Cutting wrist and leg seals on a wetsuit

[Bobmarley]

My girlfriend has a Waterproof Aeris wetsuit (Aeris - Waterproof) and it fits her great but the only problem is that rolling the sleeves under like you do with a semi-dry is a big problem. They are just way too long and we were thinking about cutting them.

Our LDS where we bought the suit suggests that we just cut it and at the most take a flame and try to seal up where the welded seam is so the stitching does not unravel. We thought that was a reasonable idea but we wanted to see if there were any other ideas on this topic out there since we dont want to wrecklessly cut up a wet suit that is no more than 6 months old.
Thanks!

 

[scubadiver888]

My girlfriend has a Waterproof Aeris wetsuit (Aeris - Waterproof) and it fits her great but the only problem is that rolling the sleeves under like you do with a semi-dry is a big problem. They are just way too long and we were thinking about cutting them.

Our LDS where we bought the suit suggests that we just cut it and at the most take a flame and try to seal up where the welded seam is so the stitching does not unravel. We thought that was a reasonable idea but we wanted to see if there were any other ideas on this topic out there since we dont want to wrecklessly cut up a wet suit that is no more than 6 months old.
Thanks!

My wet suit arms and legs are a few inches too long. I just roll them up rather than tuck them in. I asked at my dive shop and they said you could do it but they look really bad after a while. I was at another shop recently and he said he knows someone who could tailor it for me. She is just a regular tailor but she'd apply the same techniques, e.g. cut it but leave a half inch, tuck the half inch under then stitch it all the way around. It would be just like hemming a pair of pants but it is neoprene.

I plan on buying a better wet suit and having my current as a backup/pool suit. Once I have a new one I'll give tailoring the old one a shot.

 

[*Floater*]

NOOO! Don't do it! Those fold-in seals are necessary to minimize the water exchange in the suit. A tad more effort to don the suit is a small price to pay for the greater warmth those fold-in seals provide. Now if they are way too long even when doubled over (smooth side against skin) then cut the excess off, but not the whole seal. If the suit is too hot on a particular dive, then try folding the seal-out (on top of the regular sleeve and zipper) instead of under itself. Besides, wetsuits tend to loosen up over use; if she cuts it now she may regret it 50 dives down the road as cold water flushes in through the cuffs and replaces the water inside the suit that her body has already warmed up. Just my 2psi.