Waterproof W20 2.5mm Wetsuit Mens

Waterproof W20 2.5mm full wetsuit, men's

The W20 is the suit we point people at when they are diving somewhere genuinely warm and are tired of the thin, boxy rental suits that let water pour through the back. It is 2.5mm of Aquatex super-stretch neoprene cut on a 3D pattern, so it sits against the body like a second skin rather than hanging off it, and that is what keeps you warm on the third dive of the day when a looser suit has stopped doing its job.

Full arms and legs at 2.5mm is the sensible choice for reefs, wrecks and any liveaboard week. You get sun and coral protection that a shorty cannot give you, and you still have a suit you can pull on in under a minute on a hot deck.

Waterproof builds the W20 with features it usually keeps for its cold-water suits: a utility pocket on the hip, ToughTex knee panels, printed grip on the sleeves so a wrist computer stays put, and a YKK #10 back zip. In our experience that is what separates it from the rest of the 2 to 3mm suits in our wetsuit range, most of which are just neoprene and a zip.

• 2.5mm Aquatex super-stretch neoprene, 3D anatomical cut
• Flatlock seams with bonded nylon thread
• YKK #10 Vislon back zip with stainless slider
• Hip utility pocket with drain valves, fits a spool and SMB
• ToughTex knee pads and polyurethane grip print on shoulders and seat
• Computer anchor print on the sleeves
• Men's cut, Extra Small through to Triple Extra Large, including a Medium Large

Why divers choose the W20

It actually stays warm on repetitive dives

Cheap warm-water suits use stiff neoprene that gapes at the lower back and collar. Every kick pumps fresh water through, and by dive three you are cold in 28 degree water. The Aquatex neoprene in the W20 has high elastic recovery, so the suit stays in contact with your skin and the thin layer of water inside stays put and warms up.

Less fatigue, less air

A suit that resists your movement costs you gas. Waterproof pre-bends the knees and patterns the suit in three dimensions rather than as flat panels, so finning and reaching for a valve do not fight the neoprene. Over a week of diving that adds up to noticeably longer bottom times for the same cylinder.

Built to survive boat diving

The polyurethane print across the shoulders and seat is there because BCD straps and rough benches destroy plain neoprene. The ToughTex knees take the scuffs from kneeling on a hard boat or a shore entry. We see far fewer worn-through W20s come back than we do with plain suits at this thickness.

Light enough to travel with

A 2.5mm full suit packs flat and weighs very little, and Waterproof ships it in plastic-free packaging. For a liveaboard or a hand-luggage-only trip it is the easiest suit to carry that still gives you full coverage.

Features that matter underwater

Aquatex super-stretch neoprene

Soft, highly elastic and quick to don. The stretch means you can order the snug size the chart recommends without it being a struggle to get into, and a snug fit is the whole point in a thin suit.

Flatlock seams

Flat stitched seams with bonded nylon thread lie flush against the skin, so there is nothing to chafe across a week of four dives a day. Flatlock is not watertight, but at 2.5mm in warm water that is the right trade: it is more flexible and more durable than glued and blind-stitched seams on a suit this thin.

Hip utility pocket

An expanding pocket with drain valves sized for a spool and SMB, a slate or a backup mask. It sits low on the thigh where it does not interfere with your BCD waist strap or weight pockets.

Computer anchor print and grip shields

Non-slip print on the forearms stops a wrist computer or gauge rotating as the neoprene compresses at depth. The same material across the shoulders and seat protects against BCD strap friction and boat decks.

YKK #10 Vislon back zip

A heavy-duty marine zip with a stainless slider and a long pull cord. Back zips are easier to manage single-handed than front zips on a thin suit, and this one will outlast the neoprene.

Molded PU collar tab

The micro-hook collar closure only grips its own landing pad, so it cannot snag and pull the suit's lining the way conventional Velcro does.

Who the W20 full suit is for

• Divers heading somewhere warm who want more than a rental suit
• Liveaboard divers doing three or four dives a day who get cold in thin suits
• Anyone who wants arm and leg coverage against sun, coral and stings
• Divers who carry a spool and SMB and want a pocket for them
• Travellers who need a suit that packs small and dries fast

Who it may not be for: if you run warm and only snorkel or do single shallow dives, the W20 shorty does the same job with less to put on. If your diving is in the UK or anywhere temperate, look at the W40 instead; you will not be warm enough in this.

Sizing and fit

The men's cut is built on a straighter torso with longer arms and legs relative to chest size. The men's W20 runs from Extra Small through to Triple Extra Large, including a Medium Large for people who fall between the standard sizes on height and weight.

A Waterproof suit should feel tight on land, with no folds at the lower back, behind the knees or under the arms, and it loosens slightly once wet. If you can pinch a fold of loose neoprene across the small of your back, it is too big. We fit these in store and will happily talk you through it before you order; the full chart is on our wetsuit size guide page.

Specifications

• Colour: black
• Matching ladies' W20 full suit available in a separate cut

Care and use

Thin neoprene lasts years if you treat it properly and one season if you do not.

• Rinse in fresh water after every dive day, inside and out, and dry it inside out first, out of direct sun
• Hang on a wide wetsuit hanger, never a wire one, and store it hanging rather than folded
• Use the pull cord to close the zip, and have a buddy check the collar tab is on its landing pad
• Keep sunscreen off the neoprene where you can; many formulas degrade it
• Get a small tear glued early rather than letting it run along a seam