wetsuit purchase for newbie

[hnladue]

ForestFish, Check out www.liquidfit.com. You can order a custom suit that fits just right and for not too much $$.

 

[dbruce]

Okay, so I am going to buy myself a wetsuit here in Illinois. Should I just buy it from the dive shop (where we are getting certified)? Or should I get sized there, and then order online?

I tried on one already, and nearly cut off my circulation. Obviously, it was too small.

How often do you need to use a suit to keep it from shrinking?

Forestfish,
I would buy it from the LDS because if you have any problems with it (as goes with other equipment) you can return it or have them help you. I have had problems with buy certain things online IE wetsuits. I look at wetsuits just like a pair of shoes, you want to try them on and make sure they are comfortable...

 

[pants!]

I have no desire to go to a beautiful diving destination and put on an old wetsuit that dozens of people have peed in and has probably never been properly cleaned.

Spend the $$ on a comfy 3mm wetsuit and a 2-3mm hooded vest, and you will be prepared for anything from 68 - 82 degrees.

 

[pants!]

Oh.. wetsuits shrink, but it's not irreversible. It's just the nature of nylon to shrink when it dries out.

Before you go on your trip, if you remember to give the suit a good soaking and stretching (putting it on and getting in the shower is goofy but works) a few days prior, it's MUCH more comfy to don when you're ready to dive.

 

[Bob3]

It looks like you're getting some good advise.
Avoid buying dive gear at your vacation destination, as it will "probably" be overpriced and may not even fit.
Also be aware that some dive ops have 2 different boat trip rates, one for the touristas & one for the local walk-ins.
Don't bother with a custom cut if you're an off the rack size.
It's considered very bad form to get sized at your shop & then buy online. This is even coming from an online gear seller (me).
I'd recommend a 3/2 Farmer Jane suit, a hooded vest, and a 'tropical' hood, a little Snoopy-style neoprene hat. You might be able to get away with a 1/2 1-piece, or perhaps just a 3mm 1-piece.
If you're just after the warm water & pretty fish, you may want to check out some of the local inland lakes near you & . Even if you just snorkel you'll at least be keeping 90% current, as scuba proficiency has a very large "comfortable in the water" component to it that is composed mainly of snorkeling skills.
Cruise the near shore weed line for little fish who will be happy to entertain you.
It won't be very long & the kids will be able/want to accompany you on the freshwater lake excursions. Mine did at least.

 

[gregor1234]

If you are both of "average" shape gou can get an off-the rack suit at your LDS and that is a good way to go.

However nothing beats a custom fit. I would recommend one of the on-line custom wetsuit providers mentoned above and would add www.scubal.com to the list (they have reasonable quality at very low prices).

Speaking of price... would RoatanMan really pay nearly $500 for a 3 mm jumpsuit from Wetwear.com even if it was the best?

 

[DiveMaven]

I'd strongly recommend that you seek out and try on a Henderson Hyperstretch wetsuit. The beauty of them is that your body size can change as much as 20 pounds either up or down and the suit will still fit.

 

[spectrum]

My comment was not made lightly. It was predicated on a many observations made here and in real life. If obtaining above average OW instruction, taking refresher sessions, diving conservatively, using a DEDICATED dive master when appropriate is how they will dive infrequently and safely then so be it. Heaven knows there's a wonderful world to be enjoyed within those limits.

At the risk of further hijacking this thread I will save further coment for a future thread and ask that others set responses to my comments aside in the interest of assisting this couple.

Sincerely,
Pete

Pete,

I think you need to understand that different people have different desires. I know that you are excited about diving, since you just got certified 2 months ago, but I think you need to respect the fact that others may have different life situations than you, and may be looking for a different diving experience. Taking refreshers locally before each trip, and diving within their experience limits, I see no reason why forestfish and her husband cannot be safe competent divers.

 

[rpodos]

As a warm water diver, I prefer a skin and a shorty anyway. Easier for travel, easier to put on, almost the same heat retention where necessary, and ability to use just the skin if 1) it's really warm or 2) when I'm snorkeling / freediving instead.

 

[jakubson]

If you get sized at the shop, buy it from them. There's nothing worse than taking a shop owner/worker's time and then using what they helped you figure out to your benefit and not theirs. Otherwise, look at some size charts and buy it online without using the shop. Find someone with a good return policy though in case it doesn't fit.

Agree completely. I buy from both LDS and Internet, and feel the above recommendation is the polite thing to do.