New Aquala Wetsuit

[boogerdave]

Well, after talking with Ty from Aquala last time he was at ECS, I have pulled the trigger on a new Aquala Vintage Wetsuit. Measurements have been sent and Im really looking forward to a new suit !

[Britmarine]

Did I read that right: Aquala "vintage wetsuit" and not "vintage drysuit"?

[Ron]

Man, I'd love a good cold weather wetsuit vintage style. I have an Elios, but it's still chilly because it's a freediving suit.

[boogerdave]

Did I read that right: Aquala "vintage wetsuit" and not "vintage drysuit"?

Yessir, that is correct. Ty came by to talk about the new vintage equipment introduction classes Im doing and showed me photos of a prototype he had made, he was thinking about getting into wetsuits again. So, I guess Im going to be the guinea pig on this one.

[antique diver]

Great to hear!

[Britmarine]

Yes, good to hear indeed! During their long history, the catalogues of Aquala and its predecessor Bel-Aqua have featured wetsuits as well as drysuits. The images below, courtesy Skindiver.com, show the Toreador model wetsuit manufactured by Bill Barada's original Bel-Aqua Water Sports Co. of Los Angeles in the mid-1950s and another, anonymous, later model wetsuit made by its successor, Aquala Sport Mfg. Co.:

[ScubaLawyer]

Pictures of prototype? Need to see if it is "Sea Hunt correct. "

[Vintagediver]

You got my interest; especially if they are Sea Hunt correct. Maybe even Sea Hunt gray??

[Aquala1]

Did I read that right: Aquala "vintage wetsuit" and not "vintage drysuit"?

DRW, Dave is right. I’m working on reintroducing wetsuits back to the line. They feature a classic high waisted pant, and beavertail jacket with metal twist-locks. They can be built two ways, with either the smooth skin on the outside and nylon on the inside, or skin-in and nylon-out. Black will be the first offering, but if they’re well received then I might introduce other colors if the colored neoprene can be sourced.

[Aquala1]

Thanks guys, I’m glad there’s some interest here. Like Britmarine pointed out, Aquala made wetsuits starting in the mid-‘50s under the Bel-Aqua name, and then under their own name starting in 1959. The earliest versions featured non-zipper tops, with snaps instead of twist-locks. By 1960 a front zip was prominent with a nylon zipper. Yes, plastic zippers have been around that long.

The first suit we built I built for myself, and it is nylon-out and skin-in. We can do skin-out as well, I just built the first one this way because it fits my type of diving best. I guess it would be more of a late ‘60s-early ‘80s style suit.

We’re still working on the wetsuit pages of the website, but I’ll try to post some pics here in the next few days. That is if I can get my Photobucket to cooperate.

[Aquala1]

Ok, here is the nylon-out version. It’s a classic two-piece suit, with a beavertail jacket and wrist and ankle zips.

[ScubaLawyer]

Looks good Ty!

Start looking for silver skin-out material.

I assume a metal zipper could be installed for any future Sea Hunt Forever show.

M

[Ron]

If I can buy one of these skin in with nylon out, 7mm, with some higher density neoprene that doesn't crush and freeze me at 35 feet, then I'm all over this.

I would like a great cold water suit. Right now I only dive vintage in the summer because it's so cold in Puget Sound the other times of the year.

[Aquala1]

If I can buy one of these skin in with nylon out, 7mm, with some higher density neoprene that doesn't crush and freeze me at 35 feet, then I'm all over this.

I would like a great cold water suit. Right now I only dive vintage in the summer because it's so cold in Puget Sound the other times of the year.

Ron, right now the plan is to only do 3mm and 5mm. If you need more thermal protection than that, have you considered one of our vintage/retro drysuits?

[SeaHuntJerry]

Really a nice high quality suit!