"Loose" wetsuit question

[Bratface]

I think you needed one size down in the Henderson for a better fit and to keep water out. Wearing a skin underneath may make it more cozy for you. I agree, though, the Henderson hyperstretch is one of the most comfortable suits ever made.

 

[spectrum]

A few thoughts on the above....

A wetsuit need not be a stressful chore to done and doff. With good fit and technique it's several pleasurable minutes while chatting with your dive buddies. If you become stressed from the heat as you get into the suit put a liter of water down your collar. It's an amazing heat dissipater and it will prime your suit for the dive.

A skin tight suit with a hint of compression that makes you look like a super hero is what you are shooting for. The op has described some looseness but to me it is not clear if it's baggy in terms of length or diameter. A little looseness due to him having proportionally short legs for instance is not half the problem as the suit being loose "all around". If you can see the imprint of the suit stitching on your skin after the dive that is a good indicator that it is tight enough.

For most of the world there is not a neighborhood neoprene capable tailor, let alone one that is dive suit savvy. If you have such a resource consider yourself lucky.

A good many divers that own wet and dry suits prefer to dive wet, conditions permitting.

For all I hear about the Hyperstretch suit I suspect the OP has a body proportion issue. This is not an insult or a slam, I for instance am long in the torso. It is for this reason that Bare offers long short and tall cuts in many of their sizes. The areas of bunching and the armpit comment suggest to me that the OP needs a short version of an adequately sized suit.

We have our share of custom wetsuit experience. If by trying other brands you can walk out with a suit that fits then it is a done deal, bada bing bada boom. If a search determines that the right suit is not on someone's rack then get a custom suit that fits correctly.

Pete

 

[D_B]

A thought .. I can get a loose fit behind my knee, and under my arms in my "almost too tight" Akona 7mm .. It all depends on how I pull up around those areas, I find that if I am careful (... don't stretch it so much before knee, stretch it at the knee) I can get it to fit without wrinkles even with a bent knee

 

[Notso_Ken]

Have you tried a dry suit? 7-8 mm of neoprene, as other posters have noted, is really in dry suit territory.

Yes, I have a dry suit, in addition to my 7mm 2 pc wetsuit. (and a 3mm suit as well). I find the dry suit no warmer in the water than a properly fitting wetsuit.

However, in cold weather, the cold surface interval is what makes the difference with a dry suit.


Ken

 

[leabre]

@Spectrum: What you say is indeed insightful. My body is good proportion except my belly is a bit large. The suit is not loose all around. Only in very specific locations. The loose part around my belly seems to be right underneath where my "buldge" ends and the the rest of my "normal" for meet, thus, the hyperstetch isn't tight enough to connect skin all around. My Excel does this because it is so tight that my belly is pushed into my stomach (which is probly why I feel anxious when I'm in it, I can nearly not breath). (BTW: I'm only 20 lbs over weight and it's all in my belly, but I've lost about 20 lbs there since starting ADP).

Where I have slack at armpits and behind knees, actually works to my advantage, I am much more flexible those spots and so far in this warm california weather (66*F) I'm very warm and comfortable.

I do not appear to have suit marks from the suit hugging my skin, but the suit fit nicely. Yes, its a bit tight, but not constricting and not loose. I tried many wetsuits before settling on the Henderson. It is just such a chore to get into non-stretchies; I couldn't take it. I'm ready for something "easy" for a change. I'll be getting an 8mm for winters if I don't go semi-dry. I prefer wet (for now).

I thought about getting it tailored (BTW: scuba.com is across from where I work so I went there and tried a bunch of suits over the week). They also are the only place within driving distance !80 miles) that I couldn find that had Henderson is appreciable variety. Oh, tailored. I don't think I need to. Where I keep my weight belt holds tight the slack I speak of.

Also, between the suit and the BP/w I just took 10 lbs off my belt and still feel a bit negative. My Excel, even with a 20lbs belt (it was 8mm integrated hood that I never use), I was always wanting to float. It was really annoying me after 50 dives it just was getting old. I'm now at 10 lbs and feel heavy but I have perfect bouyance and trim finally, even on near empty tank at 12 feet I have perfect control. I believe the wetuit is part of it, I might try my old wetsuit with this rig to see. I will use it for cold dives until I find a suitable replacement.


Thanks