"Big girl" needing advice

[lulubelle]

I live in Ecuador. In Jan. 09, President imposed an up to 300% import tax on luxury items. To say you can't buy anything here is an understatement. I used to 'shop' for gear by checking out what divers coming to the Galapagos were using. It was the only way I had to see things in person, not just photos online. I have now ordered 2 wetsuits and neither one fit. The Pinnacle Elastiprene in 2 XL (I'm 5'8" with DD) was waaayyyy too big, but a female DM in the Galapagos was thrilled. She is very big...at least 5'11" and pretty heavyset. The Pinnacle fit her perfectly. I next went with a ScubaPro Everflex XL. Way too tight. Sold it to a dive shop after 3 dives. The Pinnacle suit truly does stretch at a price lower than the Henderson. ScubaPro 'everflex' I began to call 'neverflex'. In men's suits, I find the arms to be about double the size of mine in a Large suit. And no one here to take them in, otherwise that might be my choice. Still, I'd check the Pinnacle for your build.

Thanks for posting your experience with different brands of wetsuits. I wonder if the Henderson Hyperstrech (or whatever they call the new one) would work for you? I'm 2 inches taller than you, bustier than you (not sharing on an open forum), am all leg (36" inseam), etc. My problem is that I have a small frame for my height, small ankles, slim limbs, smaller than expected torso size, etc. I'm wearing a 12L in the Henderson Hyperstretch but the legs are still too short and don't fit well to my ankle, so I lose thermal protection there. But otherwise it fits well. I had actually thought about trying the everflex, but from your description, it sounds like it might fit some places and not others leaving pockets for air to get trapped in. I may give the Pinnacle a try if they have a long.

 

[silvernotch]

so I tried on a Henderson wetsuit the other day in preparation for my OW class next week. Now it fit me great everywhere but around my neck. It was a men's suit so it obviously isn't fitted for my large chest and I felt like it pulled down around my neck a little. I think it'll be fine for the class and the checkouts but I def think I'll have to get some kind of women's suit for my future diving.

 

[Tom Winters]

Not to butt in here, but you will most likely be easier to fit with a backplate and a Hogathian harness. Suitwise, I bet that an XL men's drysuit would fit you pretty ok since they have extra space in the chest area to maybe better accomodate your uh... well, let's just say that the twins might be ok in there.
John over in Norristown, PA at Northeast Scuba Supply, a little westward past Philly, can kit you up right so you only have to buy your stuff once and maybe get some pre-banged up stuff and save a few shekels.
If you were closer, I'd loan you an XL to try, but he has some there plus a pond to get wet in.
Good luck with all this. Especially the quarry stuff.