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California Spearfishing Talk here about spearfishing on California's Pacific Coast, and post those reports and photos! |
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02-20-2019, 11:25 AM | #16 |
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Los Osos
Posts: 117
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Re: Wetsuit question
rnln,
Go with the highest quality Yamamoto grade (the stretchiest for spearfishing suits- eg.#39) you can afford. Don't sacrifice your peak inhale for a "coat of armor mentality". My opinion: go to Yazbeck, become a Pro Member, get an awesome new suit for half price, go dive! I've had three Yazbeck suits, two with the lining and one without (I also have a custom with a lower "more durable" grade Yamamoto and it is stiffer than the Y39). The Yazbeck without the lining is stretchier but their lined suits are a dream to get on and off, plus other benefits. You shouldn't be laying on/ rubbing over reef or rocks anyways- put's a lot of fish on "high alert". |
02-20-2019, 06:26 PM | #17 |
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 167
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Re: Wetsuit question
FYI Pacific Wilderness in San Pedro just started selling their own 2 piece 5mm Yamamoto #39 camo suits for $229. I picked one up and I am very happy with the quality.
Being able to try the suit on in the store is great so you know you are getting the right size. |
02-26-2019, 09:15 PM | #18 |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1,432
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Re: Wetsuit question
OP: you probably would hardly notice the difference until you have been diving for many hundreds (or thousands) of hours in various wetsuits but Y45 is very low density. This means it feels very plush and stretchy when new--and is marginally warmer at the surface--but at depth it compresses readily. So, at depth it is less warm. For competitive freediving Y45 is very popular for comfort but also its compressibility means you can hit freefall faster and more abruptly, which can be very nice for competition when really you are doing just a few drops in a day but not so much if you are grinding deep cold reefs for fish all day.
The other common rubbers in spearing suits are usually a bit denser and tougher, less stretchy. If you a newer diver doing a lot of shorediving you should go for cheap and durable, but you will more or less get what you pay for... a $250 5mm bargain brand suit will rarely be as warm $500 suit, also 5mm from a more upscale brand. Is the $500 suit twice as warm? Nope. As others have stated, a perfectly fitted cheap suit is warmer and better to dive in than a $700 Oceaner or Elios of the same thickness which is a poor fit for you. If you are looking at an off the rack suit that runs more than $500 you probably should spend your dollar on a custom suit. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
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02-27-2019, 12:57 PM | #19 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Tustin, CA
Age: 46
Posts: 230
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Re: Wetsuit question
Well. I donated one of those suits to the LBN auction last year. IMO, pretty cheap suit and not something I'd pay what your link says. They can be had for much less on sale. I think the buyer got the whole suit for less than $100 at the auction.
Go to Spear America and talk to the guys about suits. Tell them what you want to spend and they will get you to the right suit for your needs and budget. Or if you just want a bargain, go to the LBN or Fathomier Auctions and you'll score one for cheap. LBN auction is in April. And if you are in CA, I use a 3mm for maybe a few months out of the year. 5mm is way more versatile. |
02-27-2019, 02:54 PM | #20 | |
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Location: Palm Bch County
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Re: Wetsuit question
Quote:
I was given the spec sheet by a Yamamoto rep at the dema show and I was under the same impression as you. The rep indicated the y45 was very popular with deep freedivers because it compressed less and thus had less buoyancy swing.
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02-27-2019, 03:15 PM | #21 | |
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
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Re: Wetsuit question
Quote:
I remember when Y45 was new, and I remember those same claims, although I think the actual claim was that Y45 was suppossed to resist _permanent_ compression. In practice, my custom Comp45 Oceaner compressed and stiffened over time same as all my other suits. For the last 4 or 5 years I have been mostly wearing medium density neoprenes (Hewai and NJN). These are denser than Y45 and many other typical high end freedive neoprenes. In Turkey this last season I got a 2mm custom BestDive open cell smoothskin Y45 from a friend. I had been training in a 2mm medium density Hewai and had my weights and bouyancy dialed in practically to tenth of a Kg. Granted the 2mm Y45 was new, but once I crossed neutral bouyancy my rate of freefall was slightly faster. This would probaby not be noticeable to ANY divers outside of a very controlled environment... I was on a line and wearing one of my own dive computers so I could get perfect rate of descent data which I wanted for dive planning. Anecodtally, training on a line in 5mm suits (most of what I do since that is default in socal), I do notice a slight difference in bouyancy profile between medium density that I now wear and other more common freediving neoprenes. For reference, medium density freedive neoprene is still significantly softer than any scuba or surf suit. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
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02-27-2019, 09:09 PM | #22 |
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Re: Wetsuit question
Mares dont hold up. Arnt warm and kinda crappy imo.
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03-01-2019, 09:16 PM | #23 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Palm Bch County
Posts: 11,256
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Re: Wetsuit question
Quote:
Found a data sheet.. note that the Y-45 is a lot denser than some of the other materials and it does not compress as much. I think this pertains to our discussion http://d-ditaly.com/wp-content/uploa...A-YAMAMOTO.pdf
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03-03-2019, 10:32 PM | #24 | |
Lance
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles
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Re: Wetsuit question
Quote:
I felt like my Y45 Oceaner compressed more than my previous spearing suits but it could well have been the previous suits were just pretty well pancaked from age and pressure, so in comparison the new Y45 had a lot more give. Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
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03-04-2019, 12:16 AM | #25 |
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Location: Truckee, CA
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Re: Wetsuit question
As to the original question, I purchased the Mares Instinct 5.5mm high waist, (as opposed to farmer john), pants and 7mm top a few years ago from the Freedive Shop in West Sacramento. I chose this set because I could purchase the two pieces separately. I wear a 5 bottom and 4 top. I don't dive a lot, but when I do it's shore diving in NorCal, which can be kinda tough on suits.
Unlike others, I've found the Instinct suit to be very durable and well made. In fact, I ordered another identical suit for my son, who's even harder on his gear than I am and his is holding up just fine after two seasons. Not trying to sell you on anything, just relaying my experience. Ron. |
03-04-2019, 05:47 PM | #26 |
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Re: Wetsuit question
The softer the neoprene, the more compressible it is. Y45 is very warm, comfortable and stretchy, but compresses more than a stiffer one. It is all about compromises. You choose what you want.
Question for Dano: When will you have a red color wetsuit? That's the color I like most because it is very visible in the surface (by boats, mates, etc) but disappears at depth. Thanks!
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04-15-2019, 02:08 PM | #27 |
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Re: Wetsuit question
Finally, I made a call to Mako. Josh at Mako took his time to find me a pair of black pants which fit me, and with a very good deal.
Thanks Josh - Mako Thanks everyone. Note, the Y45 is very soft and stretchy. It is felt just like my Epsealon Shadow. |
04-15-2019, 04:23 PM | #28 |
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Re: Wetsuit question
Thanks for your support, I will let Josh know.
Dano
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04-16-2019, 04:46 PM | #29 | |
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Re: Wetsuit question
Quote:
Thanks for the suggestion, sorry I missed it earlier. I will be talking with my wetsuit suppliers about additional colors. Are you thinking a camo red or just a uniform color. Thanks Dano
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04-16-2019, 05:44 PM | #30 |
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Re: Wetsuit question
Red camo would be cool.
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