What size wetsuit?

[jbd]

My 11 y/o daughter is taking SCUBA lessons and is going to finish classes and pool sessions next week. If she completes her certification dives I am planning to buy her a wetsuit along with the other gear. The question I have about the wetsuit is what size to buy. I know her heightweight and have measured her chest waist and hips. According to the wtsuit catalogs she could wear a childs extra large or a womens 5/6. I suspect over the next few years she will grow another 3 to 4 inches in height and gain 20 to 25 lbs. This makes me think that she will out grow the child size suit pretty quickly but the womens suit may last her awhile. I need your advice.

 

[scubabunny]

Buying basics (boots, fins, wetsuit) every year is one of the hazards of having a Junior diver. Have your daughter try on a womens 5/6 wetsuit, if you can. If it fits her, get it...but be prepared to buy a new one next year. If a wetsuit is too big, it will not do any good. In the long run, it might make her colder than if she didn't have one on at all.

Where will she be diving? In warmer waters, you could probably layer with a .5mm suit in her size (it will have more "give" than a full thickness suit, so she will get a little more wear out of it) along with another suit a little big. But, ask the dive shop to be sure.

Know this doesn't help much. Maybe someone else can give better advice.

 

[Starfish]

Many dive shops have a "used equipement for sale" section. IF your daughter will allow it, try looking there for 1/2 price or further reduced wet suits.

Also try one of the discout on-line dealers. There are a few that sell used dive suits.