Channel Islands Appropriate Wet Suit

[Rich (UTAH)]

My family and I have planned another scuba diving trip to California's Channel Islands in June. The last time we went, we rented a farmer john w/non-attached hood for my son to wear. He is very tall, 6'5" and rather thin, 190 lbs. Needless to say, he was a difficult fit for the local dive shops. He didn't have as much fun as he would have like due to water sloshing around in his loose fitting suit. It makes things cold quick.

We are headed back again and he's contemplating getting his own wetsuit, but being tall and thin he doesn't have a lot of off the rack options. He's thinking he wants to get his own. One of our local dive shops here recommended a 7mm Xcel suit and a hoody would work 'off the shelf' for him. Xcel is the only brand they have that carries a TALL version of their standard suits. The dive shop has been impressed with Xcel's workmanship and quality of construction and materials. I don't know enough about wetsuits to know if there isn't a better option out there. Most of our diving will take place in So Cal, where we have relatives.

Any input out there regarding Xcel wetsuits? Would he be better off getting a 'custom' suit? Any recommendations there? Perhaps combined with a hooded vest?

Any recommendations out there would be appreciated. He is a college student, and as such, has to keep reasonable tabs on his $$.

Thanks,

Rich (Utah)

 

[merxlin]

Look into Pinnacle wetsuits (size chart). The lg tall should fit and Pinnacle's are 25% off at Scubatoys right now. You can also call them (Pinnacle) and they should be able to make a size suggestion.

 

[tc]

I think Bare also has tall sizes, I have one and it's warm. During the summer I use it with a hooded vest in Socal, during winter I like my drysuit.

 

[CompuDude]

At 6'3", 180#, I can relate to your son's issues.

I'll say this, first off: Xcel makes great suits, and there is a good chance my next wetsuit will be an Xcel.

That said, Bare also makes good suits (in tall sizes, too), so don't think Xcel is the only option.

Now that I've said all that, your son may want to take a serious look at a custom suit. Xcel's tend to be VERY expensive, and there is a really good chance you can get a custom suit that fits even better for the same you're looking at spending now.

For custom, I would look at LiquidFit and WetWear. Both are well-regarded, the latter has an incredible rep for cold water divers since they are the only ones that still can make you a suit from the best neoprene on the planet, Rubatex.

I'll say this, however, about off the rack. I'm sure everyone is different, but I can say this. Bear in mind I have a relatively short trunk and long legs to reach my height. I first look for a suit that fits in the body, and ignore any issues with the legs. They're simply expected to be short. Fitting in the body is most important part. My suit is definitely short on me in the legs. I frequently have a 1/2" strip of exposed skin at the bottom of my wetsuit's legs, before the tops of my booties start. I suppose I could probably find taller booties, but in all honesty, that part of my legs is not especially sensitive to cold, so I don't worry about it.

Hope this helps, feel free to let me know if I can answer any questions.

 

[orangelion03]

Another alternative for custom suits is JMJ here in SoCal.

You could try a mix-n-match off the shelf farmer john combo, which is what my dive buddy is doing with Henderson components. Go for the best jacket fit you can, then fit the farmer john. I'm fortunate that I'm pretty much an off-the-rack fit, but I'm considering a custom fit one-piece for summer (2 months ) and drysuit backup.

 

[CompuDude]

Agreed, JMJ is also good, but I did not recommend them since the OP is in Utah, and I've not heard as many glowing reports about JMJ's suits from people who tried to order over the phone, vs. the people who live close enough to actually go into the shop. LiquidFit and WetWear both have extensive experience fitting people remotely. Perhaps JMJ does as well, but if so, I haven't heard that reputation.

 

[Nikolai]

I second the Pinnacle recommendation.

I had the same problems. I am 6'4" 195lbs and had a hard time finding a good fitting suit. I have a Pinnacle 7/5mm in size XL (not tall) that fits like it was made just for me. Which surprised me as I have long legs and thought I would need a tall. Seems well made also.

Nick