Buying 1st wetsuit - looking for some advice

[samcraig]

Back when I first started diving (there was a long hiatus) - I didn't dive with a wetsuit at all (Grand Cayman, Bahamas, South Florida). I just wore shorts and a t-shirt. That was about 10 years ago.

Wife and I are off to Cozumel in July and for warm (since we're going on repeated dives) and for protection - wanted to get a suit. I was leaning towards a 3mm full body.

My "real" question is - does it really come down more to comfort/personal choice on which brand to get. Are there brands to stay away from? Material I should ONLY be considering? I've seen suits ranging from $60 - a few hundred. So just looking for a little guidance as to the reality of differences vs just looking cool or being upsold on something I don't really need.

Thanks!

 

[Paco II]

Comfort is a huge part of buying a suit. If it is uncomfortable/hard to get in to/hard to get out of/etc, you will never want to wear it, and it will take away from the enjoyment of your dives. Hit as many dive shops as you can or use an online store and try on as many different brands as you can. Go with your gut. If you feel like your struggling, skip it and move on to the next. Find one that fits well. Narrow it down to a handful, and then search here or on google for reviews of them.

 

[tstormdiver]

Comfort & fit are #1. It must fit snuggly to be effective, but not so tight that it severely restricts movement or breathing. I would stay away from surface wetsuits (for surfing, water skiing or jet skiing), as they are not desigend to compress at depth & then return to the normal thickness. Get one that is designed for diving. The foam cells will compress, but then will rebound back to their normal shpe after the dive.

 

[Sweeney79]

If you are not going in water too cold, consider a 3/2 wet suit. They really improve comfort without loosing too much insulation.

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