Proper Wetsuit Fit Question

[Shangrl]

Hi, I recently bought a new wetsuit.. a BARE 3mm full and since I am new to diving, I am not sure about the fit...I cannot zip it up in back without help. Does this mean it is too small?The LDS thought it was a good fit but I don't want to have to ask the DM to zip me up every time I go out on the boat..haha
Plus, I am not sure I am totally sold on the BARE..not really figure flattering..any suggestions? Go Henderson? THE LDS said he wasn't a huge fan of Henderson as the stiching comes out alot but he says they are comfortable. I am about 5"4 and around 130 LBS.

 

[pipedope]

Do you have a pull strap on the zipper pull?
Without on you will probably need help.
With one you should be able to zip up yourself.

The suit should be 'snug' not *TIGHT*


Yes, sometimes the stitching comes loose on Henderson suits, but that is true of nearly all suits. If you spot it early, pull the thread tight, add a few stitches by hand and lock them in place with a dab of aquaseal it will last a long time.
My Henderson 3 mill lasted more than two years of commercial diving in inland Florida. Yes I did fix the seams a couple of times but once fixed they stayed fixed.

 

[Shangrl]

Ah. I think it is too snug then. I have heard that Bare suits run small. Any other suggestions for me other than Henderson? Thanks for your two cents.

 

[spectrum]

Hi, I recently bought a new wetsuit.. a BARE 3mm full and since I am new to diving, I am not sure about the fit...I cannot zip it up in back without help. Does this mean it is too small?The LDS thought it was a good fit but I don't want to have to ask the DM to zip me up every time I go out on the boat..haha
Plus, I am not sure I am totally sold on the BARE..not really figure flattering..any suggestions? Go Henderson? THE LDS said he wasn't a huge fan of Henderson as the stiching comes out alot but he says they are comfortable. I am about 5"4 and around 130 LBS.

As a general rule you don't want the zipper to be pulling more than 2 inches of stretch from your suit. Beyond that you risk a breathing restriction. Make sure that the suit is well up onto your shoulders so the zipper is poised to close the suit. Have a buddy help examine this for you. Arching back and holding the tab at the bottom of the zipper as you pull up on the lanyard can help a lot and I consider this normal technique. Also make sure you are not hanging up on the zipper sealing flap. If this happens back down a little, adjust the flap and take another shot at it.

In the end you must have full range of motion and the suit must not help you exhale.

If you can't come to terms with the above then it's the wrong suit. In addition to Henderson, Bare has a very extensive selection of sizes.

Pete

 

[Shangrl]

Thanks Spectrum. I think I will take the suit back in and try another one or another size on..the way it stands right now, if I were to try to zip it up myself, I'd lunge forward and fall off the dive boat and totally embarress myself.

 

[ChrisA]

Hi, I recently bought a new wetsuit.. a BARE 3mm full and since I am new to diving, I am not sure about the fit...I cannot zip it up in back without help. Does this mean it is too small?The LDS thought it was a good fit but I don't want to have to ask the DM to zip me up every time I go out on the boat..haha
Plus, I am not sure I am totally sold on the BARE..not really figure flattering..any suggestions? Go Henderson? THE LDS said he wasn't a huge fan of Henderson as the stiching comes out alot but he says they are comfortable. I am about 5"4 and around 130 LBS.

First off feel lucky that you don't use 7mm suits in your location. we use 7mm here. The thin 3mm suits are _so_ easy to put on and take off, or at least they should be.

The suit should fit such that there is no air-gap between the suit and you, it should be completely form fitting. There should be no room for water inside the suit. BUT it need not be any tighter than that. Once you have no air space inside going tighter does not help

Tie a two foot string to the zipper. Then you can lean baclk and grab the string and then pull the string from above your head using two hands. That said it is more common then not for divers to ask other divers for help with a zipper. At least half have trouble

As for how you look in the suit. Don't worry about it. The B and tank as not fasion objects either..
Most diver will unzip the suit andpull it down to thier waist when they are not in the water

Henderson will stretch more because it is softer but it will not last as long as a suit made with sturdier neoprene. The difference is really just how much air they mix with the rubber

Sounds to me like you just need to get used to being in a wetsuit. Maybe it wil take a couple dozen dives. Also the suit will get looser over time

 

[Shangrl]

Chris
The zipper has a tie..I still can't pull it up..when someone does it, it goes up easily. I feel like my arms are too constricted to reach back there. I am going on a trip in three weeks so I am sure whatever suit I end up gettiing/keeping will get alot of wear. Thanks for your advice.

 

[ChrisA]

Ah. I think it is too snug then. I have heard that Bare suits run small. Any other suggestions for me other than Henderson? Thanks for your two cents.

A lot depends on where you live. Here in So Cal the most common wetsuit brand by a huge margin is "Body Glove". After that there are al the rest with none of them being dominent. Brand really does not matter, buy whatever fits best.

One option is a custom suit. We are lucky here. I can find a 7mm full suit off the rack for $150 or less but if you are paying ful retail for a Henderson then you may find that for a simalar price you can have a suit made. Price for custom is under $300 and not only will it fit perfectly but you can have the color and design that you want. If you lived near me I could recomend a custom suit maker but there must be someone local to you. Ask around.

Just to give you an idea,here is the local wetsuit maker's web page
www.jmjwetsuits.com/jmjindex.htm
They can make anything you can describe. Do you want pink vertical stripes?? Likely there is someone near your that can do the same
One more thing about custom suits, they can and do use better quality material then the production suits. A production suit has to depend more on"stretch" to fit. A custom suit can use harder more durable and warmer material

One last option. andthis is comon out here in the land of 7mm suits. You buy a stock off the rack suit then take it to JMJ and let them adjust it Sometime adding a small "wedge" or cutting down
the arms is enough.

 

[Shangrl]

Good idea! I live in Dallas and have been going to ScubaToys to get all of my gear. They are great. I am going for the all black look..kind of like a 007 girl...haha
I bought the Zeagle Zena BC and tried it out this past weekend and I love it. Also bought reg, computer, etc..the only thing that was bugging me was the way my wetsuit fit or doesn't fit I should say. The custom idea is a good way to go though, thanks for the tip.

 

[bperrybap]

My wife is just a bit smaller than you but she really liked the Bare
Velocity 3/2 full suit. Bare has lots of sizes but she was kind
of inbetween sizes so she opted for the slighty tighter one.
She thought it was pretty tight at first especially when she first
tried it on. She did notice that once
it got wet and she dove with it once, it loosened up and hasn't
been as tight or as tough to put on as the initial fitting.

And hey, since you are local to Carrollon/Dallas, you can go over
to ScubaToys and try on all kinds of brands and sizes - Which is
what my wife and I did. Larry has a pretty extensive inventory.

--- bill