Aqualung HydroFlex: Do Your Toe Touches
When they say flex, they mean all the way. The super-stretchy material in this innovative neoprene gets you up to 250% more stretch than conventional neoprene, according to Aqualung. The material is also used throughout the suit, meaning nothing will hold you back from those underwater splits we all do.
This key feature, combined with the comfort and reputation of Aqualung gear, make this wetsuit an easy top pick for most divers. The suit is suitable for water temperatures from 70 F (21 C) and warmer, and it comes in your choice of black/blue or black/white.
Genuinely, I could easily tell the difference between this super-stretch material and any other wetsuit I’ve donned. I could feel the unrestricted mobility in any direction I bent, stretched, or squatted, and relished the fact that I might even be able to do some extra-steamy hot yoga in this thing (I stuck to diving).
The stretchiness seems quite invaluable when it comes to maneuvering into and out of the suit itself, as well as into other gear on a dive boat with limited space. The same could be said for the freedom it allows underwater, with a full range of flexibility and dexterity in any situation.
Comfort and Design
The stretch and perfectly snug fit of the suit (size small for me at 5’4” and 120 lbs.), along with added features like a V-shaped collar, flatlock stitching, and well-sealed O-ring wrists and ankles, offered a snug and leak-free experience while swimming across a labyrinth of coral.
Altogether, the HydroFlex felt like an easy and comfortable standard wetsuit, complete with a trim look and striking patterns of tentacled coral polyps on the arms and legs that I will love for years to come.
The suit also has additional reinforcements in the laminated chest panel and powertex knee panels. Printed designs on the shoulders and wrists offer extra durability and resistance to abrasion, as well as helping to keep gear like wrist dive computers and BCDs in place.
Aqualung HydroFlex Materials
Aqualung uses a high quality, petroleum-free 3 mm neoprene to construct this suit, which adheres to a PAH-free formula, meaning the fabric is tested to ensure lower levels of pollutants.
It would be nice to have more readily available details for consumers on the materials used on the Aqualung product page online, rather than denoting their methods as simply “environmentally friendly,” but this is at least a criterion Aqualung is paying attention to.
Price/Quality Ratio
Coming in at a moderate $215 at the time of writing, the Aqualung HydroFlex is not the cheapest wetsuit out there, but it offers a solid, mid-range price option for a solid 3 mm wetsuit.
Because of the comfort factor, the suit’s durability, and quality of construction with non-petroleum-based neoprene, this wetsuit is worth a step up in price from a budget option in my book.
The HydroFlex is one first-rate option, but check out our full guide for comparisons and further recommendations on finding the right wetsuit for you, along with any other dive gear you may need.
Do we recommend the Aqualung HydroFlex?
With its super-stretch neoprene, superior performance, comfort underwater, and petroleum-free construction, the Aqualung HydroFlex comes with our strong recommendation.
This quality mid-range suit offers an excellent, standard go-to for a women’s 3 mm, and will continue to keep me warm and trim on a world of underwater adventures into the future.
Specs & Features
| Material | Non-petroleum-based, super-stretch neoprene |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 3 mm |
| Zip | Back-zip |
| Seams | Water-based glue and flatlock stitching |
| Sizes | XS–2XL |
