Wet suits!

[Kellykins]

Hey
I just bought a wet suit, Sola vision ladies.

Size 10, but I "think" it was too small.

When I wore it it felt extrememly tight, quite claustrophobic. I think it was too small, the neck felt tight too.

So I went for a size 12, the next size up, so i got the Body glove instead

Just waiting for it to arrive.

How is it supposed to feel? Is it supposed to be really tight? Or should you be able to move in it etc...?

I am 5`2 but the wet suit i for 5`5 people...
34` bust and 28` waist

Can someone give me advice please


Thanks so much
Kelly

 

[dwaters]

Kelly, Wet suits are one thing that you want to buy from a local shop where you can try them on as every brand and model fit differently. It should be snug but not restricting... the better the fit the better warmth you will have. Enjoy your cert classes and good luck with the suit fit.
Oh by the way we have a whole forum just for exposure suits here to help you out...check this out:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/exposure-suits/

 

[Kellykins]

I only know of one diving shop where I live. And they're all really expensive over £100 odd quid..i'm a student so can't really afford that, and online is much cheaper.

I've bought the size 12...hopefulyl that will be okay...if not, then will go to a diving shop

Kelly

 

[Garrobo]

My first wetsuit was a 3mm bargain which I bought online. It was too long so I just cut off what I didn't need, rolled it under, glued it and sewed it up with nylon thread. Three years later it is still working although I don't wear it often because it is a full body suit which I don't need that often except the mid-winter months. I dive exclusively in the Keys so all I need most of the time is a thin shorty with no sleeves, if that. If I was diving in colder waters I'd buy something thicker and better fitting. It's all relative to your diving environment.

 

[highdesert]

For some people this helps ... think of the difference between "snug" and "tight". You want the first, not the second. Or put another way, it should "hug" you, but not "squeeze" you.

 

[Kellykins]

Okay so the one i sent back was defiantly too small..cause when I wore it i wanted to get out of it. Also the neck was pretty tight..was afraid of passing out!

So if I'm diving in the North Sea...like the Farne Islands, would a 3mm suit be okay? Or do I need thicker?


Kelly

 

[reo]

A 3mm suit will be okay for warm water, ~72 degrees or warmer. I suspect the North Sea is considerably cooler than that, so a thicker wetsuit would be better. If the temp is 55 degrees or less, you would be more comfortable using a drysuit or a semi-dry.

Ron

 

[Kellykins]

Oh dear. Shouldn't have ordered that 3mm suit!
Would the 3mm suit be okay in the pool?
I'm sure they'll provide wet suits for the OW dives...especially when they only said we need our own snorkels, masks and fins...

whatcha think?

 

[reo]

The 3mm should be okay for the pool, unless the water temp there is less than 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).
As for the open water dives, check with the instructor or dive shop. They'll be able to tell you what thickness of wetsuit they'll provide, and also what water temps to expect for your OW dives.
By the way, what is the water temp at the Farne Islands?

Ron

 

[rstofer]

We bought some 3mm suits just before summer so we could start using our outdoor pool a little early. Water temps around 65 deg F seemed ok for 3mm.

As I understand the north sea, you will be using 7mm wetsuits (a whole different experience than a 3mm) and that would be for temps just below 50 deg F. If it's much colder, I would definitely look at a drysuit.

Around here (Monterey, Calif), the water temp is usually anywhere from the mid 40s up to the low 60s and a 7mm is tolerable at the colder temp. At the high end, a semidry 7/8mm is too much - or at least it was the last time I was there. Water temp 62 and I was burning up. The farmer john users were probably a little better off because more water circulates through the suit.

Most shops rent wetsuits for checkout dives and you can usually rent them for your own dives. Around here it costs about $50 per weekend for rental gear (wetsuit, BC, reg).

Richard