Pinnacle wetsuits

[m.eppoliti 0]

I need to buy a new wetsuit and was looking for some input.

 

I was thinking about the Pinnacle Elastiprene 3mm jumpsuit. Any thoughts on this one?

 

I would really like a 3mm jumpsuit with a front zip. Any suggestions?

[eskasi 1]

I just ordered a new 3mm Merino Elastiprene. I had a 3mm Seal which I used for over 150 dives....was still in good shape but wanted a stretchier suit and ankle zippers....

 

I am really happy with Pinnacle and have no complaints about my current suit.....just want more features and am willing to pay for it.....

[davephdv 0]

I got the 3 mm merino elastoprene. Great suit. So good that I went out and got the 5 mm as well. Then the Kodiak as well for cold water.

 

Very comfortable and warm as well. Great for me as I get rashes from neoprene. The 3 mm is as warm as 5 mm from other manufactures and the 5 mm is warm enough for So. Cal beach dives in the summer.

[MatthewAddison 0]

Have you checked out "Waterproof" wetsuits? I have seen them, but don't own one yet. They seem to be really well made with zippers on wrists & legs. I don't think they have a front zip. I have 2 Pinnacle suits, 7mm & 7/5 and like the both. They have held up quite well with several hundreds of dives on each.

[meister 1]

I purchased a 3mm Breaker three days ago. The retailer only had a 3mm Breaker and 3mm Elastiprene to choose between, I liked the Breaker fit slightly better. I haven't used it yet, but I'm very impressed with the build quality, especially for the price. Even though I'm in a tight time frame for the next trip, I was going to order a Breaker with Merino, but the dealer said he had let his stock dwindle somewhat as Pinnacle will be out with new model of that wetsuit soon, for what it's worth to you... He also mentioned the Merino might fit slightly tighter than without...

[scorpio_fish 5]

Have you checked out "Waterproof" wetsuits? I have seen them, but don't own one yet. They seem to be really well made with zippers on wrists & legs. I don't think they have a front zip. I have 2 Pinnacle suits, 7mm & 7/5 and like the both. They have held up quite well with several hundreds of dives on each.

 

For warmth, both the Pinnacle and Waterproof suits are top notch. The feedback on these two brands has been consistently marvelous, especially for the thicker suits in temperate waters.

 

My next suit will be one of these two brands, whichever one doesn't make my ass look fat.

[m.eppoliti 0]

Thanks for all the feedback. Looks like I cant go wrong with the Pinnacle.

 

Michael

[loftus 42]

I'm planning to buy a 7/5 this week. My last was a Henderson Gold Core. Any thoughts on how Pinnacle and Waterproof compare to Henderson?

[davephdv 0]

I had several no warmth Henderson suits in decent condition. I gave them away to buy Pinnacle. Best decision I've ever made.

[scorpio_fish 5]

I'm planning to buy a 7/5 this week. My last was a Henderson Gold Core. Any thoughts on how Pinnacle and Waterproof compare to Henderson?

 

Not even close. I've sworn off Hendersons. They always fit well, but never held up well, nor do they have the comparable warmth of the Pinnacles or Waterproofs.

[elbuzo 8]

Buddy

 

Buy the Pinnacle . I had several Gold Core and also Instadry from Henderson and Pinnacle is waaay better , i have the 5 mm elastiprene and a hooded vest and use it extensively in SA also here for cave diving and is definitely is the best wet suit i ever had.

 

Regards

 

JA

 

 

I'm planning to buy a 7/5 this week. My last was a Henderson Gold Core. Any thoughts on how Pinnacle and Waterproof compare to Henderson?

[m.eppoliti 0]

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

I purchased a Pinnacle Elastiprene 3mm yesterday and it really seems to be a high quality suit. It's very stretchy and comfortable and looks like it has reinforcements in all the right areas.

 

Also the price was very reasonable.

[eyu 27]

I have an insta dry, gold core and merino elastiprene in 3 mm. The insta dry is the warmest followed by both the elastiprene and gold core which are warmer than most suits. All three are great suits, my only complaint is that both the gold core and elastiprene pills from any velcro contact from your BCD.

