Looking for the right 5mm - 5/4mm full men's wetsuit? Most full 5/4mm wetsuits have 5mm thick neoprene in the chest, back, upper legs and 4mm thick neoprene in the arms, lower legs, and shoulders. Full 5mm wetsuits have 5mm thick neoprene throughout the entire wetsuit. 5mm wetsuits are often worn for sports like SCUBA diving, surfing, kayaking, swimming and more. Typically are rated for 49° Fahrenheit water temperatures and warmer. There are also 5/4mm hooded full wetsuits, these suits have a much lower temperature rating because of the hood. The rating for a hooded 5/4 suit is typically 46° Fahrenheit and warmer.
Made for cold water, most 5/4mm wetsuits have 5mm thick neoprene in the core body (chest and back and legs) with 4mm thick neoprene in the arms and shoulders. What makes a 5/4mm wetsuit more or less expensive is the amount of stretch in the rubber, the seam construction, and the lamination materials. 5mm wetsuits are made of 5mm thick neoprene throughout the entire wetsuit. All 5/4mm full wetsuits we carry have sealed seams. Full wetsuits that have sealed seams are called (GBS wetsuits) or glued and blind stitched wetsuits. If you are looking for extra mobility in a cold water wetsuit with thicker neoprene, we recommend looking for a wetsuit with a lot of stretch.
Sealed 5mm & 5/4mm full wetsuits are made to keep you warmer in cold water temperatures 49° Fahrenheit and warmer. 5mm & 5/4mm wetsuits can come in back zip designs, chest zip designs, and two piece front zip designs. The chest entry systems typically cost a little more because there is more involved to manufacture the wetsuit. An advantage of (GBS) sealed seam wetsuits is that the stitching needle does not go through both pieces of neoprene, it goes halfway through so it does not create holes that water can leak through. Sealed seamed suits are first glued along the seams then stitched so you get double the seal to prevent water leaks. Sealed suits typically cost more than flatlock seam wetsuits.
5mm & 5/4mm wetsuits can have taped seams and or welded seams that show a rubber seal binding the neoprene or coating the side of the suit that has stitching. These suits cost more due to the extra manufacturing time. The benefit of welded or taped seams is extra durability. The wetsuit's laminates on the outside and inside of the wetsuit can also impact the price of the wetsuit. If the suit you are looking at cost more, it likely has a higher stretch lament on the inside and outside of the wetsuit. Another factors in the cost is the quality of rubber used in making your wetsuit. Eco friendly wetsuits are made of neoprene free materials so they typically cost more because it a specialized material. Additionally, the amount of stretch in the rubber used in your suit also can impact the price. Stretchier wetsuits typically cost more than ones that have less stretch. You can find the amount of stretch on our website on the product pages.