Wet Suits

[JohnnyCastaway]

Well, with the upcoming trip to Coz, (Coz being the drift diving mecca of the world) I wanted to get a newer wetsuit, full lenth in addition to the shorty I have.  I've always said that wet suits purchase is "find one that doesn't pinch too much".  I now know how wrong that statement really is.  The newer material that everyone is using allows the wetsuit to stretch a lot more, and gives better mobility.  We went out to a local dive shop to see what they had, ranging from $100 upwards, $100 being the Ocean Run brand, similar to what my current "shorty" is, then were the Bare products, $180, their "progressive stretch" material was quite good, then tried their "Hydro stretch", not bad, liked the progressive stretch more, but then I tried the Henderson titanium Hyper stretch.

WOW!  It's never been easier to get into a wet suit.  it was like slipping on a t-shirt.  It was on the upper end of the scale at $299 but wearing it around the store for 10-15 minutes I could hardly tell that it was on, except for the fact that I was sweating bullets.  I ended up buying it (got $10 off the price) and we promptly headed home and that was me in the pool with my new wetsuit.  AMAZING is all I can say.  I can hardly wait to try it in a real dive experience. 

I'm now a believer in the Henderson Experience.   

http://www.hendersonusa.com/default.html  for more information.

If you're looking for a new wet suit, do give these serious consideration.

[Gambitt]

I've got a couple of friends who use the Henderson, and they swear by them too.  I think you'll really enjoy diving it.

(then again, I'd enjoy diving Cozumel, even in my birthday suit) 

[mojitomiss_cuba]

JC, I tried on the Bare shorty today and turned to the guy in the dive shop and asked "Don't these things come in a Tall size?" It felt quite restrictive. Now I know I'm a novice and therefore don't really know how a wetsuit is supposed to fit. I walked around in it for a while and started to get used to it. Then I tried on the Henderson! Holy Crap what a difference! The material felt so much nicer.
Small problem though. The same size suit in the Henderson was a bit too big for me and they didn't have any left one size down. He said he'd order one and I could try it on, but I'm worried that when I go back next weekend to check it out that if it doesn't fit (too tight lol) that the only one in my size left in the Bare will be gone!
Decisions, decisions. Yep this was at Aquarius

[flopnfly]

Wendy,

I know what you mean about "tall"  sizes.  Mine feels like it's pulling at the neck because it's too short.

I'm going to try a henderson next.   John swears by them. 

[JohnnyCastaway]

once you try the right Henderson on, there will be no going back.

 

[mojitomiss_cuba]

JC/Heather, I was actually quite surprised when I was told that the Henderson was the same price as the Bare. I thought it would be more expensive. I'm going to ask him tomorrow if he will order one. I really want to try on one that fits. The one I tried on today was a bit loose in the arm and I could grab a fistful of suit at the back (not the butt, lol, the back)

[flopnfly]

I think Aquarius is the only place around here that sells the Hendersons.

What size did you try on?  I hope they have one in my size.   

[JohnnyCastaway]

when I bought mine, the Henderson was about $100 more than the Bare, but I look at it this way, my current shorty is about 10 years old, I bought it for $69 (Jobe), and it's still good, probably for another few years -- for arguments sake, let's say 5 more years, so 15 years @$69.

so let's say the henderson last for 15 years, for only $100 more, it breaks down to $6.67 per year more for the Henderson, not too hard to swallow.  

especially in a wetsuit that doesn't make me look and feel like 10 lbs of stuffing in a 5 lbs bag!

[Gambitt]

Wendy, one thing to keep in mind is NO wetsuit is made to feel good out of the water!!

I have the Bare Hydrostrech, in both my shortie, and the 3mm full-body, and they both feel slightly restrictive before they get wet.   It's the water that fills the suit that lets them move around you, and settle in a much more comfortable position.

You will be surprised how much "bigger" a suit feels in the water!

[JohnnyCastaway]

True Gambitt, there is a significant difference in the fit of a wetsuit once you're in the water, but I find the Hendersons quite comfortable out of the water, except for the profuse sweating that starts about 2 minutes after putting it on, but no wetsuit in the world will resolve that issue, unless it's got built in Air Conditioning.   

to qualify (quantify?) my raving over these wetsuits, I remember a little while back offering advice to another diver about equipment, and the bit about wetsuits was "find something that doesn't squeeze you to death, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg" (or something to that effect), now that opinion has changed radically once I tried one of them on.

the other weekend I tried putting on my old shorty (yes, the pool was a bit cold that day    ) and I didn't get it half way on before stepping back out of it and getting the new one. 


I guess I'm a wet suit snob now?   

 

Just my opinion of course, YMMV

[flopnfly]

Buying a wet suit to fit is the same as buying new shoes.

If they aren't comfortable in the store, they are never going to be comfortable. 

Buy the best quality you can afford with a comfortable fit.  It's worth it in the long run.

Just a womans point of view.   

[mojitomiss_cuba]

I like the woman's point of view 

Heather that sounds like very sound advice to me. I really like the shoe analogy