[tubino 1]

I'm about to buy a 5mm suit for the Red Sea. I tried on an Aqua Lung Aqua Flex 5mm XL locally and liked it pretty well, but even with the flexier material I'd like ankle zippers or velcro. It's been six months since the last post in this thread -- is the Pinnacle still a top choice? The Pinnacle 5mm Merino-Elastiprene Super-Stretch Jumpsuit has 8" ankle zippers, so looks good -- except I have to go on trust, buy it sight unseen and no chance to check fit...

[Deep6 7]

I'm about to buy a 5mm suit for the Red Sea. I tried on an Aqua Lung Aqua Flex 5mm XL locally and liked it pretty well, but even with the flexier material I'd like ankle zippers or velcro. It's been six months since the last post in this thread -- is the Pinnacle still a top choice? The Pinnacle 5mm Merino-Elastiprene Super-Stretch Jumpsuit has 8" ankle zippers, so looks good -- except I have to go on trust, buy it sight unseen and no chance to check fit...

I ditched by old Henson 5/3 gold on my last trip. I hope one of the DMs is enjoying it. Lots of yadeda-yadeda-yada about the Pinnacle suits. How durable are they? Also, don't super stretchy suits compress more at depth and lose their thickness sooner than more conventional neoprene?

Bob

[okuma 64]

We have the 3 mm Pinnacle Seal with over 250 dives on them. Still have a lot of life in them and they show no significnt wear. A back zip will fit and seal better than a front zip.

[CompuDude 0]

I think it depends on your budget and needs.

 

Pinnacle makes great suits, no doubt. I bought a 3mm seal merino elastiprene recently, and it was wonderfully made, but unfortunately the sizing charts were all wrong and the fit was terrible. Instead I returned it and picked up a 5mm InstaDry which was stupendously warm on my recent dive trip. The only problem with InstaDry (I also have owned a 7mm for years) is that they don't last very long, by comparison (the coating they use to dry fast, and raw neoprene interior, is not as durable as the usual nylon-bonded neoprene is), and they're usually incredibly expensive. I got a crazy deal on the 5mm, else I would have tried again with the Pinnacle.

 

If you need warmth and budget is not a huge concern, and you're ok with a little more effort in donning/doffing the suit, I DO recommend the instadry suits. Nothing else comes close for warmth, and they really do dry very fast compared to other suits. (The merino lining takes an especially long time to dry, in my limited experience with them, which can be a real concern if you're trying to get your wetsuit dry for packing to go home after a tropical dive trip, and your weight allowances are close.) They also don't stink, no matter what you do in them, since they are easy to wash and rinse clean: There's no fabric whatsoever to retain odor.

 

If budget is a big concern, and you need a suit that will last a long time and are willing to have a little less warmth in return, the Pinnacles are great.

[scorpio_fish 5]

I'm about to buy a 5mm suit for the Red Sea. I tried on an Aqua Lung Aqua Flex 5mm XL locally and liked it pretty well, but even with the flexier material I'd like ankle zippers or velcro. It's been six months since the last post in this thread -- is the Pinnacle still a top choice? The Pinnacle 5mm Merino-Elastiprene Super-Stretch Jumpsuit has 8" ankle zippers, so looks good -- except I have to go on trust, buy it sight unseen and no chance to check fit...

 

I have a complete set of Aqua Lung Flex suits, 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm, thanks to a special deal on Aqua Lung gear a few years ago. They are good suits, better than the Hendersons I used to have, but a 5mm Aqua Flex does not compare to a Pinnacle or Waterproof 5mm. They do not keep you as warm.

 

Buy the Pinnacle, you will be very happy.

[rtrski 20]

Bought my wife a Waterproof 5 mil recently. I have to say, although I wasn't the one wearing it, I did check it out pretty thoroughly and that has to be the best built wetsuit I've ever seen. The forearm and calf 'semidry' cuffs were almost the full joint length, and my wife said the seal was so good she had to intentionally flood the suit when she got in or else it maintained a bubble all the way thru the dive. The lining helped it slip on easily and the exterior covering was really solid - the knee guard went down the whole calf, the shoulders were reinforced so both BC straps and hangars weren't likely to end up damaging it over time. And most of all for her, she really liked the neck gusset.

