Wetsuit for woman with large breasts... Serious question

[Dogbowl]

Bare and Henderson suits are super stretchy. I gained 10-15 lbs from when I first bought my Henderson Thermaxx and I still fit in it. It’s very forgiving.

 

[TGIF]

I have similar issues and I'm also tall, so I use a men's Aqua Lung AquaFlex. I would also check out the XScuba's Mendo (Mendo 7mm Full Suit).

 

[Rred]

There's nothing quite as irritating as a wetsuit that is trying to give you a bear hug, and that's more common than you might think, because most of the cheaper suits actually shrink over the first five years, year after year.
So by all means, start with something that you can tolerate, and if you can't find that in stock (like tube sox, one size fits all, sure) then consider a custom suit. The difference in comfort and the performance boost you can get from that make it worth doing. The trick is to find a reasonable source for custom wetsuits, most places leave you only the mail-order option.
My friend's mother was a good seamstress, and showed me how easy it was for her to modify her own suit. That's another option, if you have the skill set.

 

[Storker]

Depending on your local conditions it might be an idea to consider a drysuit. Many reputable shell suit manufacturers offer MTM (shelf model with a limited amount of alterations; those of us who have bought a suit or a sportcoat at a decent store are familiar with the concept) for no extra charge.

If your conditions require a 7 mil, I'd recommend looking into going dry.

 

[JackD342]

Do not over rely on extra stretch, good fit comes first then stretch closes the deal. Excessive stretching means premature wear and tear, and reduced insulation from cold where the fabric is pulled thinner.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Is part of the problem that the dive op is renting a suit to you and it doesn't fit? Or did you buy a suit and you are regretting the one you bought?

 

[Mimsy]

Bare and Henderson suits are super stretchy. I gained 10-15 lbs from when I first bought my Henderson Thermaxx and I still fit in it. It’s very forgiving.

i second the henderson thermaxx. it is very stretchy and comes in both short and tall sizes. i am short w bigger shoulders, arms, and chest w thinner hips and legs and it works.

 

[Kimela]

Go with two pieces rather than a single one-piece suit. It's easier to use the facilities (if you need to, like me) between dives, AND you have more flexibility (pun intended) with sizing.

 

[Harquah]

Is part of the problem that the dive op is renting a suit to you and it doesn't fit? Or did you buy a suit and you are regretting the one you bought?

I haven't bought one, and am having real difficulty finding a dive shop rental that fits me well. So am considering buying and looking for recommendations. Thanks!

 

[Harquah]

In order for a dive shop rental to fit over my boobs (and booty), I am left with lots of extra around the middle, and about six extra inches in length,m so I have to double up around my ankles. Which creates a very effective cork. As soon as I go into the water, these areas fill up with water and my buoyancy is affected by the two or three gallons of water sloshing around inside the wetsuit.