I would like to hear from overweight female divers...

[SHPWRCKDVR]

Sitting here reading all the posts, I'm getting an idea how my wife must have felt when she first got into diving. To risk having happen to me, what happened to Custer at the Little Big Horn (male posting in a womens forum) here goes. My wife is not Twiggy, she is 5'5" with an average (pear shaped figure), she became very frustrated with how off the rack wet suits fit, but with how she looked in them as well. She had a suit custom made with the colors she found flattering to her figure. When we go diving, she no longer has issues with how the suit fits, or how she looks in it. It may have cost a few dollars more, but it was well worth it. (Btw, she now enjoys when people make comments on her wet suit!)

 

[TheRedHead]

You don't think the Twiggy's of the world don't have a problem with their wetsuits either? How many dive shops carry a 6 or 8 Tall? Women's figures come in several shapes.

 

[ChrisA]

There are 2 people sitting in a room. The first guy is a fat, fraternity type (my blubber). The second is a skinny, nerdy type (my brain and other CNS parts). Someone brings a case of beer (nitrogen) in the room and leaves them to it. Now, if the fat guy drinks 18 beers, there are only 6 left to get the skinny guy drunk (bent). Lets face it, if the fat guy wasn’t there and there was an in shape fellow in his place, the nerd would have to drink 12 beers and declare himself s-h-i-t-f-a-c-e-d (better chance of getting bent).

It don't work like that. In your story there are only so many beers to go around. A better analogy would be: "... Someone brings 100 cases of beer into the room..."

What happens is the blood fills up with nitrogen first and then the nitrogen moves from the blood to other tissues. The fat can't soak it up first. Any nitrogen that is "soaked up" gets instantly replaced the next time you take a breath. You have a big nitrogen supply strapped to your back, the stuff is not in limited supply.

 

[kchFLA]

You don't think the Twiggy's of the world don't have a problem with their wetsuits either? How many dive shops carry a 6 or 8 Tall? Women's figures come in several shapes.

That's the problem they don't account for height. Petite stops after size 10. So because I'm over size 10 I can't be short. Or I can only be short if I'm a 10 or less.

I got a dive skin and a 3 mil shorty. With the warm water I can get away with the skin and the extra at the ends doesn't create as much bulk. For the springs I throw on the shorty. The shorty probably covers more of me than an average height person. Between the two I do ok.

As for what I look like. By the time its on I'm so ready to be under the water and diving that I don't even think about that. And I think the people on the beach don't pay attention to what I look like as much as that I'm trudging along with dive gear or the occassional six inch sand dollar.

 

[SHPWRCKDVR]

I sit corrected, the Twiggy's of the world may have the same problem getting a suit that fits. A thousand humple apologies. All I ment was, sometimes a custom made suit might be the best way to go, if an off the rack one does not fit or look good. (See, I knew that I was stepping into dangerous territory before I even typed this post.)

 

[almitywife]

ahhh. someone refreshed my fav rant... morning team

as Red said earlier... well the child is now a very tall and slim 13yrs old and wears aussie size 8 or 10 (dont know the US sizing) and is going to need at least a size 16womans wetsuit this summer, which btw is the BIGGEST size LDS seem to carry!!!... this is nuts!

hubby has 30 discover scubas today (from a recent weekend expo free try dives) and apparently 5 of the ladies rang to back out because the idea of pool and wetsuit turned them off.. they are apparently buxum ladies but hubby is going to take a few of my suits (buxom to fat custom made) to see if that will help them feel better about gettiing in the water. of course in finding out the problem and discussing my suits got them to feel a bit better to agree to come in today as well.

i suppose one thing to be thankfull for are these new stretchy suits! they dont seem to last as long if stretched to the max but they do the job without too many tears (can you tell i got my eye on one of them for myself this summer!)

 

[TexasRTR78]

Well, I just ordered my first wetsuit from Divetank.com....a Bare Velocity Progressive Stretch 3ml full suit...I decided on a Bare because I can buy "off the rack" and it actually fit...I am not a typical size so the Henderson suit would had to have been a custom job...anyhow, looking forward to trying it on and hope that it lives up to what I have been reading about these suits...we'll see!

Angela

 

[TexasRTR78]

Ok gals, I am here to tell you that the Bare Velocity Progressive Stretch 3/2 full suit is a G-R-E-A-T wetsuit for us "plus size" gals!!!! It fits like a glove yet stretches in the places you need some give...I bought the 14+ and I am 5' 6" and 185ish and this size was the closest "off the rack" suit I have seen in my measurements...anyhow, just wanted to share this tid bit of info with yall.

Angela

 

[santafejoe]

Ladies, Ladies,Hey i am a guy and i was reading all these posts about being over weight and so on. Ok you may not be a Super Model or a Twiggy but you are Ladies and my Hat is off to you all for talking about this over weight subject. Remember ladies beauty is only skin deep it s what s in side that counts. Trust me you have what counts. Your boyfriends,husbands etc should be proud of you all for who you are.

 

[SurferChick78]

Hey Poodles, I'm 5'4" and overweight as well. But when I'm out diving on a boat (or anywhere) I'm just too into the fun to worry about what other people think of me. I wear pajama pants or a sarong with a T-shirt on the boat over my swimsuit. The only bothersome thing I find is trying to find a comfortable wetsuit. There are several custom sites on the internet. My advice: invest in one! And forget about what any pompus inconsiderate buttmunch has to say! You're out there doing something you love. And you should never let anyone make you feel badly about that!

And enjoy Coz! I was there last summer and I can't wait to go back! It's beautiful! Enjoy & Post your pics!

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"Work like you don't need the money, Love like you've never been hurt, and Dance...like no one is watching"