Shopping for a wetsuit on Coz

[nwflyboy]

I've got a trip to Cozumel coming up in about 10 days, and I may need to pick up a new wetsuit when I get there. I'm looking for suggestions for someplace on the island that might have a decent selection and not terrible prices.

And yes, I do know that there are better places to buy dive gear, especially if you care about price and selection - buying at a resort destination one pays more and has limited options. In my case, the usual options I would choose - local dive shops, buying online, a dive show, etc. - are not practical: I don't have time to shop for one before we leave, and I had a pretty serious knee injury a few days ago (serious enough to cause my knee doc, who is also a diver, to initially tell me just not to go...after some back-and-forth he grudgingly gave me something like an OK to go and even to try diving, but I need to be reeeeealy careful not to do anything to further damage myself).

One of the challenges I'm going to have, given my injury, is to pull my wetsuit on and off (twisting and tugging motions are dangerous, and I definitely do a bit of that with my old, full wetsuit).

So besides other modifications to normal dive activities (no giant-stride entries for me, no shuffling on the boat with heavy gear on, I'll need to don and remove my BCD/tank when I'm in the water, etc.), I'm looking for either a two-piece wetsuit (really I'd just wear the top) or maybe a shortie, if I can keep the tugging and twisting away from that knee. Or if the water is warm enough I could just wear my dive skin and skip the neoprene entirely, but I don't expect the water to be THAT warm.

Basically, I'll figure out how to get some dives in without further damaging my knee, but I'd like to shop for a new (knee-injury-appropriate) wetsuit once I get to Cozumel.

So...what are the shops on Coz that have the better selection for neoprene outfits?

Thanks.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Neosport 7mm Neoprene Waterman Mens Step-in-Jacket

 

[gopbroek]

You can try ProDive (the retail shop not the dive op) just south of the square on the corner of Calle 1 and 5th Ave. Another thought would be Cozumel Scuba Repair, I am not sure of thier selection but you can check their website at Your one-stop-shop for everything SCUBA!
Seriously the pickings are going to be pricy and slim. Most suits are brought in from foreign sources by friends and visitors and not purchased via local retail. The dive shops also get a lot of equipment from salesmen from the mainland who specialize in scuba gear and again are not local retail operations. As an example a new hood arrived on my doorstep yesterday from Leisure Pro which I will haul down for a DM friend on my next trip.

 

[MMM]

ProDive is probably your best bet. I was in there the other day and they had a fair number of wetsuits, including 5 mm. I didn't see that many wetsuits when I was in Cozumel Scuba Repair last month but maybe they got some in. ScubaWholesale (on 5th Ave. near the cemetery) has wetsuits also. Don't let the name fool you...they are full price and supply Studio Blue downtown. But I think they may have a bigger selection/stock of wetsuits than downtown. Water temp is running about 81F right now. I would die in a skin but then, I die if I don't have at least 5 mm on.

 

[ggunn]

I've got a trip to Cozumel coming up in about 10 days, and I may need to pick up a new wetsuit when I get there. I'm looking for suggestions for someplace on the island that might have a decent selection and not terrible prices.

FWIW, 10 days is plenty of time to buy on line.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

Its Cozumel, so unless you are just cold natured or doing more than 2 dives a day, thermal protection is minimal. I dive a 3/2 and was actually hot on our last trip averaging 80-90 minute dives. For your situation, I would suggest looking at a Lavacore or similar wetsuit. They are not neoprene and are more like a lightly lined dive skin. If you can bend over to put on your fins, putting on a lavacore should be no problem.

As far a sizing, Leisure Pro has a great return policy and customer service. I believe they pay for return shipping so you could buy several, and return them before the credit card bill was due. We usually have our orders in 3-4 days.

Good luck, safe travels.
Jay

 

[Superglyde]

I just got back and used my brand new Henderson 3 mm front zip step in shorty/jacket. Easy to get in and out of and oceans stretchy and kept the chill off. Paid 95 bucks for it at Christmas from scuba.com but wetsuit whse has it and leisure pro and shipping was free and immediate.

 

[nwflyboy]

Thanks, all - very helpful info.

An update: we've tweaked our plans a bit - originally, we were going to fly to Mexico tomorrow (Thursday 2/2 - going to Mexico City for several days, before heading to Cozumel and arriving there on Wed. 2/8) -- which is why I indicated I wouldn't have time before leaving. I was able to change our outbound flight this morning - we will delay our departure, skip the Mexico City part of our trip (we'll go there another time) and fly straight to Cancun. So now I've got a few more days to play with before we launch - enough to order online as long as I get my tail in gear. To that end...

I just got back and used my brand new Henderson 3 mm front zip step in shorty/jacket. Easy to get in and out of and oceans stretchy and kept the chill off. Paid 95 bucks for it at Christmas from scuba.com but wetsuit whse has it and leisure pro and shipping was free and immediate.

This looks like just what I need. I usually wear 3 mm in tropical water (and that's an old, long-since-compressed 3 mm) so I'm thinking a new 3 mm, even as a shorty, should keep me warm enough there in Coz (I generally don't get cold very quickly - too much built-in insulation...) so I'm thinking this will be about right. Superglide, how did you find the fit on the Henderson? In your experience, are their sizing charts on the tight side or loose or pretty accurate? They're quite stretchy, right?

I'm inclined to order one tomorrow morning - it needs to get here Monday or Tuesday, so I need to commit.

How's the weather forecast for next week? I'm hoping the Nortes have finished for a while...

Thanks again for all the input, guys.

 

[ibj40]

I'll chime in, for what it's worth. I had a pretty severe attack of sciatica about eight years ago, and it affected the strength and utility of my left leg. I used to dive a BARE Velocity 3mm, but found that it was difficult to pull that thin of a fabric up over my somewhat limp left foot and leg. I upgraded to a Velocity 5mm, and have found that to be a wonderful solution to my issue.

The thicker suit not only stays open for better access, but also provides the support I need to sustain the posture in my leg. The fact that the newer 5mm Velocity has a zippered ankles is also a plus, as they open wider for better access for my less than cooperative leg.

Good Luck on your search for a solution!

 

[diver0008]

Buying a wetsuit on-line without having ever tried it on seems risky to me.

Especially if you have some physical limitations.

Do you not have a local dive shop?

You will certainly pay more and have less selection on Coz.