low cost custom wetsuit solutions

[CT-Rich]

back in the day, there were custom wetsuits advertised for next to nothing in the back of dive magazines. You sent them the measurements and they would send you a simple wetsuit that was pretty fair custom fit. Nothing spectacular, but they fit.

My daughter is a pretty big girl and I would like to get her diving. But she is tall (6', 183cm) and heavy (215 lb, 98 kg). I am wondering if there are any suggestions on places to get them custom cut that would keep the price down. She is in college, so keeping expenses to a minimum would important, but I would really like to keep the numbers sane for the exposure suit (at least until we are done pay tuition costs...

 

[Chugwhump]

SoFla supplier.
Sometimes slow, but great work.
Welcome to Wetwear - Custom Wet Suits of Rubatex Neoprene for Scuba Diving and All Water Activities

Chug
Really needs a new wetsuit.

 

[AfterDark]

SoFla supplier.
Sometimes slow, but great work.
Welcome to Wetwear - Custom Wet Suits of Rubatex Neoprene for Scuba Diving and All Water Activities

Chug
Really needs a new wetsuit.

Whoa he said cost was a factor! Those are kinda pricey.

As far as I can tell the days of cheap anything are over.

 

[diveprof]

Another option. Not quite as expensive. Aquaflite Wetsuits - Custom Wetsuits

 

[Akimbo]

Low cost? Definitely Oceanos Wetsuits

E-mail Spiros and describe what you want. The web site is very limited. I have two of his suits and am pleased. Shipping is slow from Greece. Aquaflight is also reasonable.

 

[Nemrod]

I am just going to say that the suit made for me several years back by Wetwear was the worst waste of neoprene (G231) and dive gear money I have ever owned. The quality was poor, the construction was worse. The fit, wow. I sent in the measurements as per their request. The suit must have been made for somebody else because it clearly was not made for me. For one thing, the inseam was two inches too short. The shoulders were rounded instead of the suit coat design I requested and they agreed to make. This resulted in the shoulders being compressed restricting my breathing. The "gut" area surely was not made for me. I do not need extra material added in either the gut or butt.

And it was expensive. And the quality was amateurish being gracious.

N

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

Monterey Bay Wetsuits were the gold standard for Northern California divers for years. I personally owned 3 of them, as well as a custom neoprene drysuit of theirs. Dozens of my students and friends dove them and loved them. They really do fit like a glove.

While MBW is long gone, the person who ran that shop for years now runs Otter Bay Wetsuits. I would assume the fit and quality are the same as ever.

Otterbaysuits.com Homepage

 

[AfterDark]

Low cost? Definitely Oceanos Wetsuits

E-mail Spiros and describe what you want. The web site is very limited. I have two of his suits and am pleased. Shipping is slow from Greece. Aquaflight is also reasonable.

Does that suit have a beaver tail!? Cool, very retro.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I love my Wetwear suit but then I had them measure me at DEMA and didn't try to do it myself. And based on my hard to fit off the rack size any other custom would have cost as much if not more. I did get the cave wreck model with the G231N Neoprene and it fits like a glove.

---------- Post added December 22nd, 2013 at 04:49 PM ----------

Their standard easy on jump suit is no more expensive than a decent suit by any other mfg.

 

[Akimbo]

Does that suit have a beaver tail!? Cool, very retro.

All but one of my suits are farmer-johns with no-zip pullover jackets similar to the wetsuits freedivers wear. Not a matter of retro, they are warmer and more reliable.

Spiro will make one-piece back zip suits as well. Interesting though, the 2-piece was less expensive the last time he quoted.