Exposure Suit Fit

[MysteriousFathomsBelow]

I’m hoping to get some ladies’ opinions on exposure protection. I’m a new diver considering buying my second wetsuit, and would like to get some advice on what matters most to find the right fit and level of comfort in a variety of dive locations.

I have a Henderson Goldcore 5/7 in a size 4, which fits me very snugly. I do not have a spare centimeter in the suit when dry, and I sometimes question if the neck is too small. Otherwise, I find it hugs curves well and is well-proportioned.

I’m considering buying a Scubapro Everflex 3/2, as a far more regularly dive in warm and tropical waters with my husband. I tried on a size 4 at my LDS, and it seemed ill-fitting, but the rep told me that it looked perfect. I’m including some pictures, and would be interested in this community’s thoughts. The shoulders and hips fit well, but the waist and knees bubbled out in the back, and the arms and legs were WAY long. The rep told me to just fold them back, but I’m wondering if the suit is just a size too large.

How do you find your suit fits? Is it very snug? Is there some breathing room? Does it depend on the water temperature? Brand? Also, short ladies (I’m 5’2”) - do you roll your suit arms/legs? Is cutting off extra length an option?

 

[Boarderguy]

@JMJ Wetsuits will make a custom cut suit for you that you'll likely be far more happy with than an off the shelf one.

 

[Rose Robinson]

I’m hoping to get some ladies’ opinions on exposure protection. I’m a new diver considering buying my second wetsuit, and would like to get some advice on what matters most to find the right fit and level of comfort in a variety of dive locations.

I have a Henderson Goldcore 5/7 in a size 4, which fits me very snugly. I do not have a spare centimeter in the suit when dry, and I sometimes question if the neck is too small. Otherwise, I find it hugs curves well and is well-proportioned.

I’m considering buying a Scubapro Everflex 3/2, as a far more regularly dive in warm and tropical waters with my husband. I tried on a size 4 at my LDS, and it seemed ill-fitting, but the rep told me that it looked perfect. I’m including some pictures, and would be interested in this community’s thoughts. The shoulders and hips fit well, but the waist and knees bubbled out in the back, and the arms and legs were WAY long. The rep told me to just fold them back, but I’m wondering if the suit is just a size too large.

How do you find your suit fits? Is it very snug? Is there some breathing room? Does it depend on the water temperature? Brand? Also, short ladies (I’m 5’2”) - do you roll your suit arms/legs? Is cutting off extra length an option?

MFB,

Home trimming excess is never an option, stitched seams, zippers, sealant material, etc.

A proper fitting dive suit should fit like any other quality garment.

You should not have to fight your way in and out of it, all lengths should be correct (sleeve/neck/inseam/chest/waist/hips)

Just me but black is much better than white. After a few months that white suit will be so badly stained you won't want to wear it.

I live along the north Pacific in British Columbia so I dive with a drysuit full time. As opposed to a new wet suit, you may want to consider a light weight drysuit, which is ideal for California diving. With a drysuit you can dive the California waters year round and not only stay warm but dry as well.

Avoid being talked into buying a semi-dry, because by any other name, it is still a wet suit.

The suit in your attached photos, does appear to fit well.

All the best,

Rose

 

[MB | MN]

Greetings from another short gal (4'10"). Welcome to the community of Outlier Sizes! I'm guessing there aren't enough of us to make it worthwhile for some local shops to carry stuff that really fits us -- although some try to convince us that their in-stock solutions will "work well enough." Rubbish.

You should LOVE your wetsuit (and mask, and BCD/BP-W) since comfort is key to a great dive. Yes, it will feel quite snug when dry -- but without strangling, bulges/gaps or inches of spare fabric. You could roll up the extra (no cutting, please). But why not find a model that really fits? It's out there, even if your shop doesn't carry it.

I got frustrated with the local dive shops, including some who wanted me to pay upfront for them to "special order" a small size for me to try on. So I ordered 4 wetsuits online and each fit quite differently. My instant reaction to one was simply "YES!" -- so I kept it and returned the rest for no charge. No regrets.

I'm a cold baby, so I now wear a size W4 Henderson Thermoprene Pro 5mm even in tropical waters. It's actually warmer than my old AquaLung 7mm -- plus 3" shorter and much more stretchy.

Henderson and Pinnacle both make "short" sizes for women's wetsuits (Henderson starting at W6 and Pinnacle starting at W-Medium). And if you prefer a 3mm, Henderson's Junior model is super-comfy.

That's a lot of words to say ... if you are not satisfied with the fit, keep looking. You might end up with the ScubaPro. Or maybe something better.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

To me the legs on that are too long and the arms may be a tad long as well. The wrinkles in the material would indicate that. And a 3/2 is going to puff up more in the water. I like my thinner suits to fit snug because they are more susceptible to stretch once some water gets in them.
The shop is trying to make a sale.
And white for a suit?
Very bad idea. It'll look disgusting in a short amount of time.
More and more I'm convinced that some equipment designers have never dived.
Look into a custom from some of the sources listed and also wet wear in Florida. And look for those who use Yamamoto neoprene.

 

[Marie13]

I would NEVER go with white for a wetsuit. Will end up filthy quickly.

Henderson seems to specialize in extended sizes. I had a plus size wetsuit that was very nice. Suggest you check out their offerings.

 

[JMJ Wetsuits]

Hi @MysteriousFathomsBelow,

The most important thing is that your wetsuit fits you no matter where you are diving. The suit should be snug everywhere but not constrictive, and give just enough extra room to bend at the joints. For an example of ideal fit please see the photos on this page: One-Piece Fullsuit - JMJ Wetsuits

When shopping off-the-rack stock sized suits, first check the manufacturer's size chart against your measurements and if any part is off by more than an inch, move on. You can try on a bunch of suits and pick the one that fits best, but this takes time and it's unlikely that you'll find an ideal fit because the suits are cut for patterns, not to your personal measurements.

A custom fit suit will fit you best.

Hope that helps and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions - 310-212-3040.

Thanks,
Julie & the team at JMJ

 

[ValkyrieDesigns]

I would generally suggest avoiding scuba pro for wetsuits. They tend to run very tall and narrow. I've never known a shorter woman or woman with curves having good luck with scuba pro. I will suggest looking into Seaskin. They're on amazon and a really well made wetsuit for an outstanding price. Their 3mm is warmer than my Henderson 5mm and the quality is on part with my expensive wetsuits. I have tiny t rex arms and didn't need to get the sleeve length hemmed.

Also, while you don't want to hem yourself, you can absolutely find a seamstress experienced with neoprene to tailor a suit for a better fit. I paid around $50ish to have some small alterations done to my Henderson and it was worth every penny.