Open cell wetsuits

I know this is a gear question, but I  thought the dive board would be the more appropriate place for it.

I usually dive with a closed cell 7mm Edge wetsuit. It works fine & keeps me warm, but I kept hearing/reading about the open cell suits.

My last dive trip, I rented a Yazbeck open cell suit from the Freedive shop in west Sacramento. (Great shop, even better service & people)

I loved the freedom of movement the open cell suit provided, but I'm concerned about its durability. Are knee, elbow and butt patches worthwhile or do they detract from the performance of  the suit?

I thought I'd survey the divers here before I pulled the trigger on a new suit.

Does anyone want to see a "What kind of wetsuit do you dive in?" survey?

You're correct in your presumptions about the durability. Open cell suits must be handled relatively carefully to prevent damage to the fragile neoprene. Some have a lining made of titanium oxide or a similar material which makes the suit a bit more durable.

My OMER 3-D camo suit has some protective knee material, though it has none for the elbows. So far, it's held up very well, especially considering how soft the rubber is. I did paint the upper knees in a layer of liquid neoprene glue for added protection, and there hasn't been a trade off in flexibility in any way. I've heard liquid latex can serve the same purpose. I've had the suit since February, and it's handled different styles of diving, from shallow water eel hunting, to 50 foot dives.

It's a 5mm suit, but it's kept me very warm. However, I've lost some mass from running a lot in the past few weeks, so it doesn't fit me quite as well and lets some water in now. Probably compressed a bit too. For my next suit (hoping to win one at the Triton X Tournament, hosted by Freedive Shop), I'll probably go the route of a 7mm, especially since most of my diving is 30+.

Definitely go for the open-cell suit. It will bring out the best in your diving abilities. Just treat it with care (careful with eyelets when you get out your yak, rocky entries, trim your finger nails, etc) and you'll be set.

I love my open cell. The outside of the suits are nylon so it's not like they fall apart if you scrape up against the rocks.

I love my open cell. The outside of the suits are nylon so it's not like they fall apart if you scrape up against the rocks.

Well worth the money and the little xtra care required, also a bit more effort to get on but again, definetly worth it.

Take stock of your dive profile.  If I were making this decision, I would make a list and this list would include:

depth
duration (bottom time)
duration of total dive day
roughness of entry (rocks)
warm or cold diver
number of days you dive/yr
how you enter/exit (knees and elbows?)

I dove in an Oneil's 7mm for almost 10 years, and while that was stiffer it kept me warm.  Even after I had an open cell I still wore the Oneil for shallow water lobster diving as it was built like a tank.  I also didn't need lube to get in the suit. 

Out of all my suits that have nicks, rips, and tears in them I can only remember one that had a hole on the butt.  The rip wasn't caused by sitting or scooting on rocks or reef.  I can't remember any one with a hole on the knees or elbows.  But I would still look for suits with those pads, especially on the north coast. 

The open cells aren't as durable, but what they lack in durability they make up for in warmth and flexibility.  But if you're not diving deep, needing to take deep breaths (flexibility of open cells allows your chest to expand easier), or diving for a long time then I probably would spend my money on something else. 

Nate

Get something with a built in hood. The cold water shooting down your back with a non built in hood sucks.

If you buy an open cell suit, stock up on the cheap hair conditioner.  You need to hose down the the suit (with a spray bottle) of a 50/50 mix hair conditioner and water to get into it - or at least make it easier.

I'm cheap, and I have other expensive hobbies I like to spend money on, so I'm waiting for my closed cell suit to wear out before I  buy a new open cell.  But the suit never wears out...........may have to rethink my strategy.

Here is a tip for lubing an open cell.

Use a 2 liter soda bottle with water and conditioner. It's much faster than the spray bottles and you can throw it around without having to worry about breaking the nozzle of the spray bottle. I don't turn the suit inside out. I just pour a lot of lube in and pull it on. The 2 liter bottle holds lots of lube.