Unwrapping the Picasso stone camo wetsuit from the packaging, I was instantly surprised at the nylon lining, it felt very strong and durable but almost like it shouldn’t be attached to the very soft and sticky neoprene underneath.
From previous experience with nylon lined open cell suits the neoprene inside is typically almost rigid and very heavy.
Looking over the outside of the suit you can see the stitching is very detailed and will withstand pulling the suit around and crawling amongst rocks.
The fit on the suit was very good for an off the shelf model, normally I find that off the shelf suits have areas that stick out, typically around the neck and upper chest and areas that are tight like under the arms and the backs of the knees.
I was impressed with the Picasso stone camo suit as it fit like a glove.
As I’ve not worn a 7mm jacket for a few months I did find it was a bit tight at first, and being a summers day in Cornwall I got very warm very quickly.
Upon entering the water, after 10 minutes the suit softened and loosened until I did not know it was there.
It was comfortable and allowed full range of movement.
The camo design allows the suit to blend in with many different underwater terrains and it doesn’t look out of place even on a sandy bottom with patches of small reef structure.
The suit did not let any water in at all, and despite being a 7mm jacket I did not find the buoyancy an issue, diving shallow waters between 5-10m I had no issues with the suit trying to pull me off the bottom, or breathing up.
The seal around the face was comfortable with both the chin covered and uncovered. The soft seal around the edge made it easy to lift over the top of the skirt of my mask and it did not rub against my skin at all. However while the seals are very soft and comfortable care should be taken when removing / putting on the suit as they are delicate.
After swimming for 3 hours and walking back up a steep hill I thought maybe the suit would have rubbed behind my knees, but it was as comfy as when i first put it on. It was easy to remove with the neoprene stretching nicely allowing the jacket to come off in one swift movement, without sticking to itself.
Overall I would recommend this suit for anyone looking to upgrade to a high quality off the shelf suit.
Picasso Stone Camo is perfect for shore and boat diving, and will allow you to get right under rocks and holes without worrying about ripping it. Great value for money and it will certainly last a long time
This wetsuit was reviewed by Matt Newman
The Video below is of Picasso Team member Esther Stuck in action with this suit.
https://www.facebook.com/ChassesousmarineActu/videos/642829879520171/