 

I only have a Bare so-called 'semi-dry' 5 mil, but the difference between my wetsuit and hers was night and day. I was jealous as hell, frankly. I was with her at Scubatoys when she tried on Henderson, Pinnacle, Bare, and Mares (she's hard to fit), and the Waterproof clearly had them all beat out in build quality and features. I can't speak personally for relative warmth, but she had no complaints. Of course, they ain't cheap.... Aside from the aid of the liner it didn't seem "easy" to put on in the "stretchy" sense, but given the anatomic styling, if you can find one that fits you well, the lack of comparative stretchiness shouldn't be a big downer.

Edited June 12, 2009 by rtrski

[reubencahn 2]

I bought a Pinnacle 5mil Merino Elastiprene last summer. I also bought one for my son. I had a seam problem in one leg. Otherwise the suit seem good. I'm not sure how I feel about the wool liner. It definitely adds some warmth but it holds a lot of water and doesn't dry fast. On the whole, I like Scubapro Everflex suits better. They're well made. Stretchy enough without being overly compressible.

[echeng 0]

I'm resurrecting this thread.

 

I just purchased 3mm and 5mm Elastiprene Merino Pinnacle wetsuits as well as a 3mm Bare Velocity. The Bare fits PERFECTLY on me, but the Pinnacles are a bit hard to get into. They FIT... but they are not as comfortable a fit as is the Bare.

 

My question is -- do the Pinnacles stretch at all over time? It is so close to a good fit. Just a tiny bit too snug. I don't think I can go a size up -- it is close.

 

I'm thinking of keeping all three, though. The Bare doesn't look like it will be as warm as the Pinnacle is sure to be; I can use it on surface snorkeling trips in warm water.

[Drew 0]

Send it back Eric. Pinnacle is made in China and their sizing is hokey and unreliable. Once they stretch out, they lose thermal properties.

Re-Order with the custom tailoring. They charge about $50 for adjusting the length of arms and legs, but the best part is they take your measurements and find a suit in their stock to fit those measurements closest. I tried off the rack Pinnacles but the QC is like Sigma lenses. The tolerances aren't that good. Legs too short on one and arms too short on another.

I have the same models as you and they both have shrunk because I leave them in Indo and forgot to put a weight on the bottom to stretch it out. I'm going back to custom suits when I have to get new ones. Materials may not be as flash but at least they fit properly.

[echeng 0]

Thanks, Drew. Where can I get custom tailoring? Do I have to walk in somewhere? Or can I just send in my measurements?

 

The arms and legs are actually OK on my suits. It's just that they seem more bulky than other suits do (especially the 5mm). I have, however, had other 5mm suits feel really bulky before I took them down to depth. Just wondering if others have perfect fits, or if they are supposed to be a little bulky.

 

I'm used to Body Glove surf suits. They aren't that easy to get into with the short zipper, but they fit really well once they're on and are easy to move around in.

[Drew 0]

You have to get your dealer to contact Pinnacle direct. Takes about 3-4 weeks. I did this before Zeagle took over so it may be more expensive now.

All said, the merino is warm but if the fit is off, it doesn't matter. When I first bought their 5mm, they told me they were modeled for the tall, slimmer people. I'm avg height 5'11 and slim with broadish shoulders but they don't fit me off the rack. I remember the first round I had a 5mm that had short legs and longer torso and the 3mm had longer legs and shorter torso. Then the appendage measurements were off 2nd round. Finally went custom and still have to deal with a waist that is too large. 30 waist and 40 chest is not in their sizing chart

I do find the Pinnacles harder to get into than other wetsuits due to the tight fit. I think their problem is size tolerance is pretty off as my examples (4 wetsuits) all came with different lengths for different appendages, even though they are the same size. The good news is they have a good service dept which will field a lot of the issues.

[Walt Stearns 52]

I concur with Drew that Pinnacle’s sizing is a bit off. For the past 11 years I have mostly used standard medium size O’neill, Body Glove and Henderson wetsuits as my body weight is still the same as it was then. Recently I switched to Pinnacle’s 5mm with the Merino lining to replace my O’neill 7mm. Their medium was definitely too small, so I had to go to a medium large which fits perfectly like my medium size O’neill 3 and 4/5mm suits. And yes, it does feel a little stiffer than my other wetsuits. Henderson takes to lead in being the softest, which is not always the best thing. One added bonus, the Merino lining is not a gimmick as previously thought, that 5mm is every bit as warm as my previous 7mm suit. As for custom sizing/alterations I would contact either a Zeagle dealer near you of Zeagle directly – 813-469-9481.