Recommendations for tall/skinny divers

[CIRE320]

I agree that Pinnacle is a great brand. They have a lot of options whan it comes to suit style (3mm, 5mm, 7mm, Merino lined, non-Merino lined, elastiprene. etc.) as well as lots of "shorts" and "talls" in teh size chart. Also, O'neill suites are cut for the "surfer" body style.

 

[tajkd]

Go DRY!!! That's my solution. I'm also skinny and get cold easily. I purchased a tropical drysuit (they are manufactured by at least two companies) and have never regretted it. The beauty is that I can change underwear to accomodate 70 degree or 60 degree water easily. I also bring a skin to alternate if I want to get really wet. The cost is much greater but, if you are continuously diving, you'll get the value from it.

 

[b1gcountry]

I'm 6'6", 200lbs, and I wear an Xcel XLT. It fits very well.

 

[amajamar]

Well, I'm almost 6' and weigh 170# and I have an older (maybe three year) O'neil 7mm suit in Large. It is long enough and is cut very slim. It is a little bit of a struggle to put on (more so to take off, especially at the ankles) but it doesn't leak and is very warm. And, you may be able to find them used for a good price on eBay.

 

[Gombessa]

Bah - is diving dry an option at all?

IMO, you simply cannot be too warm in a wetsuit, especially over multiple dives in a day. I do half of my diving in 75+ waters, and always look for the thickest wetsuit I can find; I always wish I was warmer, even in a 5mm; and half the people diving with me do so in a short-sleeve rash guard and board shorts.

But a 7+mm suit really has its disadvantages as well, and if you really get that cold, it might definitely be worth the extra money to spring for a tropical drysuit or something like a Whites Fusion ($1100). You may not even have to get any drysuit undergarments (and definitely not the $3-400 400g stuff).

It may be a nice alternative to spending up to half of that or more for a custom or altered wetsuit...

 

[RJP]

Go DRY!!! That's my solution. I'm also skinny and get cold easily. I purchased a tropical drysuit (they are manufactured by at least two companies) and have never regretted it. The beauty is that I can change underwear to accomodate 70 degree or 60 degree water easily. I also bring a skin to alternate if I want to get really wet. The cost is much greater but, if you are continuously diving, you'll get the value from it.

Just be sure you read the SALE signs in the racks better than you read the signs at the Dive Ops in Cayman...

 

[iceaxe]

There was a thread, I think on deeperblue.net that mentioned a company that makes custom wet suits at a very reasonable price. I too have a thin build and currently use an O'neill surf westuit that fits extremely well. I know they make dive suits as well, but I have never seen any one using them.

 

[jimbo2006]

Take a look at this which I thought was a great deal and picked up myself last week:

Camaro Stingray Pro LTD Overall and Mono Short (For Men) - Save 59%

I bought one of these after searching for weeks online for warm wetsuit or used drysuit. Camaro is made in Austria and seems to fit more slender "european" body types. I like the style since its basically a 7 mm full suit AND a 7 mm hooded shorty. In America the distributor is in Washington state but it appears some folks use these in Canada and New England. I'm nearly 6' and the Large fits very well (after I sent back a medium that seemed like it might 'just' fit my height). Hopefully in a couple months (if not sooner) I'll get in the water with this and know for sure how its gonna work but I'm very pleased with the price (and return service from the company).

 

[Liquid Fit]

I'm going to chime in on this conversation. A custom wetsuit need not cost you a fortune!! My prices are in line with a quality rack suit, plus I give all scuba board members a 10% discount. Remember to mention that you are a scuba board member to get this discount. Give me a call @ 800-785-8362 and I would love to discuss this with you.
Carolyn