Wetsuit zip up.

[Garrobo]

I've always wondered why the majority of wetsuits zip up the back. Huh?

 

[BKP]

Ever try getting into a front zip? Much more difficult (IMHO) to don/doff... for wetsuits...

 

[Ana]

To be able to use a front zipper easily, I think it either needs to be offset to one side or for the zipper to start very low, as in way down almost going to the butt.

I have a very comfy suit with front zipper, I can put it on fine, but to take off the first shoulder/arm is a royal pain.

 

[tincan715]

My son, an active surfer, holds the opinion that it's a "we've always done it that way" deal because the early wetsuits were for surfers. A front zipper would scratch your surfboard.

 

[SeekerOfJustice]

I too wonder why this is the norm. Especially when I took my OW course. I told them I needed an XXL and they gave me an XL. Well, I am a bit larger than the average bear around the chest and shoulders. Everywhere I suppose actually. Comes time to don the suit to prepare for the first of our water skills and I tried to zip up the back. Uh.... Hmm... Caught about halfway up. I tried everything. Finally someone advised, bend over and tug hard. Ok... Shot that zipper out a few feet. DOH! Broke it clean off.

I don my bc do the BWRAF etc and walk down to the water. I show my DM my "wardrobe malfunction" and ask if that will be a problem as it was open down my back. Hmmm... He thinks I may be cold down in the depths of our lake. I am hot by nature so I said I was willing to risk it but would pay attention to the feel.

Glad I had the water down the back. I found myself hotter than I was cold even below thermocline! Felt bad about the blowout though.

 

[compton384]

I like them down the back.. in order to go low enough on the front like on farmer john suits, the zipper must go down one leg.. I'm sort of a symmetry freak and don't like it :blush:

 

[merxlin]

Before dry zippers, they would allow water to pass through since you were pushing against the water as you moved. Back zip kept water exchange to a minimum.

 

[Ana]

I too wonder why this is the norm. Especially when I took my OW course. I told them I needed an XXL and they gave me an XL. Well, I am a bit larger than the average bear around the chest and shoulders. Everywhere I suppose actually. Comes time to don the suit to prepare for the first of our water skills and I tried to zip up the back. Uh.... Hmm... Caught about halfway up. I tried everything. Finally someone advised, bend over and tug hard. Ok... Shot that zipper out a few feet. DOH! Broke it clean off.

A front zipper would have not changed the outcome of that event. It's kind of good the zipper broke, that will send the message to put more attention on what they give their students. Wetsuit sizes usually have a little room on the big and small sides, but if anything a student will benefit with a bigger suit for the first times until they get used to them.
Glad to hear you were not cold, that could've made for a miserable time.

 

[klinc]

When I bought my wetsuit I was tryign a few on. The first couple were front zip and I had a hell of a time getting them on and even worse time getting them off. I tried on a back zip one and the second I took it back off I said I'm keeping this one. Sure as hell ain't putting a front zip one again.

Wife went through the same thing right after me and agreed with me.

 

[fjpatrum]

I would suspect it comes from wetsuits being a "surfers thing" that divers didn't do originally? Paddling a surfboard while laying on a zipper is completely uncomfortable.

Another reason may be the zippers of yore were probably bulky and all the "tender bits" are in the front on us so keeping zippers as far away from those areas as possible is desirable.

Some people think they're harder to don/doff but I haven't had that with the two I have... but the zippers do go down to the leg on those as well.