I think they are all different

I have a sleeveless promotion I believe is 15 years old still fine

I have heard the ROKAs are fragile that has not been my experience

I have a maverick x with approx 60 pool swims and 6 races and no issues at all

Just rinse it off after use

8 years is a pretty good chunk of time that I don't have data on but I am getting close. Personally, I love a well-used, broken in suit and have repaired a few decent size rips.

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I have a Nineteen wetsuit which was very inexpensive, that I have been mostly using since 2008.

In the last 2 seasons I went back to using it after using something (much more expensive) else for two years, but which never was as comfortable or as fast. Times went back down instantly (I'm not fast, 26min Oly)). I never wash it, leave it in a shopping bag between races and it has a few nicks, I occasionally repair.

My well-abused wetsuit, an Xterra cheapo, is 9 years old. Lots of finger-related tears, and I patched a lot of them which makes it look quite beat up, but works great.

Not sure why your leg would tear off, that's not normal.

A key thing I learned though is to NOT store it folded in any way. Hanging on a clothes hanger is definitely the best. I left part of my wetsuit folded in half for several months on a shelf, and when I got back to it, there was a permanent crease with small tears in the substance, luckily not a problem, but I could see how that might become a rip spot if I had left it that way for longer.

I'm 4 years into an Orca 3.8.
Well looked after but also well used (I can use it through the Winter at a spring fed pool that remains 14 or 15C even when it's snowing).

Not failed yet but the shoulder/ under arm panels feel quite 'deterioriated' and almost perished (It's not perished but has almost that sort if feel).
Think I'll get this season out of it (esp. having lost 2 months OW swimming so far and no races) but expect it will die after that.

My suits tend to last 5-7yrs before some of the seams start to come unglued. It's of course going to vary based on how often you wear your suit and how you treat it.

One key factor is that neoprene dries out and becomes more brittle and rip-prone (think of a dry sponge....or that old mouse mat that is crumbling). Emilio De Soto recommends that at the beginning of each race season you soak your suit in the shower or tub and then let it air dry to restore the elasticity lost over the off season. Many wetsuit rips are due to putting on a dried out suit that has been sitting too long.
https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...suit%20soak#p5927741

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I think the key to making a suit last is how it's put on, being patient, slow and careful imo is the key. Every single bit of damage to my wet suit has been a direct result of my impatience. The darn things just don't go on like a nice pair of well fitted pants, if it did it would be useless.

Don’t hang them up. After years the seams sometimes needs a bit of glue, also pretty easy to fix a small tear from nail marks when putting on. All suits I have had have lasted years, my current one is 13 years old.

The life span is directly related to use. The more you use it, the shorter the life span. I really take care of my stuff, but due to Covid19 I've been doing a ton of ows with my Roka. It's getting a lot of use in all conditions. My ows has never been better, but invariably I know it's putting some wear on my wetsuit.