Need help with wetsuit fit

[Ed66]

How tight are suits supposed to fit. I am 5'9" 150lbs 32in waist 37in chest. I just got a Akona 7mm one pc. in a size med. When I tried it on it fit's nice and snug and I can take deep breaths with no problems at all. The only thing is that the knee area seems a little tight( leaves a red mark on my knees) and the crouch too(like it was riding my butt a little) and under the arms seems to have a small crease with my arms down but conforms nicley when I raise them is this normal. I left he suit on for about ten minutes and did not feel any loss of blood to my arms or legs. I pulled the leg ends on the wetsuit up to my ankle bones and the knee pads were a 1/4 of the way over my knees (should they be below the the knees?). I am wondering if I should try a med. bare or XSscuba wetsuit the size chart shows it a tad bigger for a med. I know I should try brfoe I buy but frankly LP is $200 or more cheaper then any LDS in my area for the exact same suits. Thanks

 

[plsdiver4377]

I would try a Henderson Hyperstretch. IMHO they are the best fitting wetsuit around. I'm 6'0", 220lbs, with a 44" chest and I have a large hyperstretch which fits perfectly.

 

[docmartin]

keep in mind that a wetsuit feels nowhere near as tight under water. plus they will stretch some over time. a small crease under the arms when they are hanging down does not sound like a problem. if the suit follows the contours of your body (particulalrly in the back when you arch it), lets you cross your arms and does not choke you i'd say go for it. tight is good. as for the crotch area, problems are sometimes caused by baggy swim wear especially in a very tight suit. speedos help but most people outside brazil's copacabana and italy's riviera cringe at the thought.
p.s. no, kneepads should not fit below the knees. that would indicate that the suit is too long. also, a tip in case you don't know: putting on a 7 mil can be a real pain. using a plastic bag (zip lock bags are great b/c they are strong) works like a charm. put the bag over your foot and pull the suit over. do the same with your hands when pulling it over your arms. you'll be amazed.

 

[double125's]

Somebody on this board gave some really good advice earlier: Go diving, if it keeps you warm it works, if it dont keep you warm then you might want to look at a new suit. In general small gaps arent a problem and as afore mentioned the tight spots will loosen up with wear. Good luck with the new suit.

 

[Dr. Jay]

It sounds like you pretty much fit the profile for a typical medium wetsuit. I'm 5'11", around 160-170, and my medium is a little too small, but I think the large would leave too much room.

As docmartin mentioned, the suit will stretch, and will loosen up once it gets wet. It also helps getting the thing on and off if you have some sort of rashguard or dive skin.

I'd give the suit a try underwater, since it seems like the medium should fit you ok.