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Old 01-27-2010, 05:56 PM   #1
steepNdeep
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Wetsuit ???

I'm looking at getting a new suit for local northwest diving - fresh and at the coast.

What do you use for local conditions - thickness, brand and counter-weight required? Open/closed cell? Camo? Pics are always good...
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Old 01-27-2010, 06:12 PM   #2
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Re: Wetsuit ???

open-cell inside is a must!

I dive a 7mm top and 5mm pants most of the summer. spring and fall I put on the 7mm pants. picking up a 8.5mm Immersion top for the really cold days & our QCI trip this fall.

I love my Immersion suits... but any will do as long as it's a good fit.

2 of my 3 suits are camo... why? because they were on sale at the time
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Old 01-27-2010, 09:45 PM   #3
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Re: Wetsuit ???

Thanks Samik. How much weight do you need for fresh and salt?
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Old 01-27-2010, 09:47 PM   #4
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Re: Wetsuit ???

open , 7mm camo. I run 16-20 depending on the style I am diving and suit top. I use the 7 all the time. WIth gloves and mec socks Im good for hours, even in the winter. I used to run beuchat but found they get their suits from Nava. Saves a couple hundred. Now I just get blank 7mm and have my girlfriend paint them.
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Old 01-27-2010, 09:56 PM   #5
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Re: Wetsuit ???

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Originally Posted by steepNdeep View Post
Thanks Samik. How much weight do you need for fresh and salt?
fresh is all over the map depending if I'm diving a river, a lake, if I'm going deep, etc... can't help you much there.

Salt. 70-90' 12lbs 30-70 14lbs, 18lbs for shallow kelp beds and crabing
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Old 01-28-2010, 12:27 AM   #6
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Re: Wetsuit ???

7mil (I use 1/4" - same deal) is fine in summer and if you are pretty active in winter. When it gets below 50 degrees I switch to a dry suit for scuba and have a 3/8" (10 mil) if I feel like a wetsuit. If it fits really well, 7mil is fine year round.

I've been really happy with the custom suits from Deca diving 805-928-4500 in Santa Maria, CA. No one up here ever uses them, but they make wetsuits the commercial urchin divers use in Cal. Really top notch service and terrific quality. But any good suit is fine. I stick with basic black because that's what Deca makes and lingcod, halibut, and dungies don't care.

I'm about 160 lbs and with a 1/4" wear 16-21 pounds; depends on what I've doing. 20 is about right for scuba for me with a HP steel tank since I work shallow and shoot some pictures - less than that when I'm free diving. I never get fresh water figured out and do it rarely and shallow - I think 15 worked for shallow scuba last time.

Never hurts to keep a gallon or two of hot water in a ice chest to rinse off and warm up after the dive.
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Old 01-28-2010, 12:49 AM   #7
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Re: Wetsuit ???

should add you're looking at a max temp of 50F on the coast. 47-48 seems average summer high in the Queen Charlotte Strait (port hardy, port mcneil). Georgia strait is 50ish in the summer. never seen coastal waters drop below 42F....

I'm getting just over 1hr, (75mins-ish) with the 7mm top and 5mm pants at 48F on a sunny day, before i need to get out and warm up. 5mm 3-finger mits and 5mm socks. sometimes 4mm pinnacle merino-lined gloves for the reallllly sunny days. although some days, 1.5hr+ plus can happen. by then I'm usually mumbling and can't quite put sentences together, fish don't care though

having a thermos of a hot non-caffeinated beverage to sip between sessions will really improve your comfort. we're usually doing 4hrs a day at these temps. 1 off day for every two days diving to give bodies and core temps a chance to catch up...

next year I'll prolly order a custom 7mm in the red/black camo the euro folks have been experimenting with. I really like this idea, high viz on the surface, and turns to a grey/black disruptive pattern at depth. win/win.
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Old 01-28-2010, 07:57 AM   #8
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Re: Wetsuit ???

These are some popular combos in Sicily right now. Super cheap and tailored fits. It's tough to find a deal on a 7mm this side of the world. Anyone know of any?
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Old 01-28-2010, 12:10 PM   #9
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Re: Wetsuit ???

Awesome - thx boys! I don't think camo makes much difference, except to piss off the 'huggers at the dock.

I'm naturally neutrally buoyant and don't use much of a suit in the tropics, so 18 lbs seems like a lot to me.

Does layering with another suit work well (ie: 3mm shorty under 5 mm)?

jymz - Imersion has a bit of a sale right now: http://www.imersion.us/index.php?lg=...1&fam=1&prod=3
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Old 01-28-2010, 12:56 PM   #10
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Re: Wetsuit ???

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It's tough to find a deal on a 7mm this side of the world. Anyone know of any?
Jim (thespearfishingstore.com) used to have amazing deals for Canadians on Immersion products, not sure if he still carries their line, site hasn't been updated in a long time. he came up a few times on our Telegraph Cove spearfishing trips....

Steep, I just sent immersion an email about their shipping. we get rapped with brokerage fees if they ship fedex... maybe not an issue for you... waiting to hear if they'll send non-courier. if so I'll prolly order one of those new icetek suits to try out. I'm a hard fit with freediving suits, barrel chest, but the immersion suits almost seem tailored to me...

if you need extra weights, bring some old wheelweights or such next time you're in K-town, I have some molds....
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Old 01-28-2010, 03:08 PM   #11
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Re: Wetsuit ???

Samik - let me know what they say about the courier. Their shipping prices are steep! - but if they are coming from Europe it's understandable.

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Old 01-28-2010, 05:42 PM   #12
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Re: Wetsuit ???

Hey guys, I'm new to PNW diving as well. Job brought me up to the Tacoma area from SoCal. I just got set up with a deal from Imersion this month. 7mm brown camo top/bottom, 5mm gloves, 5mm socks - shipped to my door for $291US!
Ordered on a Tuesday, they shipped Fed Ex on Wednesday (and sent me the tracking #), I tracked it online and saw it get held up in US Customs on Friday, Got in touch w/ them and had them fax the "importer's documents" to me (name SS #, etc. that's all), it was released the same day, and delivered on Monday. In my hands in a week, for a smokin' deal!
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Old 01-28-2010, 08:43 PM   #13
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Re: Wetsuit ???

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In my hands in a week, for a smokin' deal!
Hey Kahuna, welcome to the 'almost' great white north!

That's what I like to hear about a company... I'm amazed at how good some customer service is.. like LeisurePro and Dennis Kirk. US customs - where was it shipped from? Hope you dive enough up here to wear out your suit...
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Old 01-28-2010, 09:41 PM   #14
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Re: Wetsuit ???

LeisurePro? I have never had good dealings with them. some of the worst customer service I've ever experienced.... granted it's been 5yrs since I've ordered anything from them...
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Old 01-28-2010, 11:53 PM   #15
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Re: Wetsuit ???

I've ordered several things in teh last year from LP... returns - no problem and they even paid for shipping. They have auto-notification for backordered items... One time I changed my mind overnight and wanted to add more gear, so I phoned at 9am the next morning, but it had already gone to shipping!.. fast, cheap, fair. Maybe I'm just lucky with them?..
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