My first wet suit - fitment issues

[Matski]

I am planning to purchase my first wet suit and after days of browsing and lurking I decided to go with Henderson's Thermoprene Jumpsuit. Looking at the sizing chart makes me worried that the suit won't fit me properly. The problem is that I have an athletic body type, 5'10", 180 lbs, chest 42, waist 32. I would get a large size but I am afraid that it will be too loose in the waist area. Does anyone here have any experience with wet suit fitments for the athletic part of the population ?? I would really appreciate your help or suggestions.
Thanks in advance.

 

[wkyongae@aol.com]

My advice would be to go to your local dive shops (if there is more then one) and start trying on wet suits from whoever makes them if they sell more then one brand.

 

[robint]

My advice would be to go to your local dive shops (if there is more then one) and start trying on wet suits from whoever makes them if they sell more then one brand.

ditto......... a wetsuit has to fit TIGHT or it is useless. Those online sizing charts are not true. I wear completely different sizes in different manufacturers suits that say they have the same measurements. Also, torso length and leg length are factors in fit. Some suits are short legged but long torsoed. You HAVE to try them on. Once you find a brand and size that fits, you can buy more of it online most likely.
Another thing that I always bring up about wetsuits is that they are not all made the same and don't last the same. A wetsuit only last a certain number of dives before the neoprene gas bubbles start to compress without springing back out - meaning they don't last forever. The more you use a suit, the quicker it wears out. Get the best suit you can that fits you best. Don't buy a used suit or a cheap surfer suit either... they won't keep you warm.

Matski, you said that you are buying a thermoprene... are you diving in 80+ degree water only?

robin

 

[D_B]

Fit is everything .. you want it tight like a second skin, no wrinkles anywhere ... but not so tight that you can not breathe fully or it restricts your range of motion
Can only be done by trying it on



... about using the LDS as a fitting room to buy on line.. hope you give them the opportunity to give you a good price before you order elsware .. I would much rather deal face to face if they can come reasonably close

Henderson makes them in a 3mm, 5mm, or a 7mm fullsuit ..

 

[johnny_bravo]

Leisurepro.com has a "No-Pressure Fit Policy"...if you buy a wetsuit from them you can exchange it no problem and I believe they pay for the shipping.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[CODMAN]

I agree that trying it on is THE BEST way to make sure it fits right. Unfortunately, this is not always possible for some people who live far from dive shops... If you can't try them on, at least try to find a brand with extensive sizing options. I am generally your size (5'11'' and 185 lbs) with 32 waist. I use BARE suits since they fit me well, and not too expensive, and durable. They have a very extensive sizing chart (check it out: BARE Canada / USA Currency Selection). Even though they have extensive sixzing charts, I still tried them on at the dive shop to make sure I was comfortable. Definetly do this if you can...

Just another option!

 

[robint]

... about using the LDS as a fitting room to buy on line.. hope you give them the opportunity to give you a good price before you order elsware .. I would much rather deal face to face if they can come reasonably close

Henderson makes them in a 3mm, 5mm, or a 7mm fullsuit ..

I didn't say to use the LDS as a fitting room, I said once you find a suit that fits, you can get MORE online, meaning when that one wears out. Having worked in a dive shop for a long time, I am well aware of a**holes who use us as a fitting room. They even have the balls to say to me after I spend an hour fitting them that they are going to go home and find the suit that fits online. Excuse me? I give them a lecture about that afterwards, some buy the suit, some don't. I know however that many people don't care about getting wetsuits or booties or gloves online, heck, I have done it in the past. But I would never ever buy a BC or Reg online. And I don't go into a LDS and ask a clerk to spend time helping me with gear then leave emptyhanded. That is the reason most LDS are going out of business these days. I quit working at the LDS (along 2 other fulltime divers) recently for that reason - they just couldn't pay us to work 40 hrs a week and do all we were doing. They now have 2 part-timers who are very inexperienced whom they can pay minimum wage. It is the only way to keep the store open which is sad.

robin

 

[Matski]

Thanks for all of your replies. I was actually thinking about going to a LDS but I don't want to be that ahole that was there for an hour trying all that stuff on and in the end didn't buy anything. I wish I could just go into one of those stores and buy my stuff there, but personally and not to offend anyone, I don't know how they stay in business with their prices, just as an example, would you pay $95+tax for Big Eyes mask ??? I can buy the same thing online for less than $30 and pay a little bit more for shipping. I've talked to numerous people about scuba diving and most of them would love to try it but are turned off by local prices.

Going back to wetsuits, you guys made a lot of valid points, I am taking everything under considertaion. I will look into Bare brand, as I heard that their sizing is more what I am looking for.
For now I am looking for something thin, 3mm or so, so I can wear it on my trip to Belize, it's more for protection than warmth.

 

[dschonbrun]

D_B... I went to my LDS in NYC, Pan Aqua, to try on suits from Waterproof of Sweden. After trying them on, I asked if he'd match a price from another LDS (A-1 in Pennsylvania). He gave me a line about different states, and retail costs... Bull****, basically. I saved 100$ by buying from the other LDS... not even online. Whatever happened to giving retail staff the ability to negotiate in order to make a sale? I'm all for using an LDS to try on, and give them an opportunity to sell you the item at a good price, but I'm not willing to pay 100$ more than I know I can from another shop.

 

[biles]

Many of the online stores have local stores too. Depending on where you are, you might be able to go try on suits and get still get online prices.

I think the major point here is that you need to try it on. If it doesn't fit well, try something else.

Bob