Wetsuit questions

I am starting to look for a wet suit and am hoping someone can answer a couple questions:

1. Are there issues with having zippers on the arms, legs and neck of a wet suit? Will sand or anything else getting stuck in it be a problem? Any other issues with having this many zippers?

2. What about suits that use Velcro for legs and arms?

Thanks.

I generally prefer zippers to velcro because velcro wears out eventually and is easier to get clogged with stuff. For me, the more zippers (legs especially) the better - much easier to don/doff the suit. It is possible, I guess, for sand to get in them but I've never had any get stuck or cause a problem.

It's my experience that different brands usually don't fit the same given the same size suit, so I would suggest trying on a few at your local shop that meet your needs as far as appropriate exposure protection and fit comfortably.

The primary downside to zippers on the legs and arms of a wetsuit is they let in more water. Some people who don't have zippers for that reason use a mixture of water and baby shampoo in a spray bottle to help with getting the suit on. I just pull hard.

1) Never had a problem, got mine from Wetwear

2) Never heard of this. I have tried Velcro (hook and loop) in every imaginable application, even as half-a-joke as a snow-ski binding. The problem with Velcro is that the hooks eventually break off, the loop tears into threads, and the loop material is easily impacted with small particulates such as sand (or snow!) Yes, it will continue to bind, but effectiveness is reduced with every use, and with contamination.

Zippers seem to be the best option. The real argument might be between nylon YKK type or brass Talon type.

Cheaper import suits do seem to let water through zipper areas, you get what you pay for.

Wetawear has been making our suits for years, look at the second one down on Wetwear - Wet Suits for Sport Divers, called the EZ-On. Into them in 20 seconds, out just as fast.

What water temps are you diving? You may or may not even need/want zippers depending on suit material and thickness.

I had struggled until I learned from some site someplace to place those thin plastic bags you see everywhere (usually grocery stores) on your feet. They will slide effortlessly on(much easier than the shampoo). Then pull the bags off your feet and dispose of properly.

kat.hayes:

1. Are there issues with having zippers on the arms, legs and neck of a wet suit? Will sand or anything else getting stuck in it be a problem? Any other issues with having this many zippers?

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Generally sand does not pose a problem. most of the zippers are pretty coarse and sand will not fetch them up. In general you won't be getting much sand on them, except your boots on a shore dive. Arm zippers are rare unless the suit is very heavy or made from a very high end neoprene, I think those are generally custom. On all but the lightest suits you can expect ankle zippers. These should have a watertight bellows behind them so there is no direct water entry. The very existence of the zipper and baffle will create a water movement path. This is usually mitigated with a generous overlap of the suit leg and the high cut boot. The back zip and neck opening is best managed with a hooded vest that forms a torturous path for water entry.

I would not go out of my way to add zippers unless you have a special need. At the end of the day they are more to break and cost you a day or weekend of diving.

kat.hayes:

2. What about suits that use Velcro for legs and arms?

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Arms & Legs? The only place that I have seen Velcro is to cinch the neck seal and to lock the zipper. I would not want to see any on the arms and legs.

My thoughts on Wetsuits may be of interest.

Pete

Why the helll do they put the zipper on the back instead of on the front where it belongs. Every time I zip up from the back (If I can reach the zipper pull.) it either gets stuck in the hair on my back and/or gets mixed up with the zelcro holddown at the top. I've got a shorty with the zipper going diagonal from the left hip to the right shoulder which goes on in a snap. I'd rather have the zipper on my full wetsuit running from my youknow up to my neck. What am I missing here?

They can be hell to get out of, especially as the suit gets to be more significant in thickness.

There are a few amusing threads buried here on the board that include being rescued by a neighbor.

Pete

Several years ago a neighbor of mine won the Americas Funniest Home Videos, $10,000 prize for a video his wife shot of him trying to get into his old wetsuit.
I think he may have even won the $100,000 prize.