too tall? too skinny? how to find the right wetsuit?

[babyfins]

I'm a woman. I'm 5' 6½" tall, weigh about 100lbs. Dress size 0. I've been having trouble finding the right wetsuit ever since I got into diving. Never had a rental one that fit well. I got a 5mm custom-made wetsuit. doesn't really fit perfectly cuz i ordered it online. It wasn't such a problem until I started doing cold water diving. I dived at Catalina in late October. I was told I'd be fine with a 5mm by my instructor but no, I was wearing a 7mm and was still really cold. After the first dive at a temperate at least 20F colder than what i'm used to and not having a proper exposure suit, I thought about giving up. I couldn't cuz I love diving too much. I got a bit more comfortable after a few dives but mind over matter simply won't work in this case.

I'm gonna be diving at catalina next month again. I know I need a better wetsuit. I know the only way to find one that fits is to try it on, but my question is where can I try on a bunch? there're only 2 dive shops in town. I don't mind driving out of town to get one but it would be nice to just go to one place where I can try on wetsuits from different manufacturers instead of shopping around without knowing if i'm gonna be able to find the right one. if my only shot is to get a custom-made, how can I have it done in California? (just moved here not too long ago) is it gonna be really expensive? i'm on a budget so i would want to spend less if i could.

the 7mm wetsuit i rented was BodyGlove EX3 size 5/6.(size chart says for height 5.2 - 5.4, weight 110-120lbs) It was loose on my arms. Sometimes it was too tight on my crotch but if i took my time to adjust it, it wasn't a problem. It was choking my neck really bad. Once i put my hood on, it wasn't as bad. I didn't notice that was a problem at all once I went underwater though.(or i might have been too cold to notice?)

I also tried on Aqualung AquaFlex 7mm wetsuit size 6. there was a lot of room in between my shoulders and my arms. the rest of the body seems to fit better than any of the wetsuits i've ever tried on, but seems like it could go a bit tighter. There is a size 4 but they don't have it in store, I would have to order that to try it on. My size seems to fall into the range for size 4 according to the size chart on Aqualung webpage.

Seems like most of the wetsuits are either too short or too big for me, according to most of the size charts.

I think i might need to think about a 2-pc wetsuit to fit better or be warmer at least? Any suggestion on any style or/and any manufacturer that might fits me better?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Insta-Gator]

 

[aichtwooh]

I'm a size 00. In these cold California waters I use a 7mm with a 3mm vest. I was miserable during OW. Water just flowed in my baggy wetsuit.

Find a wetsuit on sale that is too big for you and have it taken in. Getting a bargain wetsuit helps offset the cost of having it custom fit. I went to New Wave wetsuits in Fullerton, CA. Teresa is great! You'll have a wetsuit that fits like a glove and keeps you warm. And don't forget some thick boots, gloves, and a hood.
1110 East Ash Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92831
714.744.1365

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I don't know if you will find these locally to try on (although you may, because when I ordered one it was shipped from the distributor in California), but Waterproof brand makes wetsuits that come in a lot of "in between" and tall/short/etc. sizes.

They are not the cheapest, so they may not fit your budget, but I can vouch for the fact that they are nice. I also can't tell if one of the suits between 2XS and Small-Tall sizes might fit you, because I don't know how your clothing size compares to measurements. Anyway, here is their women's size chart:

 

[Shftrdog]

I would recomend the BARE suits, you will have to get an Elastek suit. It is 100% 4 way stretch, it stretch for the height you need and stay skinny enough.