Sewing in to a wetsuit

[txaggie08]

So I took a hiatus from diving for various reasons, and have been reassembling my gear.


One issue that plagued me for 100s of dives was a wetsuit. I finally found a farmer John that I could squeeze my ample gut into, but it seems to have.... well I claim it shrank. It and my plate armor for reenactment, always shrinking...

Serious side though, I can still get it on, but my torso has always been exceptionally long, and I need about 3-4 more inches in the shoulder straps to not have it slowly dislocate my shoulder.

Any reason I could not take a leather sewing all, Some nylon webbing, and make these extensions? Any special technique that would need to be used besides patience and some anxiety medications?

I know I need a custom suit..... that is on the agenda, but I do not want to buy a suit now, when I'm in the process of losing weight and getting back in the water, when a Texas summer means all I need is a rash guard starting in may till nearly December.

 

[Altamira]

Contact Chris at Terrapin Wetsuits, Center Point, TX (NW of San Antonio), who does custom suits but is also great at modifications. She is currently adding some material to two of my wetsuits, which like your's, must have shrunk. She is a straight shooter and an expert at what she can do with a wetsuit. Whatever advice she gives you will be spot on.

 

[D_Fresh]

Is there currently any nylon webbing on the straps you intend to lengthen? Like is there a small loop of webbing to which the buckles attach?

If so (and there's enough material to work with), I see no reason why you couldn't extend that yourself. Carefully cut the webbing to release the buckles (which you will reuse). Stitch the new Extender to the existing "webbing tab" using Nylon Upholstery thread in a Box and X pattern OR two or three Bar Tacks. Then reattach the buckles to the new extender using the same Box and X pattern as used above.

If you must stitch to the Neoprene directly, I would seek someone with more expertise or research a bunch. It's obviously possible, but I don't know the best/proper way to do that....

I hope that helps