Sure, and if you were looking at it in terms of only using what's warmest, you'd just make the whole suit smooth skin. Durability is a factor, though, like you mentioned.
So you smoothskin the chest and back. Significant difference in warmth.
Also, with limestone neoprene not absorbing and retaining as much water as petro neoprene, the effect of evaporative cooling is already lessened.
Limestone neoprene (aka Geoprene) has been around for several decades now. Bong was using it, West was using it etc starting back around 2000. It's nothing new. It breaks down, just like any other neoprene and thus retains water.
Other than my own, I see very few suits looking dry with water rolling rolling off of them after 10 minutes in the water. That means the neoprene is absorbing water and evaporative cooling has started.
So there are other factors that need consideration versus just "what is warmest".
Agree. My point is manufacturers are being dishonest when they act as if smoothie is an outdated product.
Jerseyed neoprene has to be taken care of the same as smoothskin.
Smoothskin will crack and neoprene will suck water.
The consumer is less likely to notice the latter because there's less of a visual.
It's the same as when manufacturers act like thinner neoprene provides equivalent warmth as thicker neoprene due to new wetsuit tech. Totes bullshit.
Large scale wetsuit manufacturing is a race to the bottom
