Drysuit. Can I buy a very cheap used suit slightly big a couple inches?

[walkonmars]

Hi folks,

I'm looking at buying one of several used drysuits online that are sized medium but I'm actually a size "small-tall".
I weigh 145lbs and the medium suits from almost all manufacturers have medium sizes intended for people that are 150-175lbs, my height or 2 inches taller.
Also, the waist, hips and chest measurements are 2 inches bigger also. Inseam seems correct.
I suspect the arms, calves, thighs, biceps and forearms will be very loose.
These are all front entry, diagonal zip, trilaminates shells.

Will I be OK with suits in medium or should I just go with a custom?
I'm unsure since the a diver wears a lot of gear that covers up a lot of the upper body, anyway. So the waist, chest and hips may not matter since they are belted up tight.
Just the arms and legs being potential balloons I don't need. What if I wore dozens of rubber bands on my arms and legs? (OK, just kidding)

Thanks,
T

 

[RJP]

An ill-fitting drysuit is a bad idea from a comfort, convenience, and safety standpoint. Buying a "used/cheap" suit that doesn't fit will absolutely result in you spending more money in the long run... as you'll be replacing the cheap one very soon.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

An ill-fitting drysuit is a bad idea from a comfort, convenience, and safety standpoint. Buying a "used/cheap" suit that doesn't fit will absolutely result in you spending more money in the long run... as you'll be replacing the cheap one very soon.

Purely a question - if you buy a new DS - do you need to try it on for size? Or are new suits returnable from the Internet if it does not fit for a different size?

 

[RJP]

Purely a question - if you buy a new DS - do you need to try it on for size? Or are new suits returnable from the Internet if it does not fit for a different size?

Other than a snorkel, there is nothing in diving I would buy that I couldn't try first... or return.

As to returning internet drysuits... that's going to be seller-specific.

 

[walkonmars]

The suit would be returnable but not after a dive.
My point was that suits in general will fit a little big to give a person better mobility. But how much is too much? I'm also not after a "cave cut". I considered a custom USIA Techniflex but if they will arrive with slightly baggy arms and legs I would feel not so good to not have tried the used cheap suit. The options are "fitted" and "loose". How baggy is a custom suit with loose fit?
Like I said, the measurements for the used suit body are 2" big. I just worry the arms and legs will be more baggy than reasonable. Altering an ill-fitted used suit at the arms and legs may bring you to the price of the custom suit at the end anyway, right?

 

[RJP]

Altering an ill-fitted used suit at the arms and legs may bring you to the price of the custom suit at the end anyway, right?

If it can even be done effectively. Just like a tailor with a men's dress suit, alterations can enhance the fit of a drysuit that is the proper size... but don't expect to alter a suit that is the WRONG size to fit you.

Suits from all different manufacturers fit differently from each other and from their spec-sheet measurements. My first dry suit was a BARE that, according to their website should have fit me perfectly. It's didn't. Not even close. My current suit is off-the-rack DUI that fits me perfectly, even though their spec sheet says it shouldn't fit me well at all.

There's really no substitute for trying it on, and even diving it if you can. Anything else is a crap shoot.

 

[Jack Hammer]

...

Suits from all different manufacturers fit differently from each other and from their spec-sheet measurements. My first dry suit was a BARE that, according to their website should have fit me perfectly. It's didn't. Not even close. My current suit is off-the-rack DUI that fits me perfectly, even though their spec sheet says it shouldn't fit me well at all.

There's really no substitute for trying it on, and even diving it if you can. Anything else is a crap shoot.

Unfortunately, +1

 

[Stoo]

As others have said, being able to try a suit on is pretty important. Having said that, I have two friends who bought used suits successfully, and I have sold one on Ebay and never heard back from the guy...

Couple of thoughts (and I have been diving dry for over 35 years...)

* A bi/tri lam suit is much more forgiving than a neoprene suit.
* Too much length is especially problematic... a little extra girth usually isn't a big deal. Given you appear to pretty slim, presumably you might want to stuff some serious undies inside the suit... that takes room.

* Can you discuss with the vendor, the thought of returning it, at your expense?
* Can you you find a dive shop that carries similar suits to the used ones you could buy on-line?

Just be aware that most people won't sell a drysuit without a good reason. A good reason is usually that it's leaking or looking very worn and is probably getting close to leaking. Seams could be going. Zipper could be worn out, or close to it and a new zipper is HUNDREDS of dollars to replace...

In other words, there's lots of good reasons to shop new too...

Good luck~

 

[RJP]

Stoo - I hope you're not suggesting the OP use a local shop for "showrooming" suits he intends to buy used elsewhere. That's really pretty low. (Worse than doing that and then buying new online, because in the case of used, the shoo has essentially no chance of earning your business.)

 

[jscan1]

As others have said, being able to try a suit on is pretty important. Having said that, I have two friends who bought used suits successfully, and I have sold one on Ebay and never heard back from the guy...

Couple of thoughts (and I have been diving dry for over 35 years...)

* A bi/tri lam suit is much more forgiving than a neoprene suit.
* Too much length is especially problematic... a little extra girth usually isn't a big deal. Given you appear to pretty slim, presumably you might want to stuff some serious undies inside the suit... that takes room.

* Can you discuss with the vendor, the thought of returning it, at your expense?
* Can you you find a dive shop that carries similar suits to the used ones you could buy on-line?

Just be aware that most people won't sell a drysuit without a good reason. A good reason is usually that it's leaking or looking very worn and is probably getting close to leaking. Seams could be going. Zipper could be worn out, or close to it and a new zipper is HUNDREDS of dollars to replace...

In other words, there's lots of good reasons to shop new too...

Good luck~

i think lots of people sell very good suits used, for lots of reasons...they stop cold water diving, they stop diving, they need money. I found a dui clx 450 on eBay that probably had less than 10 dives on it, for $400, I called dui with the serial number, because it was a custom cut, and they gave me all of the measurements. The only measurement I would have changed was to get the neoprene socks an inch bigger! My dive buddy also dives a crushed neoprene dui he got on eBay for very cheap and it works perfect. One thing I did was ship mine off to dris for zip seals and a leak test, so all in for a little less than $900 I have one hell of a drysuit deal....don't make a drysuit rocket science, it needs to fit reasonably well , and be waterproof (aqua seal is very effective for minor leaks)