home made wetsuit

[snoddy98]

my wife is a padi ow cert diver and is a size 6 xl wet suits are extreamly rare that size. can anyone tell us where to get a pattern and ideas on how to make one for her.


thank you

joe

 

[Angry Turtle]

I can't offer pointers on that, but if that avenue doesn't pan out...

my wife got a custom one from aquaflite

Welcome to AquaFlite Custom Wetsuits, Skins, and parkas

The price was reasonable, and it fits her like a glove unlike the off the shelf ones that NEVER fit.

 

[Akimbo]

The gluing part of making a custom suit is pretty easy; it is the pattern and sewing part that is difficult. I have two custom AquaFlite suits and am pleased with the fit, craftsmanship, and working with Ed Rogers. It is also difficult to buy the material at a decent price so I doubt you can build one cost effectively.

There are a number of other custom suit makers in California and Florida; I just don’t have personal experience with them.

 

[todd_18]

Here's another option for a custom wetsuit. http://www.wetwear.com
I think you will find that the money you spend on a custom wetsuit will worth it to avoid the headaches of trying to make one yourself.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

What about the healthier option of working to fit into an XL or L wetsuit? Not trying to be rude, but there are many benefits to this.
-less taxing on a diver, less stress
-makes diving more fun and enjoyable
-easier entry onto dive boats or the shore
-makes it more easy for emergency assistance

The last one is a big deal for me. When I dive with people much bigger than myself, I have to tell them that in an emergency, I might not be physically able to provide assistance. Many sites I dive, I would have to pull a diver up a set of stairs or a steep bank. Anyone bigger than about 200 pounds, I would probably be unable to move. That could turn a simple emergency into a fatality, and is something I keep in mind when buddy diving.

 

[diver 85]

Agree on talking with Ed @ Aquaflite(I go back with him since ~'98) --OR ----Carolyn @ liquidfit.com, located in Fl.....

 

[widget]

Unless you have some knowledge of garment cutting and pattern making, I really do think you will have a difficult time of it. Wetsuits, unlike general garments need to be a firm fit to the skin and require a number of strategically cut panels to achieve this, its not uncommon for a wetsuit jacket to have say 8-10 panels (or more) whereas a regular garment jacket may only have 4.

Anatomically, a wetsuit is a lot harder to produce than a general garment, stitching the wetsuit together requires a special nylon "floss" type thread (not difficult to buy, but you may end up with a few 1000 feet left over) and also requires a number of differant industrial type sewing machines to sew together properly, it would be very difficult to achieve a satisfactory and secure stitch on the various panels and areas of the suit, like the seams,the zipper, beading etc, using a single home machine.

In all honesty, I think you would find it quite daunting once you got started and really agree with the general concensus that it makes sense to have a custom suit cut and tailored for your wife at a reputable manufacturer.

However............if you have some experience in pattern making and feel confident you can get the panels correctly fitted together and securely stitched, then, sure, its quite possible.

 

[Van Isle]

Airspeed Press has a book on drysuit and wet suit maintenance and repairs that goes in depth to gluing, sewing, etc but I don't think it covers patterns.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

What about the healthier option of working to fit into an XL or L wetsuit? Not trying to be rude, but there are many benefits to this.
-less taxing on a diver, less stress
-makes diving more fun and enjoyable
-easier entry onto dive boats or the shore
-makes it more easy for emergency assistance

The last one is a big deal for me. When I dive with people much bigger than myself, I have to tell them that in an emergency, I might not be physically able to provide assistance. Many sites I dive, I would have to pull a diver up a set of stairs or a steep bank. Anyone bigger than about 200 pounds, I would probably be unable to move. That could turn a simple emergency into a fatality, and is something I keep in mind when buddy diving.

You may not be trying to be a rude a$$, but you have succeeded. :mooner:

Maybe we should just ban anyone over 200lbs from diving?

While everyone agrees getting in better shape and losing a few LBS is good, we should not rush into lecturing every heavy person around us. There are lots of reasons why people get heavy (besides simple over eating) and it is not simple for some of this folks to loose all that weight. Lectures by skinny twerps don't help.

 

[thatguyoverthere]

Check out Wetwear. They specialize in making wetsuits for larger size people. The owner himself is at least 300 plus pounds. They also have two different types of material, one is cheaper than the other, so you can get a custom wetsuit and pick which type of material you want.

As far as being heavy and scuba diving.... Diving is a great activity for over wieght people!!!!