Elios 3mm SmoothSkin/openCell Heiwa suit

[DJones]

I'm probably getting this suit (tailor made) for summer spearfishing in the Med.
Does anyone of you use this kind of suit?
Is it really too fragile for spearfishing?

[sanso]

Just wondering: What's Your reason for the smooth skin?
Neither will You have temperature issues, nor will You be competing, right? If so, I'm pretty sure a lining on the outside would suit the purpose better.

[island_sands]

mate, i would never buy a smoothskin for regular freediving. last weekend, i lost half the backside of the suit from sitting on an anchor by accident
this weekend, i tore the neck wide open and the crotch (dont ask)

I love Elios suits and I will order a new one for regular freediving that can withstand a little bit of rough and tumble.

My 2c.

[Fondueset]

-wish I coulda been there for ya, Sands..

I have a 3 mil smooth out which I got by accident (they sent me the wrong thickness - told me to keep it and made me another one) I haven't used it yet but I'm kinda scared.

My 6 mil smooth out is holding up well - though it tends to get a hole in one armpit which I have to repair ever few dives. You'll need to be real careful with one that thin - mostly putting it on and off - and don't sit on any anchors..

[DJones]

sanso Re: Elios 3mm SmoothSkin/openCell Heiwa suit

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Just wondering: What's Your reason for the smooth skin?
Neither will You have temperature issues, nor will You be competing, right? If so, I'm pretty sure a lining on the outside would suit the purpose better.

I usually use nylon lined suits.
I'm thinking of a thin smoothskin suit for deeper dives and better ease of movements.
I do compete. I'm in the Tunisian national spearfishing team.

I have just tried the elios technique for putting on and of wetsuits.
Putting on a 3mm smoothskin wetsuit should be no prob.
But taking that suit of might be difficult: in the step where I have to pull the end of the suit up the shoulders, my fingers just might tear the edge of the jacket.

Still hesitating.

[Fondueset]

If your waters are warm you could do the nylon on the inside - this would help with on/off sturdiness and make any tears that start on the outside less severe.

[fflupo]

it will be easy, to rip it on rocks etc. during your aspetto

[fjohnson]

I don't think you can beat the superstretch inside and smooth outside. the type of neoprene they make it out of will make all the difference in how fragile it is.. and with the superstretch inside, what a pleasure not to lube it up.

[DJones]

Thank you for the advice.
For performance (stretchiness, adherence to body, warmth) open cell/smooth skin is probably better. Durability seems to be another question.
I need the thinest, warmest, better gliding wetsuit possible.
So I just think I have to try this Elios suit (I'm choosing Elios only because it's the only custom made suit available via a local resseller without having to pay in foreign currency).

I hope if I take great care of this kind of suit, it may last long enough.

If ever it falls apart, I can make an "under jacket", "under hood" and bermuda for winter spearfishing.

[island_sands]

Originally Posted by fjohnson

I don't think you can beat the superstretch inside and smooth outside. the type of neoprene they make it out of will make all the difference in how fragile it is.. and with the superstretch inside, what a pleasure not to lube it up.

is that the Kinoko (sp?) - i am looking at all the materials available and cant decide which one to get.

[sanso]

Originally Posted by island_sands

is that the Kinoko (sp?) - i am looking at all the materials available and cant decide which one to get.

Yep, it's the kanoko. Zebrafishle has that on top of 7mm Yamamoto soooper soft - the suit is squishy as a jellyfish.

[Marwan]

Djones,
If you are doing aspettos on rocks etc, doing cave fishing at times in Tunisia i think the smoothskin would be too fragile..i would recommend a lined wetsuit..an interesting concept i use in the summer is the beuchat 1.5mm reversible wetsuit, you can wear it with either the nylon linig on the outside or reverse it and wear it smooth skin side out..its a great wetsuit, very durable, thin, warm etc.. might be what youre looking for...where do you hunt in Tunisia?
check ou the beuchat here:
Mundial reversible 1,5mm BEUCHAT Apnea Suits Egypt Dive Scuba store .com

[DJones]

Originally Posted by Marwan

Djones,
If you are doing aspettos on rocks etc, doing cave fishing at times in Tunisia i think the smoothskin would be too fragile..i would recommend a lined wetsuit..an interesting concept i use in the summer is the beuchat 1.5mm reversible wetsuit, you can wear it with either the nylon linig on the outside or reverse it and wear it smooth skin side out..its a great wetsuit, very durable, thin, warm etc.. might be what youre looking for...where do you hunt in Tunisia?

I already use a 7mm Laborde (tailor made) and a 5mm SeaMaster lined wetsuits. They are very convenient.
But I am looking for a wetsuit which I would use exclusively for deeper aspettos (and probably some deep cave fishing). But a lined 3mm wetsuit might bee a good compromise (glides maybe less, but much more solid).

I hunt mostly between Tabarka and Bizerte (or Punto Farina to be more precise), and sometimes near Hawaria (Cap Bon), rarely south (Sousse, Jerba, Mahdia).

[Marwan]

good man, i dont think you will notice a lot of difference between the lined and the smoothskin on your decent..when you say deep aspettos, how deep are you talking?
ive been to tunisia several times, cool places never tried spearfishing there though, maybe on my next visit...

[DJones]

I think I've just made up my mind. Posted the same question on other forums, with same kind of answers.
To fragile.
I'll probably order a 3mm OpenCell, Nylon elastic black Heiwa neoprene.
I hope the difference in thickness of the suit will make a difference for confort and ease at deep.