Wetsuit Advice

[cpg]

Thanks, everyone, for so much advice! I appreciate it--we're new to this, so it's helpful to get advice from people who've been at this longer. Thanks for the recommendations of Waterproof and the H2, and also about trying junior sizes. My worry about length isn't so much about the ankles and arms (rolling seems like an easy enough solution there), but more about the torso, since I have a short torso.

I'm glad to hear that 5mm sounds right to other people, too. One more question: for those of you that have the stretchier wetsuits (like the NeoSport XSPan or the Henderson H2), do you get colder in them than the less-stretchy kind? (I figure I will not be able to tell this just by trying them on, since everything will feel warm outside of the water in Houston in July!).

Thanks also to spectrum for the advice on wetsuit fitting--that was a very helpful link. philly fresh, I didn't realize Leisure Pro would do free returns--I had read their return policy as not covering the cost of return shipping. Did it when you tried them? If it didn't, how much did the return shipping cost? I'd be willing to try that if it's not that expensive.

I guess I'll be trying on wetsuits today at local shops!

 

[SlewFoot]

My sister in law owns the Castoro, just dove mid 70s this weekend with a vest and used. Same 5mm without a vest in Bonaire, she really liked it. Has the same sealing properties as their lighter 3.5 mm spring suit which my father and I own. Much better than any other brand, keeps you warmer by not allowing as much water to transfer through the suit. Was going to get another Cressi 7mm for myself but couldn't pass up a monster deal on a Mares Isptherm semi dry, but a big fan of Cressi, get top of the line features for a fraction of the price.

---------- Post added July 6th, 2013 at 01:35 PM ----------

And yes to the colder in stretchier wetsuits. My parents switched from Hendersons to Cressi and when diving Caribbean, needed additional vests as the week went on, not with the Cressi, slightly less stretchy but warmer (don't compress as much at depths).

 

[cpg]

I went to three dive shops today (plus REI), and there was a total of one 5mm anywhere close to my size. So...trying sizing on was kind of a bust. But, I also discovered that the water at the lake where we are doing our AOW will be 90 degrees or so (!). I didn't realize the water here got that warm, so I am reconsidering the 5mm. This is also based on what one of the dive shop guys recommended--he pushed getting a 3mm with a hood and vest (or maybe a hooded vest?) instead. I'm leaning toward that now instead--what do you all think about doing that instead? If I do that, I'm looking at the following wetsuits:
NeoSport 3/2mm Neoprene Women's Jumpsuit
Bare 3/2mm Velocity Full, Junior's
Deep See 3mm Women's Jumpsuit

Would this be a better call? I doubt this would end up cheaper, but I'm thinking it might be more versatile.

 

[spectrum]

I'm a fan of the Bare Velocity line and it will probably be a great warm water suit for you. It may also work out for your initial dives. A hooded vest can do a lot to extend the range of a suit.

What you need to realize is that fresh water in particular will have thermoclines. Locally even here in Maine I will soon have 85F surface water, at about 20 feet there will be an abrupt transition to cooler water and at about 30 feet it gets colder still and may eventualy be 30 or more degrees colder than the surface. Even many ocean buoy temperatures are from within a meter of the surface. Ocean water tends to be more agitated and temperature changes will more a function of distance from shoe when shore diving.

As I said, you are heading for a wardrobe. The 3mm may be a decent staring point. As you get to know your area you may even skip the 5 and jump to a 7.

Note too that Bare has "short" variants of the standard sizes though the may not be on the rack locally. They can be ordered.

Pete

 

[btw2459]

Try Pinnacle and Bare. They both have great size ranges.

 

[g1138]

There's a custom Wetsuit Shop in Center Point, TX about 3 hours from you. With your build it would be best to get a custom made suit or have a stock size custom altered to fit you.
Here's the website. You might want to do an online search to see if there are any others. This is just the first one that popped up when I looked.

Contact

 

[philly fresh]

Well I had purchased our gear back in november and allowed me to return the items for free, for what I am assuming was the upcoming holiday season. You said you reconsidered getting the 5mm in lieu of a 3mm. My wife is always cold, and she purchased a 3mm. What we were told from multiple sources was that for our area a 3mm will suffice and that if we would be diving in the winter or where the water is colder, then purchasing a hooded vest would be compliment the suit while not being committed to a 5mm all the time. We are in Texas, so its always hot. Not sure where you are taking your OW, but we were at mammoth lake last weekend and she dove in 1 pc. bathing suit/rash guard, she said she was not uncomfortable or too cold. I know sea sports has alot of suits and if they dont have the size you need, they can transfer one from one of their other stores in town.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I am one of those who do not believe in stock sized wetsuits. Wetsuit (IMO) is something that demands such a precisehigh fit that the mathematical probability of a depotstock size fitting an average Joe or Jane is miniscule. Wetsuit companies have experimented with stretchy materials so that the mhataximum number of population could fit into their sizes but stretch removes warmth and suit compresses more at depth making it non-existent at certain depths. I ordered myself custom 3mm from Wetwear and for the first time I felt what a wetsuit is supposed to fit like. I highly recommend contacting wetwear and talking to Connie. Just keep in mind that they use a non-stretch neoprene which is custom fitted around your body so it does not stretch or compress as much. This means that their 3mm would probably be the same warmth as a 5mm stock size. Connie would explain this better.

 

[cpg]

philly fresh, thanks for the local advice! We did OW about a month ago at Twin Lakes (85 on surface, 78 at the thermocline), and I was very comfortable in a 5mm, although it was ill-fitting, so it probably didn't keep me as warm as a properly fitted 5mm would. We are doing our AOW at Mammoth Lake in 2 weeks, so maybe I will try just a rashguard+swimsuit for that (wetsuits will be available if I need them, so I can always add it if I get too cold). Since you've already been to Mammoth Lake, will there be a significant thermocline?

g1138, thanks for the custom suit link. Unfortunately, their prices are way out of my price range (more than $600 for either a 3mm or 5mm fullsuit).

I guess I'll just keep looking and going to further out stores in Houston. I did try on a Scubapro XS and discovered those run VERY small (I should have looked at the size chart first). So, some progress: I know I am not a XS in Scubapro.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I believe it costed me around over 300 to get my custom 3mm from Welcome to Wetwear - Custom Wet Suits of Rubatex Neoprene for Scuba Diving and All Water Activities