You get what you pay for.

While that’s not always true, it’s a pretty good rule of thumb.

Cheap equals cheap, and that kind of cheap usually means low-quality materials and bad craftsmanship.

And that equals landfill. Which we all agree we don’t need more of.

In the case of wetsuit materials, you get what you pay for is very, very true.

Ever had a suit that wasn’t particularly warm, comfortable, or durable?

Chances are it was a mass-produced, inexpensive, petroleum-based wetsuit made with low-quality neoprene.

I’ve had a lot of wetsuits over the last 40+ years, and by far the warmest, most comfortable, most durable suits I’ve owned have all been made with Yamamoto Neoprene, which people often refer to as Yamamoto rubber.

Technically, neoprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are created through the polymerization of chloroprene. Neoprene is chemically stable and stays flexible over a wide range of temperatures.

Which got me thinking about neoprene and about why Yamamoto rubber is so superior.

So I looked into it and here’s what I found.

In the 1960s the Yamamoto Corporation out of Japan developed a way to convert calcium carbonate, which is found in limestone, into neoprene. This process didn’t require petroleum as part of the chemical makeup of the neoprene. Which is not to say the process isn’t energy intensive. Everything takes energy to produce.

In Yamamoto Corp words, “‘Sustainability’ is NOT to avoid using any resources, but to use them smart”.

They go on to say, “One of the most eco-friendly way is to use one product for longer.”

They also state they use renewable energies, like hydro-electricity, to power the production of their neoprene.

Here’s a link to their website for a deeper dive:

https://yamamoto-bio.com/material-e/sus2.html

Interesting side note: Japan has an approximately 3,000 year supply of limestone (at current use rates).

Think of all those warm, comfortable wetsuits that will be available in the future.

Previously, most neoprene was petroleum-based, as created by the Dupont Chemicals. Remember those guys? Not the picture of environmental consciousness.

So what does this chemical process that Yamamoto pioneered have to do with you and your wetsuit?

Turns out, a lot.

Here’s a short list of some of the advantages of limestone-based Yamamoto neoprene:

• Limestone neoprene holds 30% more air bubbles. Air Bubbles keep you warm. Therefore, you stay 30% warmer that you would in a petroleum-based wetsuit.
  
• Limestone neoprene has an impermeable, extremely high micro-cell structure. 94% density compared to around 65% found in petroleum-based neoprene. This means limestone has way more air bubbles and is therefore way lighter. And of course way warmer.
  
• This high density also means you can wear a thinner wetsuit and stay just as warm.
  
• Durability. Limestone rubber has a lot of independent cells. Because these cells aren’t attached to one another, a small tear can stay small, as it’s not pulling on neighboring cells.
  
• It’s really, really stretchy. It has the elongation factor of 480-580%. It was designed to compress, and to be stretched in all directions, and still hold its structure. 
  
• It’s insanely comfortable. Due to its stretchiness and lightweight, Yamamoto rubber feels dreamy, especially after conventional petroleum-based rubber (think about that cardboard feel of cheap neoprene).
  
• Cell memory. Limestone rubber has cell memory, meaning it conforms to the shape of your body and stays that way. Which means it’s warmer, more comfortable, and less likely to stretch out and give you rashes.

So here we are, back to getting what you pay for.

Yes, Yamamoto suits are more expensive.

But, they’re warmer, far more comfortable, and far more environmentally friendly because they last a whole lot longer than petroleum-based neoprene wetsuits.

The ultimate is to get one custom made. There’s nothing like a suit made with Yamamoto rubber that fits perfectly.

That’s well worth the extra dough.