Mares Flexa 5mm Women's Wetsuit

The Mares Flexa 5mm Women's Wetsuit delivers the same outstanding stretch and sealed-seam warmth as the men's version, with a genuine women's cut that fits properly rather than simply running smaller through the same pattern.

## Overview

Mares offers two premium women's 5mm options — the Pioneer at $835 and the Flexa at $737. The Flexa Women's shares its core technology with the men's Flexa: ultrastretch neoprene, trilastic panels, infrared lining, and glued and blind-stitched seams. The difference is the cut, which is specifically patterned for women's body proportions with adjusted shoulder width, torso length, hip-to-waist ratios, and limb dimensions.

At $737 AUD, the Flexa Women's costs nearly $100 less than the Pioneer, which raises an obvious question: is the Pioneer worth the premium, or does the Flexa deliver equivalent performance at a better price? After side-by-side testing across conditions from the warm waters of Byron Bay to the cooler depths off Flinders in Victoria, the answer is nuanced. Both are excellent suits, but they serve slightly different priorities, and the Flexa's strengths make it the better value for most female divers.

## Key Features

- **Women's anatomical cut**: Patterned for female body proportions with contoured chest, adjusted waist-to-hip ratios, and proportional limb lengths - **Ultrastretch neoprene**: High-stretch formulation throughout the suit providing exceptional flexibility for a 5mm thickness - **Trilastic panels**: Strategically positioned ultra-thin elastic panels at shoulders, underarms, and behind the knees for unrestricted movement - **Infrared reflective lining**: Interior coating that reflects body heat back toward the skin for supplementary warmth - **Glued and blind-stitched seams**: Fully sealed seam construction preventing water entry through needle holes - **Back-zip entry**: Full rear zip with internal gusset panel to minimise water flushing

## The Good

- **Stretch is the standout feature**: The ultrastretch neoprene combined with trilastic panels creates a 5mm suit that barely registers as 5mm in terms of movement restriction. Female testers consistently rated the Flexa's flexibility as the best they had experienced in a suit of this thickness. Whether finning through kelp forests at Shelly Beach or manoeuvring through swim-throughs at Cook Island, the suit moves with you rather than against you - **Women's cut fits properly**: The adjusted proportions make a genuine difference compared to unisex alternatives. The shoulders sit correctly without riding up, the waist follows the natural contour rather than hanging straight, and the hip area accommodates without excess material bunching behind the knees. For women who have always felt slightly wrong in a wetsuit, the Flexa's cut is a welcome change - **Sealed seams keep water out**: The glued and blind-stitched construction eliminates the cold seam lines that plagued earlier generations of wetsuits. In cooler water at Portsea or Port Noarlunga, the absence of cold stripes along the legs and sides is immediately appreciated - **Infrared lining adds genuine warmth**: Compared to a standard nylon-lined 5mm suit, the infrared lining provides a noticeable warmth buffer. It does not transform the suit into a 7mm equivalent, but it extends comfort in cooler temperatures by perhaps one or two degrees before supplementary insulation becomes necessary - **Build quality matches the men's version**: Everything that makes the men's Flexa well-constructed applies here — precise panel alignment, consistent seam bonding, smooth zip operation, and durable neoprene quality. This is a suit built for longevity - **Lower price than the Pioneer**: At $737 compared to $835, the Flexa delivers very similar performance for nearly $100 less. Unless the Pioneer's specific fit characteristics suit your body better, the Flexa represents the smarter purchase

## The Bad

- **Still expensive by any reasonable measure**: At $737, the Flexa Women's costs more than many divers' entire equipment budget for a season. The performance is genuine, but the price will exclude many female divers who would benefit from a premium suit - **Ultrastretch neoprene compresses more at depth**: The same flexibility that makes the suit comfortable on the surface means it compresses more readily at depth, reducing insulation. At 25 to 30 metres, you may notice the suit feels thinner than a less flexible 5mm alternative would at the same depth - **Back-zip is less convenient than chest-zip for solo divers**: Women who frequently dive without a buddy to help with zip-up will find the rear zip challenging to manage alone. The long zip pull helps, but it still requires shoulder flexibility or a creative use of a fence post at the car park - **One-piece torso insulation has limits**: Compared to a two-piece suit offering overlapping 10mm coverage across the chest, a single-layer 5mm suit — even with infrared lining — provides less core insulation. Women who feel the cold particularly in the torso may find a two-piece configuration warmer despite losing the stretch advantage - **Colour and design options are limited**: The Flexa Women's comes in a small selection of colourways. Female divers who prefer more variety or brighter colours for visibility will find the options restrictive - **Requires proper maintenance to protect the investment**: Premium neoprene, sealed seams, and infrared lining all benefit from thorough fresh-water rinsing, wide-hanger drying, and UV-free storage. Neglecting care will shorten the lifespan of a suit that costs this much

## Verdict

The Mares Flexa 5mm Women's Wetsuit sits in a sweet spot for female divers who want premium performance without stepping up to the Pioneer's top-shelf price. The ultrastretch neoprene delivers the best flexibility we have tested in a women's 5mm suit, the sealed seams and infrared lining extend its effective temperature range, and the women's-specific cut addresses the fit issues that unisex suits inevitably create.

For most female divers in temperate Australian waters — diving regularly from the NSW coast down through Victoria and across to South Australia in conditions above 14 degrees — the Flexa Women's is the better value than the Pioneer and a substantial upgrade over mid-range alternatives. It is particularly well-suited to divers who prioritise freedom of movement and comfort in the water. Just be prepared to invest the care it deserves to protect a $737 piece of equipment.

**Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars**