School a newbie on wetsuits please...

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purbeast

Contributor
Messages
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Location
Rockville, MD
# of dives
25 - 49
I'm thinking of getting a wetsuit before my OW checkout dives in Grand Cayman. I really don't know what to even look for with them. The main thing I know that I want is a 3mm one though.

As far as shortie or full, I don't really know which one to get and what the difference really is, other than your arms/legs being exposed. Other than that, what exactly do you look for? Does the zipper being on front/back make any difference?

I know the most important thing is fit though. Being that I live in the DC Metro area, I'm not really sure how many places I can legitimately go to to try on stuff. The place I took my class at locally has some that I can try on though, and for now, I probably will do that there. They can also tell me if it fits properly. But it would be nice to be able to go to more than 1 place, and they don't have a huge inventory there either.

So what kind of things should I be looking for when looking at wetsuits?

Also, with black friday coming up, do most dive shops (online) have sales? Would it be worth getting something on black friday maybe? I'm also interested in a dive computer, because I love gadgets and from the sound of it, tables are a thing of the past and everyone uses computers for the most part. And I'm not talking about for my OW checkout dives, I mean for after that. From the little research I did, it seems like $300 can get a good decent beginner computer.
 
For the tropics especially, I would think one that covers arms and legs is best for avoiding stings, etc. I used a Henderson body suit in Panama. I've used my shorty in the NY area in summer and at times regretted it due to the jellies.
 
I've rarely used a shortie; only when renting in Belize and it was effective. However, as @TMHeimer pointed out the full suit gives better protection from stings. Some places (for me recently, Bali) there are little stinging hydroids in the water that could randomly get you. The less skin exposed the better.

The lighter wetsuits are easy enough to take off if you get too warm on the surface; I'd think the extra warmth of the full suit may come in handy at times. It's not a dive I recommend, but bottom temperature at the Blue Hole in Belize (below about 70-80') can be pretty cold. When I dove there last December, it was in the mid to high 50's F (13-14C) at 70 feet. Might have been abnormal; some weird upwelling or something. Regardless, it caused one buddy team in our group to abort and stay in the warmer shallows. After the dive, you might encounter a cold squall or wind on the way back to shore. The extra warmth can be helpful.
 
Yeah in my class they definitely recommended full suits and the protection was a huge factor. Being the newbie that I am I wasn't sure if they were overselling it but it sounds like they weren't.

So other than that, is there like anything else to specifically look for? It just seems like price can vary somewhat large and I really don't know why. I also have an athletic build where my upper body is like XL sized but my waste is more medium and my thighs are probably like L and I have a pretty big butt from lifting. That is why I'm wondering about the best way to get fitted for them without much of an option locally, and with these websites having tons of them. Do they make "athletic fit" wetsuits kind of like how they do that with t-shirts and other clothes?
 
Keep in mind that the dive shops can order a different size for you - you're not under any obligation to buy it if you choose something else. I personally like my Henderson wetsuits the best - and I would also go with long sleeves and legs to avoid getting stung by critters.

Computers - my husband's favorite is an inexpensive Mares Nemo - a little over $200.
 
I think a full suit is better because of the possibility of stingy things in the water, a little more protection from banging yourself up on the ladder, whatever. And unless the water is quite warm I find it nice to avoid the initial cool hit on your arms and legs. At tropical dive resorts, I generally see shorties available as rentals (easier fit when arms and legs are less of an issue), but I don't see that many people bring their own.

If you can't find what you want, you could consider buying a lycra diveskin, and using a rental shorty over it for this first trip until you have a first hand idea of what you need and maybe have more time to find it. A diveskin is always handy to have and is also great for sun protection when snorkeling. And fairly forgiving on fit so should be easy to order online if you can't find locally. There are things other than neoprene out there. Fleece lined laminate materials like Sharkskin or Lavacore are nice for the tropics, but a little harder to find.

Wetsuits sizes are all over the place, different for each brand. If you read enough descriptions and reviews it may help point you to a brand that would tend to fit you better. There are also super-stretchy neoprene suits out there that can make fitting easier. Zippers, front zipper would seem to be more convenient, but most suits are actually easier to get on and off with a back zipper, especially the heavier they are. Less contorting. That's why you see mostly back zip. Prices, sometimes you are paying for a brand name, and sometimes you are paying for better quality materials and construction.

"Beginner" computers, there's been a recent thread on this here.
 
I personally prefer the long suits over shorties, it provides more protection and warmth.
The location of the zipper really does not matter, its about your comfort preference.

I would not recommend buying any wet suit with out trying it on first, if its a bad fit all your money goes to waste because it wont be affective.
For now, stick to what they have in the dive shop that you can try on, maybe when you get to dive in some other places you can get your suit there on the go.

And regarding the Computer , there are some decent ones out there for around 200-300$, i can personally recommend the Suunto Zoop Novo but there are many other good ones as well.
 
Personally I would go for the full suit. It makes for more relaxing dives imho instead of being on the lookout for what might sting/irritate you.

This is probably more important for a new diver as you are potentially going to hit more things until you get your buoyancy and trim sorted.

Don't worry about back zip as opposed to front zip- although it seems more of a hassle, you have a leash which will help with zipping it up or down. You can also simply ask your buddy - they will probably be in the same situation and will appreciate a bit of help as well.

Fit wise you want it snug but not overly tight. Slightly loose is probably better than overly tight (you really don't want a suit so tight it restricts your breathing in any way (particularly at the neck).
 
Regarding front versus back zip - I find back zip easy to use because you can pull that leash up and then velcro the flap over the top of the zipper & leash - taking it off is easy. The front zip appears to be a good idea until you're trying to take it off and you realize you have to get that first shoulder out of a wet wetsuit. You might need an assist. But that's me. Try on both and see what feels good for you.
 
I dive Grand Cayman on a regular basis as to full or shorty I always use a full because of stingy things as to weight/thickness that depends on you my wife wears a dive skin while I wear a 3MM I get cold quickly.
As to brands that's a whole other thing completely that I never worry much about it seems to me that all the "Brand" name ones are similar in quality at the same price point. I have an old "TEC" 3MM which is over 15 years old and just now starting to show significant wear it's not even a name brand.
Fit is the most important thing too tight and it gets very restrictive and uncomfortable too loose and it won't keep you warm.

I would NOT buy a wetsuit on Cayman the few stores that carry them have a limited selection and their pricing is easily 50% + more than you can get one in the states.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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