Help with wife's new Drysuit

[victorzamora]

So, concerning size....she's just tried it back on. She's definitely on the larger side of it, but it fits her very well. We pulled the skin off, and she definitely has some slack all around. I gave her the option to sell it and get another one. She said she wouldn't mind trying on the next size up, but she would probably choose the one she has.

Did you ever consider that she does not want to keep doing cold-water diving? That she is doing it only to please you.

She's definitely NOT into cold water diving....but she's happy to dive water down to about 65F. Her old wetsuit was great, but now that it's bit the bullet she wanted a drysuit. She was wearing her 7mm SemiDry in the Keys (72F) and was chilly. She decided she wanted a drysuit (due to both comfort and warmth) but didn't want to spend much on it. I found an INCREDIBLE deal on a Fusion, and she told me to get it for her. Also, she is NOT the kind of person that would be dragged into anything she didn't want to do. Part of why she likes diving is because she gets to do it with me, and she's not as addicted as I am, but she's definitely wanting this for her own reasons.

Tracy, I offered her a course and she doesn't want to go that route as the shop around here is pretty useless (the guy sucks, like we can't stand him). I might bring up GUE, as I didn't realize it was an option. Also, Smart Wool is exactly what I was talking about!! I read through the Santi manual, and we went over everything and said she knew all of it.

flots, you're right about that. I was just hoping for some good undergarment ideas that aren't super bulky.

herr, that's what we ended up doing and we got good results from it. Her range of motion is more limited than her in just a bathing suit, but no more so than her last wetsuit. Honestly, no more limited than mine in my drysuit. Also, the 4E stuff isn't "a little pricey".....it's crazy expensive. If we were going on an Antarctic diving expedition, we'd spring for it. Short of that, I'm wondering if they're stitched with 24k thread!

 

[TSandM]

For UG with minimum bulk, I'd recommend the Thermal Fusion. The other option, depending on the water temperatures you're looking at, would be the White's MK2. For equivalent insulation in other sport garments, you're going to be looking at a) more thickness and b) having to carry more weight to sink it.

 

[Ouvea]

The Thermal Fusion is probably the warmest of the "lighter weight" undergarments that you will find. It's warmer than the Fourth Element Arctic and Hollis 100AUG undergarments that I previously owned. It also provides excellent mobility and range of motion. One drawback of the two layer Fusion design is that it tends to bunch up the inner layer. This does restrict your movements a bit. Per TSandM's recommendations, before I dive, I close the dump valve and inflate my drysuit. I squat down and stretch a few times and it distributes the inner layer evenly. This gives me full range of motion. As I squat down the, air bleeds through my seals, and in essence, I have just burped the suit. Of course, re-open the exhaust valve before you dive. This maybe what your wife perceives as a size limitation in the suit.

At 5'5, the Small/Medium fits me fine. I think it would fit someone to 5'7 max.

 

[buddhasummer]

Whites 2XS/XS is supposed to fit 5'1"-5'5" the SM/MED 5'5"-5'9". I'm just under 5'8" and the SM/MED fits fine height wise but I'm very skinny so is a little baggy. The 2XS/XS fits fine weight wise but is to short. Can't say I loved the fit at all was like wearing a rubbish bag, YMMV.

 

[eponym]

I dive the Fusion Bullet, for many years I dove the Whites Nexus (no strtetchy outer layer).

On the question you asked about layering, I wear a thin polypro top and bottom under my thermals. I bought them for rafting decades ago. And I add a wool sweater vest* if the water's colder than low 50s. These don't take up much space, add warmth, and keep me warmer while suiting up and during surface intervals.

Hope that helps,
Bryan

* Sweater vests, for some reason, make my granddaughters giggle uncontrollably.

 

[victorzamora]

Buddha, that's exactly the situation my wife is in. The only dimension in which the 2XS/XS is too small is height, but only by an inch or two. There's PLENTY in the other dimensions.

Lynne, thanks for that. I'll look those up and see what we come up with.

Thanks for all of the help, guys.