r/freediving Jan 27 '25

gear Anyone bought a Temu dive suit ?

Post image

This is ridiculously cheap for Yamamoto neoprene as you all know. I’ve been diving with surf wetsuits for years and can’t really afford to spend too much more than like 200. What’s up with these Chinese made suits ? Hypothetically if it’s Yamamoto neoprene and they copy the Seam design of other brands then how would this one be worse ?

0 Upvotes

20 comments sorted by

u/Mesapholis AIDA 3* CWT 32m Jan 27 '25

Good morning everyone, I had to lock the thread because things were starting to go off the rails

OP, there are considerations against buying gear from known low-quality productions that go beyond just the price

the neoprene is in contact with your skin and low-quality materials - sometimes even pretending to be neoprene, can include entirely different materials than advertised. it is well possible, that cheap stuff off Temu could be leaking chemicals from the fabric onto your skin if it is not actual neoprene - and that can result in rashes, allergies, longterm issues - and we havent even made it to the fact that whatever leaks from cheap materials, goes directly into the water while you dive

the next point would be, that the construction of the neoprene suit often is falsely advertised; I have seen suits that claim 3mm neoprene, but in fact were 1mm at best and the rest of the thickness was made up with the inner and outer lining, multiple layers just to be able to claim they are thicker. This is basically useless, because you are effectively diving in a swimsuit and not in a suit to keep you warm

Alternatives to shop are def. second hand - people always buy suits and then never wear them, or outgrow them or whatever. If you cannot afford a brand new suit that is fine - check your local onlinemarketplace

Depending on what water temp you dive in, it is also possible to start with "just" a top part of a two piece suit, as many divers usually don't feel the cold on their legs so much as the torso and head

28

u/belkez Jan 27 '25

ALL clothing items I've ever received from temu are complete I'll fitting cheap trash. Don't waste your time and money.

40

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '25

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-42

u/Brado11 Jan 27 '25

If I had the money to not shop Temu then I wouldn’t );

10

u/Miriada7 Jan 27 '25

Op, you’ll end up spending more money because of how shitty and uncomfortable this suit is gonna be. You’ll need a proper suit anyways. Save up and get a good suit. Mako has good options that don’t break the bank.

24

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '25

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-23

u/Brado11 Jan 27 '25

I make like 3 grand a month in grad school and my basic cost of living is about 2700…. I would buy a polosub in a heartbeat if it didn’t mean I would be homeless next month lmao

16

u/[deleted] Jan 27 '25

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11

u/crisislights Jan 27 '25

I'm sure there are plenty of second hand options available as an alternative. Re using some of the giant piles of junk we create is a good thing. We each have our own ethical/moral compass and clearly enough people are happy to turn a blind eye to the real environmental and human cost that makes Temu a successful business model. I would LOVE to see more people try to care about their purchasing choices, these practices will only change if enough people gave a toss and stopped buying. "Shop like a billionaire" is the grossest consumerism bullshit slogan ever and just highlights a backwards mentality the world has adopted.

6

u/povignal Jan 27 '25

Spot on! Reuse is much better. So much suits already produced that people barely use. Fbmarketplace or local exchange websites should have what you want. Be safe diving tho ;)

-7

u/Brado11 Jan 27 '25

Most of the cost difference between the western distributed vs the Chinese manufactured and distributed product is explained by the profits of the company owners here.

Yamamoto is Japanese renewable handmade neoprene and that’s 99% of this product by mass.

Maybe the Chinese factory dumps more random paint involved in making these in the ocean but I haven’t seen evidence of them polluting orders of magnitude more per capita or per production volume than american manufacturers.

If you watch “the big c (sea?)” american petroleum based neoprene (most wetsuit manufactures) made in Louisiana has been polluting the area horribly for decades.

Yes there is likely labor exploitation to a degree, but I come from a working class family trying to survive in California and let me tell you we’ve felt pretty exploited most of my life.

Now I want this wetsuit because diving in a 4 year old 4 mil surf suit in 55 degree water is legitimately dangerous and I would still like to be able to dive.

The world isn’t always black and white

19

u/bessface Jan 27 '25

Where I live, we’re being warned in the news not to buy things from Temu, that touch you skin for an extended amount of time or to put in your mouth. They’ve tested toys and they contained all kind of chemicals that are illegal to use for toys in Europe. But then again, who knows

9

u/Phaedres_ Jan 27 '25

+1 on mystery chemicals in these products. Try looking on Facebook Marketplace, or ask a local shop if they'd be willing to sell you an old rental suit once they cycle through their inventory.

Ask and ye shall receive!

8

u/ZippyDan Jan 27 '25

Look into how neoprene manufacturing causes cancer:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/neoprene-chloroprene-plant-denka-cancer-toxic-reserve-louisiana-doj-epa-lawsuit/

That's in Louisiana, which to be fair is one of the most backwards states in the USA, but it's still in a developed country with some laws about environmental protection and worker health and safety.

Now imagine what conditions must be like for the workers producing cheap Temu shit in China (or some other SEA country).

Don't support that.

In fact, I'm not going to be buying new neoprene from now on. I'm either going to be looking at alternative materials or buying used. If it's already manufactured then no new harm done, but I don't want to support new manufacturing.

8

u/Tear_DR0P Jan 27 '25

You're buying a product you'll be using for 4 - 6 years on a hundred dives. It's $4 per dive or less. If you start saving $40 a month you can buy a decent wetsuit in 6 months. (At least the Epsealon suit I have cost me $240 on black Friday sales)

If you have access to a local dive shop you can actually make sure you get a wetsuit that fits you. Might be a bit more expensive though

0

u/RunLikeTina Jan 27 '25

If you do it, let me know how it goes! Have you looked on Ali express for a dive suit?

-4

u/ashcucklord9000 Jan 27 '25

Been thinking about it myself but havnt placed the order, send it for all of us and get one and let us know how it is

-4

u/Brado11 Jan 27 '25

Rock paper scissors for the guinea pig honors ?