Custom wetsuits! Good idea???

[SeaHound]

Id like to get a 3mm full suit custom made. I dont have exaggerated built and I was told that unless you have a bulging gut or are 7 foot tall a custom wetsuit is not going to feel much different than an off the shelf suit. Thoughts? opinions?

 

[RAWalker]

I thought that I was going to need a custom suit myself after trying on a number of different manufacturers suits. I was looking for a 7mm at the time and most suits are very unforgiving of a gut. During my search I was finally directed towards Hyperstretch and superstretch material. Even in 7mm thickness I was able to find a few suits that fit well. In thinner material such as 3mm superstretch and hyperstretch material give more easily and should be quite comfortable and much less expensive than a custom suit.

 

[The Chairman]

Call Connie from WetWear: You WON'T be sorry! I just love mine! Check out Welcome to Wetwear - Custom Wet Suits of Rubatex Neoprene for Scuba Diving and All Water Activities

 

[fisheater]

I couldn't find anything that fit me off the rack.

I ended up getting a custom 7 mm semi-dry farmer john from www.aqua-flite.com for LESS than an off-shelf FJ without a hood. I ordered it on a Monday and received it by Friday that week.

Fit is awesome and it's kept me very toasty, even in Monterey Bay in the winter. I highly recommend Aqua-Flite.

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

Oh man, a custom fit is not really neccesary, but it feels great! They really aren't any more costly than stock fits. I have very muscular quads and calves(nationally ranked gymnast and then weightlifter..) And, as a result, stock wetsuits that fit my legs, bag out around my waist and are too long in the torso. Plus, there is not womens size that I can do, really. Custom was a Godsend.
Now, you may be average prportioned and just want that perfect for you fit. It's really a personal choice. One is not better than the other.

 

[HBDiveGirl]

I'm 5'8", 150 lbs, wearing women's medium for most active wear.

I've always purchased stock-sized 3mm wetsuits and been very happy with them. I'm using them in more forgiving water temperatures, and the material is stretchy enough to be comfortable and warm enough.

I've always purchased custom 7mm suits because off-the-rack 7mm suits made with durable neoprene have never fit me well. If they fit snug enough to be warm, it's a wrestling match to get into the suit. No fun. If a stock suit is easy to get on, it's cold due to water moving around. No fun. I'm also using 7mm suits in colder water and I have to stay warm to have fun. Areas of the suit that are stretched too tight offer less insulation. Areas that are loose allow cold water to move around

My custom JMJ suits (Torrance, California), and well made, durable, and warm for more than 300 dives.

A word of caution with the Henderson hyperstretch.
If you dive often, this wonderfully soft material compresses and wears out much faster than suits made of less stretchy neoprene. After 100 dives in cold water, friends with Hendersons start getting colder as the neoprene insulates less. Suits from O'Neil, Bare, Pinnacles, JMJ etc.. continue to offer real insulation for 300 dives and often more.

You can't beat the Hyperstretch for comfort in the store.
But it's different after that first 100 dives.

~~~~
Claudette

 

[spectrum]

If an off the rack suit fits well then it will work well. Between the many brands some of which have a wide range of sizes, Bare for 1 many divers can get well suited off the rack.

I have been down the custom road a number of times and it's no panacea. Plan on shipping it back for a round of adjustments. We're 4 for 4 on this working with 2 different suppliers. I'm sure the industry average is better but I have also seen friends need multiple remakes and reworks. If you are some place like Florida (Add some meat to your profile please!) where you can walk in and be measured by the maker and return for a fitting then it begins to be a much more attractive option.

Cost is no big deal, on par with a premium off the rack.

You do get better material control which may include high grade Rubatex material. Same for color however pattern flexibility varies the supplier.

A custom suit is a blessing to those who cannot be fitted off the rack.

At the end of the day if you walk into a shop, try it on, be satisfied with the fit and can walk out the done done with it I go that route in a heartbeat. Squeezing into a Hyperstretch or competitive version suit does not count as fitting if you expect to dive in any sort of cold water or expect the suit to last.

You are looking for a 3mm right now and I will say that fit is at least just as important on a light suit such as this. A poorly fitting 3mm can be almost worthless for repetitive diving even in tropical water.

Pete

 

[miketsp]

I couldn't find anything that fit me off the rack.

I ended up getting a custom 7 mm semi-dry farmer john from www.aqua-flite.com for LESS than an off-shelf FJ without a hood. I ordered it on a Monday and received it by Friday that week.

Fit is awesome and it's kept me very toasty, even in Monterey Bay in the winter. I highly recommend Aqua-Flite.

aquaflite
Custom Wetsuits, Scuba Diving Skins, Parkas from AquaFlite doesn't have a hyphen.

 

[drbill]

Custom wetsuits aren't entirely about better fit. The warmest wetsuit I've ever owned was a custom wetsuit, and it wasn't even created for me... I got it second hand. It was so warm that even after the legs fell off (after many years of use) it was still warmer than the off-the-rack wetsuit I bought to replace it. It had to do with the quality of the neoprene used.

 

[David P]

Dr. Bill, you sure it didn't have something to do with the amount of duct tape?

I am 6'4" with stubby legs and a long torso, and a 52" chest. Off the shelf wetsuits just don't happen for me. I had JMJ (same as Chica) custom make my wetsuit, a custom is nice as you can add ankle zippers (helps squeezing size 16 feet through), wrist zippers (didn't think about my dainty meat hooks), pockets, pads, all sorts of custom stuff. But the biggest bonus is when you are on a pitching boat and you just slip into you glove like fitting wetsuit and you can sit back and watch all your friends squirting conditioner, jumping around, stretching, falling over, and helping each other into their wetsuits.