Pathos sent me a new suit consisting of a 7mm jacket and 5mm pants. It's called Ultra and features a smooth/open-cell design. However, it's a hybrid suit as the exterior is not entirely Smooth Skin but reinforced with single and double-lined Lycra inserts in various areas to allow for intensive use and durability.

At first glance, I noticed the high-quality finishes, with smooth waterproof edges around the face, wrists, and ankles. These are differentially thick in single-lined fabric and glued, not stitched, internally to ensure a high level of comfort. The beaver tail and the area with the toggles are double-lined with perimeter stitching.

The Ultra is mostly black with red accents, such as the stylization of a fish on the back and the sleeves of the jacket. The pants have red limited to the Ultra branding. The white Pathos logos stand out on the back, chest, and the outer right thigh of the pants. The 7mm jacket features a single-lined Lycra insert on the front that forms a large padded chest rest and almost the entire jacket bottom, seat area with an anti-slip surface finish. Thinner double-lined Lycra covers the sides of the hood at ear level and the entire beaver tail. The forearms and elbows are reinforced with Supratex for wear resistance.

The 5mm high-waist pants highlight the smooth open-cell neoprene's softness and elasticity, featuring only a Lycra insert in the crotch and Supratex-covered knees and shins. The external Smooth Skin and internal Open Cell foam are from Jako, a medium-high blend with excellent compression resistance, suitable for deep dives.

The glueing follows an eco-friendly, solvent-free method, and the entire suit is glued even in the lined or double-lined sections internally. The suit components can be purchased separately, with the jacket available in 5, 7, and 8.5mm thicknesses and the pants in 5 and 7mm.

The Ultra suit in size M/L was balanced with an 8-kilogram weight belt for medium-depth dives. Water temperature in late April on the northwest coast of Sardinia was 15/16 degrees Celsius on the surface and about 13 at 20 meters depth.

I received the suit in a plastic bag and immediately noticed the absence of the typical neoprene glue odor. I contacted Giacomo De Mola, who explained that all the glueing, though extremely robust, is done with eco-friendly products. The jacket and pants, when weighed in hand, give a sense of consistency. The neoprene is from Jako, and De Mola revealed that the blend, of medium/high density, has excellent resistance to repeated compression, retaining its characteristics even during deep dives.

I arranged with one of my adventure companions, Gianluca, and we organized sea outings. The suit size fits both of us, allowing us to exchange it during dives, both from shore and from the boat.

The 7mm jacket and 5mm pants proved ideal for mid-April sea temperatures in Sardinia, which remained below 15 degrees due to the cold water from rivers and ponds. The pants are flexible when putting them on, and the smooth neoprene edges stretch without causing friction. The waistband is raw cut, providing a pleasant sensation of delicacy and comfort. The back part is higher than the front, adequately covering the lower back. It can be folded over, but I found that water infiltration is almost unnoticeable even without this adjustment.

The jacket has a substantial section, but once worn, it doesn’t feel oppressive. Breathing is not hindered, and freedom of movement is maximal given the thickness. It’s unclear if this is due to the ergonomic cut or the material type, but the comfort level is genuinely high.

The jacket closure is done with double toggles. If desired, if the beaver tail is too long or the jacket does not close with the desired tension, it is possible to adjust the male and female toggles with a small Phillips screwdriver.

The insulating power was what we appreciated the most. Even when diving quite deep in constant weight, during this period the temperature does not exceed 15 degrees. For boat transfers, the Ultra is ideal. The smooth exterior dries quickly, and you never feel cold. The jacket's bottom with its textured surface is a great idea, providing grip on the inflatable tube to prevent slipping: it works very well. As the day goes by, you realize this suit is designed by fishermen for fishermen! For example, loading the speargun is facilitated by a padded and lined chest pad that doesn’t fear damage and doesn't hurt the chest, even when stretching tough bands on the second notch. Climbing in and out of the inflatable boat, you don’t feel cold. On the surface, breathing is free, with no abdominal or chest constriction, and each dive offers controlled progression.

