Oh boy..
This thread is the best.
I have had experiences with my wetsuit too. Now, I have a freediving wetsuit, which in other words pretty much means tight and form fitting. And it's not even those thick ones, it's 3mil.
So anyway, I had been waiting for weeks for my suit to arrive. So when it does, I grab it and immediately jumped into the toilet to try it on.
My suit is open cell on the inside and smoothskin on the exterior. Without soap and/or water, it is impossible to put the suit on. The open cell is too tacky without lubrication. Also, because the neoprene is unlined, it is very fragile.
After reading horror stories of how other freedivers tore their 3 mil suits without much effort, I was afraid I'd tear mine too. So as a safety precaution, I used a
little too much shampoo to help get the suit on. And of course, the suit went on easy.
Now I had to get it off. The suit was tight and I was beginning to feel uncomfortable. I reached down to the bottom of my top and try to pull it up, but I simply couldn't, as it was too slippery with shampoo and my hand kept slipping off.
After about 10 tries, I start panicking. I used my common sense and proceeded to the shower head to rinse away all the excess shampoo. Sucess. I grab the bottom edges of the top and proceeded to pull it up. The shower is still running, and as I pull the top up, naturally it collects water.
I thought, well that's ok, since it is recommended to put water in that moat created as you pull the top off to help lubricate the suit for easier doffing. It didn't turn out to be very helpful.
As I was about to yank the top off, suddenly it would move no further. The top has an intergrated hood, and the neck area is getting held back by my chin. So here I am, with top halfway off, and my face is immersed in the water that has collected. I cannot breathe. I try to bring the top back down, and realise my arms are stuck in that position because of the tight suit.
So I panicked, again. I'm stuck, my face is immersed in water so I cannot scream, and I'm running out of breath. Now, mind you, I had already been submerged in that moat of water for 2 mins already. I can only hold my breath for 5, and that's when I'm not panicking.
I had no strength left from all the wrestling with the suit, so I could not just rip it apart with brute strength. With all my options exhausted and being on the verge of a blackout, I wriggled as hard as I could, and by some miracle, the top just popped over my head and I was free. Water splashed everywhere and I gasped for air.
Never in my life had I been so close to death. To think it would could have been by wetsuit is pretty embarassing and strange.
