What about wetsuit rental?

[SkipperJohn]

I bought my wetsuit & BC before I did my OW dives mostly because I hated the rental ones my LDS has but I also had a few weeks lead time to shop around.(I also had a fit issue with the rentals as I'm 225 and under 5'10")

Like the others I'd say go for the rental for this weekend and take your time finding the right wetsuit at the right price. What is it that they're selling for $350, if it's a 7mil hyperstretch that's not a bad price if it's a basic farmer john make sure you don't bend over.

LOL... reading your sig iced it (cleaning up the tea form my keyboard)

It's 7 mil. Not likely to be anything fancy but decent quality.
To further complicate things I am 6'4" and 201 lbs. My height dictates a completely different size than my weight does. That made getting the shorty a no-brainer.
Thanks for all the comments folks.

 

[spectrum]

The water won't be all that cold in Oceanside NY this weekend so perfect fit is not essential. Sure it will have been urinated in but that stuff is sterile. If you can pick it up the afternon prior take it home for a Listerine rinse.

The alternative of a hasty desicion is a bad choice.

Pete

 

[Teamcasa]

Just rent it. Take it home and wash it again. People make a big deal about it but for a one or two dive situation, it won’t kill you. Save your money to buy a BC and regulator.

Buying a wetsuit: If your body type and size works well for an off the rack suit, buy one. If you can not find a suit that fits well, get one made or have an OTR suit altered to fit. A properly fitting wetsuit will make diving much more enjoyable.

 

[DRsharky]

Just rent wet suits, try different types and styles and then buy the one you liked the best. I did it when I started diving too, because I had similar problem to find a well fitted one as I am short and most of them were very long for me.

 

[Stu S.]

There are a lot of things you come in daily contact with that are more toxic than a rental wetsuit. If people knew, they would scrub their hands fully after playing basketball.

Anyway, owning a wetsuit makes economic sense. If regular sized, you can get a decent suit for $200, and a Florida suit for $100. At $15 for daily rental, it "pays for itself" after a small number of dives.