Wetsuit In-Between Sizes, Can I Stretch A Wetsuit?

[krukster86]

Hello,

My wife got me interested in getting my own wetsuit. Unfortunately I am between sizes of a brand that I love (between a Medium and Medium Large). I am in the upper range of Medium and almost miss the bare minimum of Medium Large. I found a Medium online for a good deal and it arrived today. I found that it was a little tight in the upper back and upper chest area. Would I be able to purposely "stretch" it out to make it more comfortable? Unfortunately, I am not able to try it out wet since I am in Chicago.

 

[spectrum]

Not really, go find something that fits. A good fit from any popular brand beats a poor fit from a favorite.

More here

Pete

 

[scubadiver888]

You cannot stretch out a wetsuit. The important thing for a wetsuit is water flow. If it has a good neck, wrist and ankle seal then a little loose in the body wouldn't be as bad. Ideally, you want to find a suit which fits your body so it fits well every where but if you cannot find something which fits just right, something which restricts water flow by having good seals is better than a suit which restricts your body.

 

[fisheater]

One word: custom.


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[krukster86]

I jumped in the shower with it and it actually felt more comfortable wet.

 

[scububa]

It would be hard for me to love a brand that didn't fit ;-)
I agree with 'getting one that fits' but I have seen new divers and I had the same problem early myself. Wetsuits don't fit like many other things most of us wear. (As I say that I have a reel of fashion nightmares I have seen running in my head.) I thought the size that fit me was too tight at first. Then I dove the next size up and so much water moved thru it that it was worthless. Turned out the size I had was right, I just wasn't use to something fitting like that.
But, you shouldn't be in pain or unable to breathe...but I was recently helping someone try to figure out a size and I could tell they were going thru the same thing I had and the suit looked to pit them but they thought it was too tight. They liked the bigger one and I could tell it would pump water thru it.
You sound like you have enough experience to know how they fit and feel in general, so my comments might not help.

 

[krukster86]

It would be hard for me to love a brand that didn't fit ;-)
I agree with 'getting one that fits' but I have seen new divers and I had the same problem early myself. Wetsuits don't fit like many other things most of us wear. (As I say that I have a reel of fashion nightmares I have seen running in my head.) I thought the size that fit me was too tight at first. Then I dove the next size up and so much water moved thru it that it was worthless. Turned out the size I had was right, I just wasn't use to something fitting like that.
But, you shouldn't be in pain or unable to breathe...but I was recently helping someone try to figure out a size and I could tell they were going thru the same thing I had and the suit looked to pit them but they thought it was too tight. They liked the bigger one and I could tell it would pump water thru it.
You sound like you have enough experience to know how they fit and feel in general, so my comments might not help.

Thank you for the response. I guess the only real way to make this determination is to bring it to my next dive trip (Cozumel at the end of March) and do a couple dives in it. This is my first "new" wetsuit, all the other wetsuits I have used in the past were rentals that were stretched out/ripped/had holes in them, so I did not have a baseline fit to compare the new one to. In case anyone is wondering, it is a new Waterproof Capri 3mm.

 

[krukster86]

Well i tried on a medium large waterproof w3 and it felt much better. Still tight enough to form a seal around ankles and forearms but not tight enough to resist motion.