folks, i’d like you to do something for me. i’d like you to measure your best fitting wetsuit, even if it’s a bad fitting wetsuit. the measurements i’m looking for are the height, and width, of the wetsuit’s torso, measured at the neck seam, and the crotch seam. like this:
as to the width, the intersecting line is exactly one third of the distance of the torso length down from the neckline. spread the suit out flat, don’t stretch the rubber, but measure the width. basically, you’re measuring half the circumference at that spot.
if you have any questions about this, how to measure this, or if your wetsuit doesn’t “behave” because it lacks these seams in these places, please post here with details (the wetsuit brands and style, perhaps with a pic).
when you post the measure here, let me know what BRAND of wetsuit, what MODEL of wetsuit, and what SIZE of wetsuit you’ve measured for me.
i would ALSO like to know the following:
in centimeters, what is your height? and what is your measured inseam? as to that second measure, standing barefoot, shove a book tight up your crotch, binding first, measure from the floor to the top of that book.
and finally, i would like to know whether you think that wetsuit you measured fits well in the torso? is the wetsuit: too short in the torso, and it’s everything you can do to get it up and over your shoulders? about right? or too long in the torso?
Happy to do this for you, I have n=3 of these that I can measure for you. However, one is a DeSoto two piece - so I can’t quite measure exactly as you have indicated. If you want, send me a message and I can get whatever measurements you need for that one. It’s my best fitting for sure.
Here’s a pic of the measurement. Let me know if I’m doing something wrong with placement/measurement.
i believe i see the issue here, and it’s why i asked you guys to do this. that particular wetsuit seems to have a pretty nonstandard collar, with a seam that dips down into the chest. most of those seems pass across the jugular notch or just below. this suit seems to have a different pattern in the neck area.
Xterra vector pro
Size: medium long
24 3/8 inches (61.9 cm)
13 1/4 inches (33.6 cm)
72 inches (182.9 cm)
33.5 inches (85.1 cm)
I am 66 years old and find this suit really hard to get in to……most times tearing it somewhere. Also hard to get out of with it catching around my heals. I have been thinking of cutting it shorter, but worried that it won’t survive if I do that. Once on its is pretty tight in the chest and shoulders.
Brand: Orca
Model: TRN (~2016)
Size: Medium-Tall
A: 515 mm
B: 340 mm
Me:
H: 185cm
Inseam: 90cm
Weight: 71kg
Fit: good for length and width.
if you look at the post just below yours, you’ll see a medium tall or medium large that measures 62mm in the torso. this is pretty typical of a well fitting suit in that size. therefore, that 51.5cm if yours, for a medium tall, that seems short.
but as i’m looking at pics of that suit, it has the same thing going on that the xterra model had that titanflexr and i exchanged posts about. the neck seam dips down. the collar on a suit, typically, is about 4cm in height, plus or minus. yours is much longer than that, and makes the torso panel appear too short. can you remeasure your suit, from the very top of the suit, in front, down to the crotch seam?
Xterra vector pro
Size: medium long
24 3/8 inches (61.9 cm)
13 1/4 inches (33.6 cm)
72 inches (182.9 cm)
33.5 inches (85.1 cm)
I am 66 years old and find this suit really hard to get in to……most times tearing it somewhere. Also hard to get out of with it catching around my heals. I have been thinking of cutting it shorter, but worried that it won’t survive if I do that. Once on its is pretty tight in the chest and shoulders.
Another Xterra Vector pro
Xterra vector pro
Size: Men’s Medium
torso length 23 inches (58.4 cm) collar seam to crotch gusset seam (see picture) The gusset is 3.25" (8.3 cm) wide.
torso width 14 inches (35.6 cm) across the chest right over the logo (see picture)
my height 5’10", 70 inches (177.8 cm)
my inseam 32.5 inches (82.6 cm)
~165 lbs (75kg)
While I’m not 66 years old, I find this suit to be too short in the torso too. It’s hard to get over my shoulder and nearly impossible to zip up on my own. Also has some shoulder restriction once on. It’s a little tight in the chest, but nothing I mind. Like Tobrien, it was hard to get over my heals until I cut over an inch off the legs and arms (skinny foot opening).
I was just looking at wetsuits again to size up after reading the front page article and wasn’t sure if a medium long would increase the length in the torso, legs or both. I’m roughly in the intersecting corner of medium, medium-long and medium-large
There are 2 seams along the neck so I took measurements from both.
My height, weight and inseam:
Height: 175.25cm (5’9")
Weight: ~173lbs
Inseam: 82.5cm
Wetsuit (from the neck seam closer to the crotch):
Length: 55.72cm
Width: 38.74cm
Neck seam farther from the crotch):
Length: 60.48cm
Width: 39.37cm
I’ve been happy with the fit but it is also the only wetsuit I have ever owned so I have nothing to compare it do. If I put it on correctly, I feel I have good range of motion in my shoulders, no bad restriction through my chest, and no pulling down on my shoulders. I feel the arm and leg lengths are pretty spot on as well. I probably have a little more muscular upper body than most triathletes but I think it still fits well. I am getting some tears through the arm pits and chest which could just be from age or maybe from being to restricted in those areas.
Good project Dan as after almost 20 years I’ve worked out why I struggled to get the right fitting wetsuit. I’m 6’4" tall, but with a spine length of an ‘average’ person and giraffe length legs, but the width of an elephant leg. So when I’ve been choosing a wetsuit based on height and weight then I was going too big - I was getting too much material on the torso. Although I admit that when I go for the medium (not medium tall) the thighs are a wee bit snug and although I’m not bothered then do only come mid calf.
when you say to the apex of the collar, is that to the seam that attaches the torso piece to the collar piece? or the top of the neck? i can’t see from the image what the tape says.
when you say to the apex of the collar, is that to the seam that attaches the torso piece to the collar piece? or the top of the neck? i can’t see from the image what the tape says.
Click the link for a full image.
515 to the seam.
595 to the top of the collar.
EDIT: 525 and 605 measured while hanging on a hanger.
This was interesting and possibly enlightening to me. I’ll be interested in your compiled data. Since I have never done this before, I now believe I need to get a new suit with a longer torso like my old QR. I assume I did this correctly (I measured twice).
Blue Seventy Helix Full Suit - M
Wetsuit torso height = 60cm
Wetsuit torso width = 34cm
2 My body size: height = 178cm; inseam is 85cm
Torso fit: Always fidgeting to get it to feel right. Always feel like I am fighting the suit a bit. This suit was given to me by a sponsor.
Roka Maverick Elite Sleeveless - M
Wetsuit torso height = 60.5cm
Wetsuit torso width = 34cm
2 My body size: height = 178cm; inseam is 85cm
Torso fit: I thought I loved this suit 1st time I wore it, but I am always fidgeting around in it. This suit was given to me for being a Roka first out of the water (in a TYR swimskin :-)).
QR Sleeveless Older model - M
Wetsuit torso height = 66cm
Wetsuit torso width = 33cm
2 My body size: height = 178cm; inseam is 85cm
Torso fit: I love the fit and feel of this suit BUT it is very tight across the chest when I first put it on. I HATE the zipper that zips up from the bottom.
