Brian, you are comparing apples to oranges here. Neos last way longer than breathables but breathables are way more comfortable to use. That is why the majority of the waders you see on the river nowadays are breathables. Many years ago I used neos and sure they lasted years and years of use and abuse. After wearing breathables, I hardly touch my neos anymore. The two are not comparable IMHO.
They say there are two kinds of breathable waders, the ones that leak and the ones that are going to leak. Just can't get around that. You have a choice to spend lots of money on breathables that will last longer or go the less expensive route and hope they last longer than one year. All the breathables that I've owned eventually leaked. Some after one year, some after two or three. The important thing is to go with a brand that stands behind their product and has a good return/repair policy. Make sure you get your waders properly fitted (improper fitting is a common source of many leaking problems) and maybe have a backup pair around so you won't be left without a pair while your waders are being returned/repaired.