Forum rules
Discussion of diving methods and equipment available prior to the development of BCDs beyond the horse collar. This forum is dedicated to the pre-1970 diving.
User avatar
SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Vintage Wetsuits

Tue Jan 03, 2017 1:30 pm

Elios Sub Vintage Suit
- I just took delivery on a brand new "Vintage Suit" from Elios Sub of Italy. It cost me $263 postpaid and took 3-4 weeks for them to make up and ship to me. I ordered from their size chart instead of custom made. This means translating weight and height into Kg and Cm. I have to say it is very well made and fits me perfectly. The beavertail has some unique features worth noting:
- 1. Instead of snaps or turnbuckles, the beavertail uses an adjustable string and T-bar fastener... Allows adjustment of tightness.
- 2. Note how the curve down to the beavertail begins at the hips... Sort of a stylish, graceful touch.
- For more info visit their website at http://www.eliossub.com/index.php/en/vintage-suit-en
Image
Image
Image
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

User avatar
Britmarine
VDH Moderator
Posts: 269
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2009 4:52 pm
First Name: David
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:04 am

Thanks for showing us your recent acquisition! It's a beauty! The beavertail jacket reminds me of my own UK-made Typhoon wetsuit, which I purchased in the late 1960s. Elios sub appears to have an excellent reputation as a suit maker if the conventional wisdom on freediving forums is to be believed. Have you tried the suit out in the water yet?

Just one little niggle about the information on the Elios vintage wetsuit web page. There's a mention of "the vintage style of the first Neoprene suits made in the 1930s and 40s". It's not a translation error as the original Italian says "lo stile anni 30/40 delle prime mute in neoprene". Shouldn't the dates rather be "1950s and 1960s", since most people credit Hugh Bradner with the invention of the first neoprene wetsuit in the world in the early 1950s?

User avatar
SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:42 am

- Thanks Britmarine. Water test will have to be in a swimming pool sometime in February... That'll be our tune-up for the Sea Hunt Forever 2017 event coming up March 4-5 in Silver Springs FL. I plan to dive Twin 38 tanks and refill them by cascade... So I'll have the same rig for every dive (and the same buoyancy). My Elios Sub suit is 3mm for the least depth compression effects on buoyancy.
- The Twin 38s are low pressure (1800 psi) and more buoyant than other twins. So, I'm able to wear a weight belt with the twin tanks and still be neutral at 15 ft deep. Silver Springs is 30 ft at the bottom... So a little suit compression makes me slightly negative at the bottom.
- That takes care of looking like Mike Nelson from an equipment standpoint... But, my fat belly looks like a swollen wood tick in this smooth skin wetsuit. I'm starting a diet and exercise program... I won't look great by Sea Hunt but hopefully at least BETTER. :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

User avatar
Ron
Site Admin
Posts: 1748
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:51 pm
First Name: Ron
Location: Puget Sound, Washington
Contact: Website

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:50 pm

I shared this same suit, but one of the other moderators deleted my post for some reason. It's a fantastic suit!
The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed. -JYC

scubafox
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:51 am
First Name: Jay
Location: Austin, Texas
Contact: Yahoo Messenger AOL

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:35 pm

I bought one from Elios last month, using their measurements, my suit fits like a glove. It's a beautiful suit, and it goes perfectly with my vintage gear.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
1969ivan1
Plank Owner
Posts: 1646
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 12:15 pm
First Name: rob
Location: CINCINNATI, OHIO

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:01 am

Hey Eben did your suit come sand logo on the chest or did you have to request that they leave it off?

User avatar
SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Tue Jul 11, 2017 2:16 pm

scubafox wrote:I bought one from Elios last month, using their measurements, my suit fits like a glove. It's a beautiful suit, and it goes perfectly with my vintage gear.
Looking good there scubafox! Nicely color coordinated. I had not thought of getting a yellow harness before and now that I see it, I like it.

Rob... I asked Eliosub to leave off the logo so I'd be historically correct for the Sea Hunt Forever show.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

scubafox
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:51 am
First Name: Jay
Location: Austin, Texas
Contact: Yahoo Messenger AOL

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Wed Jul 12, 2017 12:20 pm

SurfLung wrote:
scubafox wrote:I bought one from Elios last month, using their measurements, my suit fits like a glove. It's a beautiful suit, and it goes perfectly with my vintage gear.
Looking good there scubafox! Nicely color coordinated. I had not thought of getting a yellow harness before and now that I see it, I like it.

Rob... I asked Eliosub to leave off the logo so I'd be historically correct for the Sea Hunt Forever show.
Thanks, the harness looks great with the suit, now I wish I had asked Eliosub to leave off the logo, it's still a great wetsuit.

User avatar
Ron
Site Admin
Posts: 1748
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2008 5:51 pm
First Name: Ron
Location: Puget Sound, Washington
Contact: Website

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Wed Jul 12, 2017 1:04 pm

scubafox wrote:
SurfLung wrote:
scubafox wrote:I bought one from Elios last month, using their measurements, my suit fits like a glove. It's a beautiful suit, and it goes perfectly with my vintage gear.
Looking good there scubafox! Nicely color coordinated. I had not thought of getting a yellow harness before and now that I see it, I like it.

Rob... I asked Eliosub to leave off the logo so I'd be historically correct for the Sea Hunt Forever show.
Thanks, the harness looks great with the suit, now I wish I had asked Eliosub to leave off the logo, it's still a great wetsuit.

Was your suit selection off the rack or did you do all the measurements custom? That suit fits perfectly.
The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed. -JYC

scubafox
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:51 am
First Name: Jay
Location: Austin, Texas
Contact: Yahoo Messenger AOL

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Mon Jul 17, 2017 5:02 pm

The wetsuit was basically "off the rack", I used their measurement code when I ordered, its done by height and weight, so I ordered a "Men's, 1, Long"
and it fits like a glove.

hirolazuli
Diver
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:45 pm
First Name: Miguel
Location: Santa Clara CA

Re: Vintage Wetsuits

Sat Jul 22, 2017 12:33 am

Great stuff you got there.

Return to “Classic Vintage Diving”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 57 guests