Back zipper or front zipper for a shorty wetsuit?
- Thread starter MerlinDV
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detroit diver
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Whatever floats your boat...
In warm water, it really doesn't matter much.
In warm water, it really doesn't matter much.
buff
Contributor
At first I had a concern about that too. That long string hanging from the back with all of its potential to get hung up on your BC or regulator. And then, there I was getting in the boat in Cozumel. I went to slide out of my BC by going underwater and somehow my westsuit pullcord got caught in my BC or regulator. My regulator was out of my mouth(mistake one) and I was sinking to the bottom quite rapidly(mistake two-novice with waaayyy too much weight on-BC not inflated). Instead of first securing my air source(regulator in mouth) I struggled-trying to get the cord from out of the BC trap. I think I went about 40 feet straight down before I realized that I was not gifted with gills. I franticaly searched for my regulator and found it right before I took a big breathe that would have drained all of the Caribbean!!!!
I learned many a rule on that dive trip-this the least of it(had to make a dive rescue-very scarey). I no longer have this kind of trouble cause I do everything to avoid it!
I learned many a rule on that dive trip-this the least of it(had to make a dive rescue-very scarey). I no longer have this kind of trouble cause I do everything to avoid it!
This is just a personal choice but I don't like back zipper wetsuits (I have back zipper shortie that I don't wear) for 2 reasons. First, I find that they make me feel like I am being choaked, maybe it was just too tight but I did not like the feel. The other reason is that I like to ability to unzip the wetsuit during the dive if I get too hot. I find that I can to some extent regulate my comfort level by adjusting the opening and by pulling it open and allowing some water to flush though the suit. Neither of which I can do easily with a back zipper. If you already have one from sking, give it a try, you may like it.
DiveMaven
Contributor
Personally, I wouldn't waste my money on a shorty and would go for a full suit right off the bat. Remember that besides warmth, a wetsuit provides "exposure protection". That means that not only do they keep you warm, but they also help prevent scrapes, stings, bites, etc., from the marine environment. All it takes is one dive with a few jellies to realize how important having your arms and legs covered is.
TerrapinWetsuits
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I know this thread was started a long time ago, but in case anyone else is interested, I own Terrapin Wetsuits, and we do zipper repairs, alterations, and custom wetsuits. I ALWAYS recommend a front zipper for scuba diving wetsuits (not for surfing). The reasons are many:
1) Neoprene stretches and zippers don't, so if your zipper is in the back, all the stretch from sitting, bending, etc... happens in that short space between the bottom of the zipper and the crotch seam, so the suit will wear out quickly in this area.
2) To allow for some stretch to happen, mass-manufactured suits have shorter area for the zipper in the back so they typicallly put in an 18" or shorter zipper (compared to a 22" or longer area for a front zipper). The longer the zipper, the easier it is to get in/out of the suit.
3) Pulling the pull cord too fast on a fully-opened back zipper can cause the zlider to catch on the flap under the zipper teeth. If you don't know that's happened, and jerk it some more, you may either tear the flap, or pull the slider completely off. While both are fixable, this hardly every happens on a front zip suit.
If you have trouble getting in/out of your back-zip suit, Terrapin Wetsuits can add a front zipper to an existing suit, so you can use both to open the suit and make doffing very easy.
Cheers, Chris Summers
1) Neoprene stretches and zippers don't, so if your zipper is in the back, all the stretch from sitting, bending, etc... happens in that short space between the bottom of the zipper and the crotch seam, so the suit will wear out quickly in this area.
2) To allow for some stretch to happen, mass-manufactured suits have shorter area for the zipper in the back so they typicallly put in an 18" or shorter zipper (compared to a 22" or longer area for a front zipper). The longer the zipper, the easier it is to get in/out of the suit.
3) Pulling the pull cord too fast on a fully-opened back zipper can cause the zlider to catch on the flap under the zipper teeth. If you don't know that's happened, and jerk it some more, you may either tear the flap, or pull the slider completely off. While both are fixable, this hardly every happens on a front zip suit.
If you have trouble getting in/out of your back-zip suit, Terrapin Wetsuits can add a front zipper to an existing suit, so you can use both to open the suit and make doffing very easy.
Cheers, Chris Summers
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