IN THE MARKET FOR A WARM WETSUIT? A TESTIMONIAL BY A PICKY, TEMPERATURE WIMP, OF A DIVER.
TESTIMONIAL ON MY NEW SCUBAPROEVERFLEX WETSUIT -BY REBEKAH
I love getting new dive gear! But I have to admit when getting into the territory of wetsuits it is not as easy as liking the features and picking a color. It’s almost like bathing suit shopping but maybe worse. There are so many different body styles that fit differently in wetsuit styles. Then there’s the warmth factor which is the whole purpose.
Staying warm underwater is my #1 priority in a suit. I like to do long dives and not move much so I can take in all the hiding little critters and feel totally relaxed when diving. A 3mm won’t cut it in my world so for me I am always shopping for a 7mm. Over time and deeper dives a suit compresses. I begin with a thick suit and by the time it retires, it is maybe 3mm to 5mm. With a thicker suit comes the awkward trade off of being incredibly hard to put on and usually feels as if a boa constrictor is wrapped and ready to squeeze out your nitrogen bubbles. Hardly pleasant! That’s where my testimonial on this suit begins.
When my women’s size medium arrived I was pleasantly surprised when it slid on like satin. Very comfortable and I could even walk and raise my arms above my head! “Uh-oh”, I thought, “This is too comfortable! It won’t keep me warm!”. My next dive day I suited up and was glad Captain Stephen gave me the pro tip to fold the glideskin leg and arm seams in to trap water as it came in. When I checked my dive time at an hour 5 minutes and realized I hadn’t even shivered or felt that chilling trickle of icy water down the neck. I was impressed.