What is the difference between compressed neoprene and crushed neoprene?
Only two companies (that we know of) use true crushed neoprene. Crushed neoprene, as its name implies, is neoprene in which all of the air bubbles have been squashed flat as a bug and the air escapes. This leaves a very thin, (1 mm or so) dense layer of neoprene which no longer has any air bubbles. This thin material is then used for traditional type shell suits. DUI pioneered this technique and makes a very successful shell suit from this material as it has some stretch which most shell suit materials do not have. However, since the air is gone, crushed neoprene has no thermal warmth or floatation properties if flooded. It is just another shell material, although arguably one of the best for that purpose. Compressed neoprene, while thinner and denser than regular neoprene, retains plenty of air bubbles for warmth and floatation – and much better stretch than crushed neoprene. We have sold many, many High Tide suits to former owners of crushed neoprene suits and we repeatedly get rave
