want advice on Oneil Wet suits

[FoxHound]

you may want to check out some of the waterproof brand wetsuits they have some VERY nice stuff.

Also i really like my henderson hyperstrech 7mm, like was mentioned it isnt the warmest 7mm, but ive used it in sub 40 degree water and have been fine. If you tend to get cold on dives you may want to try something different. bare makes some really nice stuff too.

[Darthwader]

Originally Posted by FoxHound

you may want to check out some of the waterproof brand wetsuits they have some VERY nice stuff.

Also i really like my henderson hyperstrech 7mm, like was mentioned it isnt the warmest 7mm, but ive used it in sub 40 degree water and have been fine. If you tend to get cold on dives you may want to try something different. bare makes some really nice stuff too.

Thanks for the tip.
I bought the oneill because I didn't know anything else, I won't do that again. I'll be armed with product info.
My buddy got talked into an ONeill J suit. great suit actually, but a real bear to get in and out of. and for August dives? forget it, you're heat stroked before you ever get in the water!
I like the convertability of my Type II. In fact, I'm pretty happy with my Oneill all around, but I know I'll be needing more variety in my environmnental protection. right now, for the warmer months, I just chuck the bibs and go with my shorty, but it's still 7m and long sleeved.

In the future I'm thinking maybe a one-piece 3m or perhaps a shortsleeved shorty for hot weather shallow dives. my next cold cold water suit will be dry but that's a looong way off.

[CompuDude]

O'Neill makes good wetsuits. They're one of the oldest wetsuit makers, and do a fine job.

That said, there are others I prefer more. Bare, Pinnacle and Henderson, among others.

Frankly, IMO the best off the rack suits currently made for cold water (as opposed to custom suits which can be better) is probably the Xcel SCS Tri-Density 9/7/6 semi-dry. Fantastic suit. I'll probably get that suit when I finally get around to buying another wetsuit. (I'm making my current Henderson last as long as possible, though, since I mostly dive dry in water temps where I'd want a 7mm wetsuit.) Many boat trips I've seen where conditions get cold, and the only people still diving are the drysuit folks, the custom wetsuit folks, and the people wearing the Xcel suits.

[Darthwader]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

O'Neill makes good wetsuits. They're one of the oldest wetsuit makers, and do a fine job.

That said, there are others I prefer more. Bare, Pinnacle and Henderson, among others.

Frankly, IMO the best off the rack suits currently made for cold water (as opposed to custom suits which can be better) is probably the Xcel SCS Tri-Density 9/7/6 semi-dry. Fantastic suit. I'll probably get that suit when I finally get around to buying another wetsuit. (I'm making my current Henderson last as long as possible, though, since I mostly dive dry in water temps where I'd want a 7mm wetsuit.) Many boat trips I've seen where conditions get cold, and the only people still diving are the drysuit folks, the custom wetsuit folks, and the people wearing the Xcel suits.

I Knew nothing about ONeill when I bought that suit. I just knew I wanted the most for my money so I opted for a farmer John. My buddy regretted his choice the next time we dove and he saw how flexible my suit was.

I won't be getting a new suit anytime soon, but it's good to know whats out there.

[IrishSquid]

Originally Posted by Coastie6

...I dove with a 3mm Oneil "shorty" for years. Got it for surfing and it ended up serving double duty. As far as durability, this suit is still going 18 years later as a warm water option for my wife...

I used O'neils for surfing also and they were GREAT! Don't know about diving, but they probably have the same quality standards.

Originally Posted by CompuDude

...That said, there are others I prefer more. Bare, Pinnacle and Henderson, among others.

Frankly, IMO the best off the rack suits currently made for cold water (as opposed to custom suits which can be better) is probably the Xcel SCS Tri-Density 9/7/6 semi-dry. Fantastic suit. ...Many boat trips I've seen where conditions get cold, and the only people still diving are the drysuit folks, the custom wetsuit folks, and the people wearing the Xcel suits.

I use a Bare and an Xcel. Both are great suits. The Xcel (Vortex 5/4/3) is my mainstay for freshwater (temps range from 50f-70f). Warm, durable and comfortable. The Bare (3mm) is used in saltwater, 70f and above.

[sarcher1]

I have loved all my Oneil wetsuits for the last 30 years. They look and perform like new with over lots of dives/surfing with them. When I got back into diving last year, my sister, daughter, and I purchased Pinnacle suits because that is all anyone seemed to carry. I am suprised on how all the suits are NOT holding up. They look like we do nothing but drag our bodies across the sand (we do not )from the moment we suit up. I will be looking for for another Oneil probably really soon to replace my Pinnacle

[Darthwader]

Originally Posted by sarcher1

I have loved all my Oneil wetsuits for the last 30 years. They look and perform like new with over lots of dives/surfing with them. When I got back into diving last year, my sister, daughter, and I purchased Pinnacle suits because that is all anyone seemed to carry. I am suprised on how all the suits are NOT holding up. They look like we do nothing but drag our bodies across the sand (we do not )from the moment we suit up. I will be looking for for another Oneil probably really soon to replace my Pinnacle

I like the uniqueness, that's for sure. I haven't seen another diver up here with one. I was just wondering how suitable they are for scuba diving. I must say that I'm happy with my. I paid, IIRC, about $240.00 for mine new.

[SadrithMora]

O'Neill's are actually my favorite brand for wetsuits. I have a 3mm Sector and it is a god among wetsuits (IMO at least!) My favorite feature is the heavy duty kneepads. I use my suit often for work, and it's nice to be able to sit down on my knees on any surface without worrying about my suit's integrity.

[jupitertreasures]

I dive O'Neill and I love it.
Before moving south, I dove ScubaPro 7mm and I needed 32# to sink me so..... it's not the suit that's the issue.