Drysuit Advice

[jpk]

Hi All,

I have a question on drysuit sizing, and in particular what to do about a drysuit that's just... baggy. I bought a new HOG drysuit (bilam) on sale at the scuba show this past May, and while I did send in my measurements to the dealer for a semi-custom cut, the thing is just super baggy on me. I'm pretty close to a standard M/L by the measurements, and indeed that's what they gave me with a little extra length, but there's a good 1-2 inches of extra material around the arms, waist and legs that makes it hard to control the air bubble and vent air (the suit actually folds back on itself at the vent and blocks it... not good).

So now that I've learned my lesson the hard way about mail-order drysuits in general... is there any way to salvage this suit other than send it in for (another round of) alterations? This is my first drysuit and I only have a handful of dives on it, but I'm thinking that the actual act of venting the suit shouldn't be that difficult to need a bunch of training -- lift arm and suit should vent, right? I can manage it OK by fiddling with the valve with my other hand, but that breaks down at about 10', and up to the surface I go.

Anyway, hoping for advice/tips/tricks from anyone who's been in (or secretly laughed at someone in

) a similar situation, even if it's just a sincere suggestion that it will be easier with training or experience. Thanks!

 

[skankpile]

I'm a DUI guy and I recommend going to a DOG event when it comes available. A little extra is good so you can maneuver with undergarments, but you need to specify what will be your purpose.. cave cut, standard, thick undergarments. A well fit cave cut DUI is quite a fine suit and prized possession.

If its baggy as heck, then you are lost... go head down, inflate, and see it it blows off your fins, or is too hard to recover; you may be able to get gators, but its just a workaround.

 

[ajduplessis]

Is that 1-2inches of extra material with, or without your undergarment?

 

[jpk]

I haven't had problems managing it head-down so far, it's more the venting out the arm valve that's causing me issues right now. The extra size is with my undergarment, which is currently just base layers and a polar fleece jacket (~ 200 wt), so not high-loft or anything like that.

I'm just diving it around SoCal right now, so no need for super thick UGs. I would like to take it to the east coast and great lakes at some point to go dive some wrecks (not penetration though), but I don't see needing to go to high-loft UGs in my near future.