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Dry Wetsuit Fit

 
   
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Neal Dunn

May 1, 12 10:21

Post #1 of 12 (1124 views)
Dry Wetsuit Fit Quote | Reply
We talk a lot about wetsuit fit. If you are trying on a wetsuit dry, what should you be looking for to know whether it fits or not?

Thanks,

Neal


DarkSpeedWorks

May 1, 12 10:33

Post #2 of 12 (1110 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [Neal Dunn] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
I think that the bottom line is that it is very hard to accurately determine if a wetsuit fits well when you and the suit are dry.



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Neal Dunn

May 1, 12 13:00

Post #3 of 12 (1064 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [DarkSpeedWorks] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Understood, but not all places will let you try them in the water. Any advice for a dry test?


Fleck

May 1, 12 13:03

Post #4 of 12 (1062 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [DarkSpeedWorks] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
I think that the bottom line is that it is very hard to accurately determine if a wetsuit fits well when you and the suit are dry.

Not necessarily so - there are a few tests, and things to look for, that if the sales person knows what they are doing, can say with a high degree of confidence, to the person buying the suit, that this is the size and the suit for them.

The bottom line is a well fitting suit most likely will feel uncomfortably tight, when tried on dry in a store. Good sales people have to know how to talk to customers about this and give them the confidence to buy that suit/size.

Otherwise what often happens, is that left up to their own devices, many triathletes, newbies in particular, will buy a suit that is often one or even two sizes too big for them! At big races in my travels I see many triathletes in wetsuits that are too big for them. The down-side of this is that they'll get a lot of water leakage, will be colder and slower when swimming in that wetsuit.



Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog | EventsOnline | Bibnumbers.com

(This post was edited by Fleck on May 1, 12 13:07)


Neal Dunn

May 1, 12 13:48

Post #5 of 12 (1034 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [Fleck] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
anything else besides uncomfortably tight?


ChrisM

May 1, 12 13:51

Post #6 of 12 (1032 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [Fleck] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Steve - I've heard (or read) some people say that if it fits well, you shouldn't be able to zip it up yourself. I call BS on this, but wondered what you thought?


DarkSpeedWorks

May 1, 12 14:04

Post #7 of 12 (1020 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [Neal Dunn] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Neal Dunn wrote:
Understood, but not all places will let you try them in the water. Any advice for a dry test?

I think you can judge the neck tightness pretty well for yourself, even dry. For the rest of the suit, probably the brand's height/weight recommendations might be the best way to go.



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Fleck

May 1, 12 14:13

Post #8 of 12 (1011 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [ChrisM] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
I've heard (or read) some people say that if it fits well, you shouldn't be able to zip it up yourself. I call BS on this, but wondered what you thought?

Zipping the suit up on your own is going to depend on a few things - the actual fit of the suit somewhat related to that. It's more to do with your shoulder flexibility.

Related to this, and FWIW, we never recommend that people do their zippers up on their own - it leads to a lot of zipper and suit damage. We use the absolute best and sturdiest model of YKK Zippers and Zipper heads on all our Nineteen suits - right through the line. It's an extra expense, particularly in the lower priced suits, but this is an area of high stress on the suits. Zipper damage and damage to the suit in that area, is most often self inflected, and thus NOT subject to our normal 5 year warranty, but we are nice guys and even though this damage is self-inflicted, we fix all of these zipper problems under our warranty policy. But we don't see a lot of them, because we start with the best zipper in the business! :)

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog | EventsOnline | Bibnumbers.com


rss_joey

May 1, 12 14:23

Post #9 of 12 (998 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [Fleck] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Fleck wrote:
 I've heard (or read) some people say that if it fits well, you shouldn't be able to zip it up yourself. I call BS on this, but wondered what you thought?

Zipping the suit up on your own is going to depend on a few things - the actual fit of the suit somewhat related to that. It's more to do with your shoulder flexibility.

Related to this, and FWIW, we never recommend that people do their zippers up on their own - it leads to a lot of zipper and suit damage. We use the absolute best and sturdiest model of YKK Zippers and Zipper heads on all our Nineteen suits - right through the line. It's an extra expense, particularly in the lower priced suits, but this is an area of high stress on the suits. Zipper damage and damage to the suit in that area, is most often self inflected, and thus NOT subject to our normal 5 year warranty, but we are nice guys and even though this damage is self-inflicted, we fix all of these zipper problems under our warranty policy. But we don't see a lot of them, because we start with the best zipper in the business! :)


+1
We use only the best zippers across our line as well and rarely see an actual zipper failure. More often, we see separation between the zipper and the wetsuit because of undue stress. When an athlete tries to zip his or her own zipper they are typically pulling at an angle (unless they have crazy, double jointed wrists and elbows) which stresses the seam.


Since we implemented top down zippers we see a lot less zipper issues because the new configuration pretty much forces you to have someone else zip you up.

-Joey
US Sales
Rocket Science Sports
http://www.RocketScienceSports.com


texastri

May 1, 12 16:13

Post #10 of 12 (955 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [rss_joey] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Does it come off easy? If a dry suit comes off very easy, I would assume it was too big. Put it on, zip it up, get it where you think you should be then bend forward. If you get some pretty big rolls in the gut area, its too big. On the other hand, if you zip it up and can only exhale - take it off before you pass out!


jakers

May 1, 12 20:35

Post #11 of 12 (917 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [Neal Dunn] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
I'd agree with Fleck's comments and say that I say the suit should be borderline uncomfortable.

The suit shouldn't have any extra material anywhere. Aside from that, a good sales person should be able to tell you with greater than reasonable accuracy if it fits.

If you are making your purchase online and have no one to tell you, just put the suit on. Lift your arms above your head, you shouldn't feel a lot of restriction. The suit shouldn't pull down on your shoulders, nor pull too tight in the crotch. A proper snug fit will still allow you to breath naturally, but will be tight still.

jake
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Fleck

May 2, 12 5:17

Post #12 of 12 (860 views)
Re: Dry Wetsuit Fit [Neal Dunn] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
anything else besides uncomfortably tight?

Many people may be in the right size of suit, but think they are not(too small) because they are not wearing the wetsuit right. They have not taken the time to put the wetsuit on properly and fit the suit to them. I've done this for people at races and at try-on events where I have been working at, and they are forever thankful for me for showing them the right way to put the wetsuit on.

This blog is now several years old, and I apologize for the blatant blog promotion, but I do go over the basics in it - http://stevefleck.blogspot.ca/...s-all-about-fit.html

Hope this helps.

















Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog | EventsOnline | Bibnumbers.com

   
 
 
 
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