Warmest, most comfortable 7mm

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.

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 . . .

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

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.

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.

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:

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

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.

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

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.

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

 

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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.

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

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).

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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