Thinking about getting a wetsuit, but I'm clueless!

[NeveSSL]

Hi all!

Is there a good "wetsuit buyers guide" or something similar somewhere in cyberspace?

I am for sure taking the Advanced Diving I class this coming semester and I think we go diving just about every weekend. So I'm thinking a wetsuit would be a good investment this semester so I don't have to rent one every weekend for $20.

The problem is... I don't have a CLUE what I should get!

The only time I have worn one (recently... the other time was when I was 12 ) I had a farmer john. The problem is that the overall part fit fine. The upper part was too small. I'm about 6', 250lbs, with a 38" waist. I have short legs and a long torso and I'm a bit worried about buying online. Not that ST won't take care of me, but I hate to keep shipping stuff back and forth... and, to be honest, I think my shape is going to make things difficult.

Another problem besides size is I have no idea what thickness to get. I'm probably going to be mostly diving in quarries around here simply because I can't really afford to go anywhere else, so I'm thinking maybe a 6mm or 7mm may be good. But then what if I don't need one so thick? Would a 3mm be enough for the 60 degree quarries?

I'm confused!

Really, I think I'm just ignorant of wetsuits, so someone inform me.

Thanks!

Brandon

[Sansho]

Look at the manufacturer sites for brands ST sells: Pinnacle, Henderson, and Bare are 3 brands that have a number of sizes to fit a variety of body shapes. Pinnacle and Bare in particular have quite a few sizes.

As for thickness, a rough guide is 80º and above = 3mm, 70º to 80º = 5mm, Below 70º = 7mm. You can always open up a wetsuit and let some water in if too warm, however, if you get cold, you won't enjoy the dive. And if you're going to dive 60º, you'll also want a hood and gloves. Booties too.

[Vercingetorix]

To follow-on Sansho's comments, the most important question is: where will you mostly be diving? What is your tolerance for cold?

For instance, at CSSP in Terrell, I dive with a 3mm full with no hood. I've seen others in 3mm shortys and others in dry-suits. 5mm are also common. This is all highly dependent upon each diver's tolerance.

As for fit, you may want to visit you LDS and try on several. A wetsuit should be snug, but not too tight. Your LDS can help you with that decision. You may require a different size dependent upon manufacturer and material. For instance, I wear a Medium-size 3mm Henderson Thermoprene. However, I wear a Large-size 7mm farmer john neoprene.

[Grin]

For 60 degrees I would want a 7 mil suit.

I have a 3 mil for temp above, about, 74-75 degrees.
I have a 5 mil for 65 up.
I have a 7 mil for 65 and below.
When it gets below 60 I start to wish I had a drysuit, but I do OK down to maybe 57 with only a little pain with the 7 mil.

Alot depends on how long you stay in the 60 degree water. And how much you move around in that 60 degree water. I have a neighbor who dives in 68+ degree water claiming he doesn't need a wetsuit. But he doesn't own a wetsuit becasue: he is too cheap, and unprepared, and inexperienced, and he is afraid of his wife. I find is a little funny when he makes bold claims that he's warm and needs no wetsuit, but he then sucks a AL 80 empty in less than 20 minutes. Well Yea! Your kicking like a banshee to keep warm and hypervenilating the entire 20 minutes.
The same dive, done correctly, could provide a warm comfortable 45 minutes with a 7 mil suit.

[JCAT]

My home waters are right around 1000' asl. Part of it was a quarry used to construct it's dam. Even in the dead of summer, one needs at least a 3 mil.

I usually wear a full length 3 mil for anything above 50' (feet). If I'm going to dive to the first thermocline, I'll throw an additional 3 mil shorty over the top of that and sandwich my hood in between the layers.

If I'm going past 100', then I have an old Harvey's farmer John 5 mil and I'll wear a shorty over that and 3 mil gloves.

Whatever you decide to do, I recommend a quality wet suit like the Henderson brand. You want a suit (s) that you are comfortable in and will keep you warm.

my 2 psi

[JCAT]

I have a neighbor who dives in 68+ degree water claiming he doesn't need a wetsuit. But he doesn't own a wetsuit becasue: he is too cheap, and unprepared, and inexperienced, and he is afraid of his wife. I find is a little funny when he makes bold claims that he's warm and needs no wetsuit, but he then sucks a AL 80 empty in less than 20 minutes. Well Yea! Your kicking like a banshee to keep warm and hypervenilating the entire 20 minutes.

This is hilarious. Made me laugh, I think we all know someone like this.

[fire diver]

Since you will be quarry/lake diving, you probably need 2 suits. If you will want a 3mil for shallow dives in summer, and a 7mil with ice-boots, hood and gloves if you are going deep. Or you could just go the drysuit route. A tri-lam can be worn in warm water without the insulation layer, then just add in the thermals for those deep dives.

[NeveSSL]

Awesome. Thanks for all of the replies, guys. I'm going to do some research and go from there.

Brandon

[crea2k]

A good tip for you, if you buy one off the internet make sure you 100% measure your size right and dont do what I did and get one too small then leave it 4 days before you go away then have to make a 4 1/2 hour round trip to the store to change it for a larger size, argh nightmare !. After all this tho im dead happy with my new wetsuit and it was way cheaper than in the shops. .

[3rdEye]

i'd say a 7mm is what you need....and maybe a cheater vest for some extra warmth. Quarries will warm up a bit towards the end of the summer, but, there will still be a thermocline, when you get down to 60' or so, the water will prob still be in the 50's.

you'll need a hood and gloves as well.