Trimming wetsuit legs

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Can it be done (DIY)?

My son has the Italian build, short legs for his body. His current 7MM fits OK and is plenty warm, except the legs are way too long. I am way too cheap to replace a functional suit. I was thinking of just hacking them off. Any ideas or suggestions before I break out the razor?

Thanks in advance!

 

[BKP]

Welllll... I have the same build (and the same problem -- and gave this the same thought).

When I asked around (including some of the dealers), the answer was relatively unanimous: no.
It seems if you do it that way, the kneepads will end up on the shins, and if, like most wetsuits, it's somewhat anatomically sculpted, the calf will be around the ankle, and much too wide, letting in too much water flow...

So, my choices (and yours) were, let the legs bunch up a little (which I've done), have it tailored (which I've done), find a suit that does LS or XLS sizes (which I've done).

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Can it be done (DIY)?

My son has the Italian build, short legs for his body. His current 7MM fits OK and is plenty warm, except the legs are way too long. I am way too cheap to replace a functional suit. I was thinking of just hacking them off. Any ideas or suggestions before I break out the razor?

Thanks in advance!

I did this years ago on an old suit. If it has layers of cloth and neoprene,which most suits do, the ends will fray where it's cut off.

 

[Wetwear]

Don't do it yourself. It will fray, be too big around the ankles and the knee pads will probably not be in the right place. You can send it to someone who does wetsuit repairs and alterations. You should be able to have it fixed for a reasonable amount of money. We can do this for you Welcome to Wetwear - Custom Wet Suits of Rubatex Neoprene for Scuba Diving and All Water Activities

 

[SoCalSwami]

My vote: Do it yourself.
I converted my old full suit into a spring suit last week (as I do every few years).
The frayed edges give it character.
There's really no harm in cutting it a bit long, if you don't like the fray, send it somewhere.