Wetsuit question

[Radoo]

Just got myself the first wetsuit (ordered online as couldn’t make it to my LDS) and I am wondering how neoprene behaves after you use it a couple if times in the water. Is it going to shrink, expand or stay the same? The reason for this question is that although if feels quite nice and snuggly when is on it’s a bit of a struggle (please read fight) to put it on. I am think that if it’s going to shrink then I should better return it and change to the next size. If it’s going to expand a bit then it would probably get easier to put it on. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Brian G]

I'm guessing it's a 7 mil suit due to your location. That should be a struggle to get on. They will loosen slightly with age and use.

Edit - they may tighten as YOU get older though

 

[Radoo]

I'm guessing it's a 7 mil suit due to your location. That should be a struggle to get on. They will loosen slightly with age and use.

Edit - they may tighten as YOU get older though

Thanks Brian. It’s a 3mm for pool training and warm water holiday diving.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

In my experience (I've had a 5mm Neosport for about 5 years) it should loosen up a bit with age and usage, but maybe not a whole lot. It will certainly be more comfortable in the water because it will loosen up once you get in. But once it dries it should for the most part retain its original size and shape. It should be somewhat difficult to put on because they're supposed to be fairly snug so as to trap and retain water inside so your body heat can keep it warm. You don't want water freely "flowing" through your suit because it will never stayed heated. There are a couple of different tricks to use to simplify the donning process, though. The ones I can recommend from my own personal experience are:

1. Wear a dive skin underneath, which should make it slide on a little easier
2. It may sound a bit crude but use a plastic bag. Put the bag over your foot/hand then push through the respective leg/arm of the suit. Should slip through like a hot knife through butter

 

[stuartv]

It should not shrink or expand. The material will get thinner if you dive it much in deeper water.

I use diluted baby shampoo to help my suits slide right on. I just squirt some in each arm and leg opening and then don it directly over bare skin (with just a swimsuit on). The baby shampoo lets it slide right on and makes it easy to position if it goes on a little twisted/crooked.

 

[johndiver999]

If you are diving relatively warm water and using a 3
Mm suit, then thermal efficiency may not be a huge issue. If this is the case, then the next size larger suit
May be much easier to put on and will be less constricting and the slight loss in thermal efficiency of a suit that may leak a little is not a problem.

 

[JackD342]

Just got myself the first wetsuit (ordered online as couldn’t make it to my LDS) and I am wondering how neoprene behaves after you use it a couple if times in the water. Is it going to shrink, expand or stay the same? The reason for this question is that although if feels quite nice and snuggly when is on it’s a bit of a struggle (please read fight) to put it on. I am think that if it’s going to shrink then I should better return it and change to the next size. If it’s going to expand a bit then it would probably get easier to put it on. Thanks for your advice.

It sounds like the suit is too small, unless it is just wrist and ankle cuffs to overcome. No, it is not like a pair of jeans that shrinks when washed, or a sweater that stretches out over time. In my experience, neoprene can stiffen up over time, thus becoming less forgiving by stretching less, which will make it effectively smaller. Not quickly, but eventually.
There is probably variation based on the construction - type of neoprene, lining, etc.

 

[UFOrb]

Wetsuits should be tight-fitting and can be a little tricky to get on but if it's a fight then I'd say the chances are it's too small.
How does it feel once on? If it feels tight over the shoulders for example and you struggle to squat down or touch your toes then that would also indicate it's too small.
As mentioned above, as it's 3mm for pool and warm water on holidays then tight seals are not going to be as essential cos thermal efficiency isn't so vital.

 

[pepperbelly]

I just tirn the sleeves and legs inside-out. It sort of rolls on as i put it on.