fit of shorty suit

[me_diver]

Hi!
I'm new and posted this in my intro but I figured I'd get more "exposure" :-) here:

I am taking a PADI OW course in January, with the dives in the BVIs.
I just bought a shorty 3mm suit mailorder. It's what the Dive Shop in the BVIs said I should get. As I'm hard to fit (short, overweight, female ) I figured I'd buy my own suit rather than try to rent. (Yes, I have my drs permission to dive :-) I found an Akona 15/16shorty. It fits pretty well, appropriately tight everywhere, except the bottom of the legs. I always thought I had big thighs but I think because I'm short the suit comes too low (just above the knee) so it is a little loose there. It's tight from the mid-thigh up, and the upper body, neck and arms are fine. Is it going to be okay? If not I don't know what the heck I'm going to do. I've heard about LiquidFit but don't want to invest in that until I go through the class and decide to pursue this as a hobby in the future.

Or, if anyone has advice for a suit to fit me, that'd be great. Seems suits are made for tall skinny women.
Thanks!

[me_diver]

Anyone ? Anyone? Beuller ? ;-)


My question is, does a shorty suit need to fit tight around the bottom of the legs for it to be effective? Or the fact that it's really tight from mid-thigh and above okay?

Thanks,
Melissa

[parzdiver]

Using a shorty in warm waters you shouldn't have any problems with a loose fit at the bottom of the legs. The "really tight" part could be more of a problem. If it constricts blood flow, that is bad.

The recommendation you will probably get most is to try a few different suits. If you don't have a local shop with a decent variety, there are certain on line retailers that have fit guarantees. Giving one of them a call, describing your measurements, they may be able to recommend suits for you.

Waterproof actually sells suits in a "plus" sizing, in addition to short and short-plus for their full suits, they are the only company I know that does that.

Good luck.

[me_diver]

Thanks a lot for your reply. I think I overstated the "really tight" part, I meant to emphasize that it fits really well everwhere else, except because I'm short it comes long, so the bottom of the legs isn't tight against my skin. All I plan to use this in is tropical waters :-)

Thanks again.

[parzdiver]

Thanks a lot for your reply. I think I overstated the "really tight" part, I meant to emphasize that it fits really well everwhere else, except because I'm short it comes long, so the bottom of the legs isn't tight against my skin. All I plan to use this in is tropical waters :-)

Thanks again.

As long as you are comfortable in it, that is what is most important. You might also look at a dive skin or a .5/1mm full suit. They can be extremely stretchy and will protect you against scrapes and stinging things (jellyfish). I have been "bitten" by wrecks while wearing a shorty and a friend has a scar on her arm from a jelly while diving the Rhone. She bought a skin at that point.