We try descending to 18/20 meters. The first meagres are spotted around. The Ultra compresses progressively, the elastic belt doesn’t rotate, and upon ascent, the finning is well controlled and the positive buoyancy becomes powerful at a certain point. I carry eight kilograms of lead, which is appropriate for these depths.

The suit does not aim for camouflage. The red accents on the surface are a nice touch, a color that fades during descent. I take some photos of my friend at various depths; the white Pathos logos, even if stylized, always appear well contrasted.

Neoprene

Pathos has chosen a Jako foam, primarily smooth/open-cell (Smooth Skin/Open Cell), with a medium-high density blend that is also soft and elastic, accredited for compression resistance. As mentioned in the introduction, the glueing process does not use solvents. The edges on the arms, legs, and the hood's face opening are smooth, of varying thickness, slightly thinner than the nominal size, ensuring maximum adherence.

Finishes and Reinforcements 

The finishes are mainly on the jacket. The neoprene patches are glued, with the only stitches visible on the small front edge of the jacket's bottom (where the "female" toggles are fixed). The lower back is made of super elastic single-lined material marked with slightly raised thermowelded polyurethane bars: an intelligent solution that prevents damage to the weight belt and, most importantly, the risk of slipping when sitting on the wet inflatable boat tube. Turning the jacket inside out reveals no more stitches; even the Lycra chest pad, internally padded, is glued, as are the sleeves and the outer elbow area, where single-lined Supratex reinforcement inserts are embedded. On the sides of the hood, at ear level, there are two semicircles of ultra-stretch double-lined Lycra with varying thickness. The high-waisted pants have no stitches, neither in the single-lined neoprene crotch area nor on the shins and knees for the single-lined Supratex insert. The upper edge is raw cut, allowing one to observe the "core" of the compact Jako neoprene.

Tailored Cut 

The suit is defined as ultra anatomic fit and does not showcase marked pre-bending or shaping. Pathos has used large neoprene patches and minimal stitching to maximize the characteristics of the smooth/open-cell material. The sleeves are straight-cut, and there is no rhomboid insert under the armpit: the suit remains close-fitting and comfortable. The back is made from a large single piece, as is the front, to best respect the physical anatomy. The hood features lateral pre-molding for the earlobes and two double-lined Lycra sections of varying thickness to prevent compression. The pants fit perfectly, and the raw cut waistband adheres smoothly without excessive steps when overlapping with the jacket bottom.

Ratings

Cut: 8.5 Ergonomic, tailored, without excessive pre-bending of the limbs. The jacket is shaped with few patches, and the pants have a raw cut waistline for maximum elasticity. Divisible suit with seven standard sizes available. 

Finishing Level: 8.5 Very high. Almost all patches are glued with remarkable precision in the alignment of smooth open-cell, single-lined, and double-lined fabrics; only a slight glue overflow at the forearm level. 

Robustness: 8 Despite being mostly composed of smooth/open-cell neoprene, the Ultra is sufficiently robust thanks to Supratex reinforcements on elbows and knees, with thermowelded polyurethane reinforcements on the chest pad and jacket bottom. 

Comfort: 8 Good in all situations. High insulation level even at depth. The materials used in the assembly are very soft. 

Behavior at Depth: 8.5 Pathos' chosen blend performed well even when diving to 20 meters. The Ultra does not compress excessively, ensuring excellent insulation and balanced ascent and descent. 

Technical Data Sheet

Material: Jako neoprene in smooth open-cell, single, and double-lined Lycra

Color: Black with red finishes

Chest Pad: Internally padded

Reinforcement Elements: Flexible polyurethane textures on chest and jacket bottom; Supratex on elbows and knees

Jacket Closure: Double toggle, adjustable, on double-lined neoprene

Thickness: 5 and 7 mm, 8.5 mm for the jacket only

Sizes: 7 standard sizes

Price: Available upon request in specialized stores