a drysuit ?

 

there are tropical drysuits which offer great movement and can be worn in temp's about 76 deg to 80 deg. (the site states up to 30 deg C)

 

probably easier to pack ... and more comfy.

 

personally I would choose my dive destination better (he says shivering at the thought of SA this June)

[MikeVeitch 0]

Giles,

 

I have worn a 7mm for the last 3 years, except for the last 2 months when my latest developed holes so i have a 5mm that was given to me (yes i am freezing on the second dive)

 

I dive in nothing less than 27C or 78F.....

 

Some of us are just wusses and can't stand shivering...blame it on the liveaboard days....

 

I think a drysuit is a pain in the ass and am much more comfortable in a nice fitting one piece 7mm, one less hose and no worries about air in the suit crap.

 

Mmmmm SA, whats that? Bout 16-18C? Have fun buddy!

[TheQ 0]

I suppose I will eventually break down and get a drysuit. In the meantime, it's one less thing to fail. Until I start getting cold during dives I'm don't plan on bothering with them.

 

Someone asked what temps I use the wetsuit in... Typically, the water here varies from 38F to 70F with the average being in the low 50s. At the coldest temps I'm still comfortable in the suit for over an hour.

 

Several times a year I DM a few classes and I get to chuckle at the other DMs and instructor when a student accidentally pulls their neck seals open. Nothing like a quick shower of 40F water

[bacripe 0]

I'm with Mike on this one - even in warm water, if you do 5 dives or more in a day you start losing some serious body heat - do it every day, week in and week out and it can catch up with you. Plus if you're in conditions where your depth may change a lot (taking pictures in midwater following animals) it's a lot nicer to have only one source of bouyancy to worry about.

 

I wear a 7/6/5 in the Bahamas sometimes when we're doing the shark dives there because I've spent 10 hrs in the water in a day on many occasions - and a drysuit is a pain in the ass for some diving. Don't get me wrong - I love my drysuit and there are conditions I wouldn't even consider diving wet in, but there are times when it's too cumbersome/bulky (cave diving is another occasion).

[climbrox 0]

I use the Xcel Polar Quad-Density here in Northern California. I love it!

 

However, I notice you want the ability to wear a vest with buit in hood. That would be a problem with the Xcel because this particular wetsuit already has a built in hood. Personally I think the built in hood is one of the things that makes it such a nice fitting and warm suit. Perhaps you could use a core warmer vest with out hood?

 

There's a small store accross the bay from you in Sausalito that carries Xcel wetsuits. It might be worth taking a trip over to try one on and see if it would work for you.

 

 

Oh...and it's all black with not a single hint of bright greens, yellows or pinks. An added plus.