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Wetsuit recommendation.

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Tonyarr

New Member
May 15, 2021
6
5
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Hi, I'm currently looking for a 2 piece open cell hooded wetsuit camo and 5mm. I've signed up to a freediving course but starting that next year. At the moment I'm not very fit also suffering with chronic spinal problems with sciatica. I've already started at the gym working on my core, and also swimming in the local river. At the moment I have a 3/2 mm gul wetsuit with my diving 5mm shorty over the top with a hood. The combo is OK, but I still get cold after a while, so looking for a proper suit and keep warmer for longer. Water here is about 10 deg c max atm. There are now so many to choose from so just asking for advice on a good suit. I've been looking at mares, cressi & a few other brands. I have a budget of £250. Thanks
 
For £250 I think you might be able to get a custom-made suit from Elios, though it might be worth waiting until you're in shape if you think you might change in size (you don't say whether you're just unfit, or overweight as well). That being said, whatever wetsuit you wear, you'll still get cold after a while in that water and £5 will get you a thermos flask.

Just out of interest, whereabouts are you/will you be diving?
 
I bought a 7mm "Cressi Tracina" for UK and Danish waters (they also do a 5mm model) last year which I have been extremely happy with. Although technically a suit specific to spearfishing I also use it for general freediving and it's super comfortable, even as a 7mm. The fit is really good for me and my body type (5'9 and 155lbs) but that obviously depends. I can definitely recommend this, but again - there might be better preforming suits if you are exclusively freediving.

Thanks
 
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Thanks for replying, sorry didn't say yes I'm 6 stone over weight as well, (100kg weight),mostly around my lower body, I've already got a full set of dive gear plus drysuit. My gul wetsuit is medium size and my build atm incan just about squeeze into it, also its very stretchy. I thought about 5 and 7 mm suits, I'm guessing if I had an open cell it should keep all the water or most of it out. I live south side of Lincolnshire, so here there aren't many places to go diving, I have the canal/ River right near my front door, so for the time being I'm using that for practice, as i say I'm doing the course next spring.
 
How tall are you Tonyarr? I have been around 100kg in the recent past and am 6' tall, although my current weight is 93-94kg.

If you are much less than 6', you would probably be best off getting a made to measure suit from Greece or more expensively from Elios or Polosub in Italy, as the arms and/or legs will likely be too long, although you could cut them I suppose. If you are 6' or more, off the shelf would probably work for you.

I bought a Mares 5.5mm made to measure camo suit a couple of years ago, in a sale for £130, which is very stretchy and forgiving with regards to fit. My favourite wetsuit though is still my stiffer, old made to measure Elios suit - one of the best investments I ever made.
 
How tall are you Tonyarr? I have been around 100kg in the recent past and am 6' tall, although my current weight is 93-94kg.

If you are much less than 6', you would probably be best off getting a made to measure suit from Greece or more expensively from Elios or Polosub in Italy, as the arms and/or legs will likely be too long, although you could cut them I suppose. If you are 6' or more, off the shelf would probably work for you.

I bought a Mares 5.5mm made to measure camo suit a couple of years ago, in a sale for £130, which is very stretchy and forgiving with regards to fit. My favourite wetsuit though is still my stiffer, old made to measure Elios suit - one of the best investments I ever made.
Im 5` 9" I have slightly shorter legs and a longer body, I guess suits have changed over the last 20 years, My fist one was a 5.5 Oceanic Med large fit. Suits of that time were not very stretchy. Thanks for the info, I wasn't sure how much stretch the thicker suits have, in my mind I was looking at a med/large again based on my current thinner one, as I say its a med fit and 3/2mm fits like a glove. Already after a couple of weeks gym work I already lost 1/2 a stone that im pleased with, im ideal target weight is 10 to 11 stone, 64kg.
 
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Just to give you a rough idea on wetsuit sizing Tonyarr I am 5.5 Ft broad shouldered and 63kg and i bought a Cressi Apnea two piece open cell last year in a size medium, when it arrived i tried it on to find it was too small so returned it for a size Large which fits me perfectly I went for the Cressi Apnea wetsuit as you do not need to lube the inside of the suit before putting it on due to the Blacklite lining over the open cell. If you can try a wetsuit on before you buy i would recommend doing so as the Cressi sizes are definitely small in comparison to there sizing. Hope this helps some what.
 
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Just to give you a rough idea on wetsuit sizing Tonyarr I am 5.5 Ft broad shouldered and 63kg and i bought a Cressi Apnea two piece open cell last year in a size medium, when it arrived i tried it on to find it was too small so returned it for a size Large which fits me perfectly I went for the Cressi Apnea wetsuit as you do not need to lube the inside of the suit before putting it on due to the Blacklite lining over the open cell. If you can try a wetsuit on before you buy i would recommend doing so as the Cressi sizes are definitely small in comparison to there sizing. Hope this helps some what.
Hi, thanks this is what was concerning me from what you said helps thanks. Out of interest with that suit was there much stretch with it?
 
Plenty of stretch as it has to otherwise you would not be able to get it off with the way you have with an Open cell wetsuit just small for the sizing kind off reminds me of Superdry sizes.
 
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Thnaks for the help got a Cressi Apnea 5mm from spearfishing uk ordered. They advised me to go for large instead of XL as I plan to loose some extra ballast and the L will fit my height better than XL.
 
Thnaks for the help got a Cressi Apnea 5mm from spearfishing uk ordered. They advised me to go for large instead of XL as I plan to loose some extra ballast and the L will fit my height better than XL.
I found i needed to use lube when i first put it on but the second time onwards it was fine without lube probably because the neoprene shapes to your body on the first dive.
 
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How tall are you Tonyarr? I have been around 100kg in the recent past and am 6' tall, although my current weight is 93-94kg.

If you are much less than 6', you would probably be best off getting a made to measure suit from Greece or more expensively from Elios or Polosub in Italy, as the arms and/or legs will likely be too long, although you could cut them I suppose. If you are 6' or more, off the shelf would probably work for you.

I bought a Mares 5.5mm made to measure camo suit a couple of years ago, in a sale for £130, which is very stretchy and forgiving with regards to fit. My favourite wetsuit though is still my stiffer, old made to measure Elios suit - one of the best investments I ever made.

After losing some weight I also need to look for tailor made suit. So far I found elios to be best priced of italians, what Greek companys do you know to make good suits cheaper than the Italians?
 
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