Greetings and thanks in advance! So buying a new fullsuit, and I know suits fit everyone differently, but just to narrow it down who’s suit is wider in the chest/arms area?
And what type? Chest zip or back zip fits a bigger chest better?
Ps I’ve heard quiksliver fits wider?
peace
where do you surf? Cold? Colder…coldest??? I prefer no the no zip but I can wriggle in and out. Not everyone can. I’m cheap and buy all my wetsuits at the Trestle’s Outlet in San Clemente. I have had very good results and fit with the wetsuits from there. I am 5’11" at 170, 31" waist, wide in the shoulders.
they come in so many different sizes you should try them on
zipper in back so you dont lay on it and dig it in your board
custon suits in OC cal area ,Corral reef wetsuits, tell them ken sent ya
i prefer back zip. just easiet to get into and out of-simple, full length zip. actually, i would to havemy old o’neil animal skin spring suit back. wide shouldered, with zip along shoulders in back. that was a great suit!
I’m pretty thick in the chest and shoulders.
An LS in a 3/2 and an XLS in a 4/3 is what works.
I can get into a chest zip but I can’t get out of it by myself. O’Neill Psycho, Body Glove, Y Quick Silver back zip suit me best. When the water gets below 55 degrees that back flap is golden.
The bottom line is you have to go try suits on before you know what’ll work best.
No Worries, Rich
Hey Big Duke I remember from your last post that you are a big dog.
I wear a Xcel infinity 3xL with a short chest zip it takes a little practice getting in and out but IMHO they are the best fitting suit for a big guy.
I wear a 50 L jacket and have a 38" waist also they hold up real well . I own a 5/4/3 a 4/3 and a 3/2 check em out
Hyperflex Amp Wetsuits are the best I’ve found. I’m 6’4" at 220 lbs with a 48 inch chest and 34 inch waist. 100 % flex neoprene and at $200 for a 4/3 it’s a bargain, on my 3rd year with a 4/3, 5/4/3 and 3/2 and no loose ends. Keeps me very warm in the cold Jersey winters.
You can look at them here www.wetsuitwharehouse.com
Tom
Try em all, fits per body type… No peeeee in um, til price tag is off and your in the water or could be muy expensive and messy
O’Neill Psycho II or Psycho Freak
i’ve got a 3/2 rip curl bomb i bought on clearance and i love it. i bought it for a trip to New Zeland and was dreading the day i would have to wear it for surfing. since i’ve only surfed in Hawaii, the only time i ever wore a wet suit was for diving (in a 3/2 excel back zip). but the rip curl suit was awesome. very comfortable, easy to get on and off. and with the chest zip, water infiltration around my neck was kept to a minimum. the zipper is up high enough on my chest that it never comes in contact with my board or causes any dings.
i go 6’1" 180 and the LT fits like a champ.
BigDuke,
One thing about chest zips is the pull-over has to be stretchy in order for your head to fit through. That is a potential flush area, because alot of those suits have not velcro tightener at the neck. So…not tight, and stretchy = cold water flush. And believe me I speak from experience.
Also a lot of the performance of a suit depends on the fit to your particular build. Rip Curls run on the short side. I’m 6’-0" and I need a Tall. Whereas with O’Neill I take the standard. You just have to try them on. But pay attention to the neck!
Doug
Hey Bigduke!
My next suit purchase will be a back zip no doubt.
I currently have an O’neill 4/3 Mutant and other than the fact you have to be Gumby to get out of the thing, the front zipper always creeps open and flushes cold water through.
But, I used to have a Billabong G2000 6/4 with chest zip (cold ass Maine winters) and that worked really well but still a pain to get out of.
~Brian
Yeah - like everyone said you need to try many and get the one that fits you the best and has the features you want. Besides fit you may want to consider your ability to get in and out of the suit. Im 45+ and ended up with a back zip since I thought that after a session it would be much harder to get out of a chest zip than a back zip. It was a pain in the a for me to get out of some of the chest zips in the stores - and that wasnt after surfing and tired.
Last year I was on a mission for a new fullsuit. Tried almost every brand front zip / back zip etc. I liked some of the chest zips but ended up with the oniel heat. Its a back zip, fully sealed - no frills reasonably priced suit that fit me well and was easy to get into and out of.
I would have to say that the chest zips did feel a bit more flexible across the shoulders (once I was in).
Good luck on your search - many many choices.
yoyo
Greetings and thanks in advance! So buying a new fullsuit, and I know suits fit everyone differently, but just to narrow it down who’s suit is wider in the chest/arms area?
And what type? Chest zip or back zip fits a bigger chest better?
Hooded or not? How much do you plan to spend and how long do you expect it to last? In my experience a back zip wetsuit will last longer as you stress a front zip alot when you get in and out of it. On the other hand, the front zip wetsuits seems to be a little more flexible and maybe a tad warmer with less water flushing in.
Ps I’ve heard quiksliver fits wider?
I think you heard wrong. I have a bodyglove(L), an hyperflex(XLS) and quicksilver(XLS) wetsuit in the 5-7mm range, of the three the quiksilver is the tightest especially in the chest area. Very hard to get in and out of, but it’s good once I get it on. I’m 5’10" and 180lbs, I would have to go up to XXLS to make the quiksilver suit easy to get in and out of. Seems a bit silly really. Similar with thinner suits, I can use 3/2 ONeill and Ripcurl in size ML, but can barely get into a quiksilver in size L.
Howzit bigduke, Check out Patagonia’s wet suits. I was at the main office’s store last week and checked them out, sweet and warm.Aloha,Kokua