I’ve got a Desoto T1 wetsuit. I seem to have a hard time getting it off around my legs/ankles. I’ve heard of people cutting 2-4 inches off the bottom to help get it off quicker.
Any drawbacks to this?? Would it cause it to rip prematurely??
The drawback is, the less rubber near your ankles, the less flotation for the legs = less fast.
Now how much will 2-4 inches really affect this? Don’t know. I would suggest cutting off 1/2"-1" at a time until you find a length that is removable while retaining the most rubber.
Also, you might find just angling the bottom (longer in the front, shorter in the back) creates a larger hole, while keeping more rubber. My QR is cut that way. The front actually goes down over the top of my foot, but with the angled opening, I have no trouble getting it off.
I’d get in touch with DeSoto. Emilio will trim your suit for $20 or so. A good deal, considering that he’ll make sure all the seams are taken care of, i.e. no ripping. Their customer service is awesome–they cut my T1 down a couple months ago and it was a great experience. I think Emilio’s address is on DeSoto’s website.
Wow, I’m glad to hear someone else has the same problem with their T1 bibjohn I do. My T1 time loss in short races negates the wetsuit advantage. I’ve considered cutting a slit up each side at the bottom for 2 - 3 inches (with a seam to prevent any further extension upwards), therefore not losing any rubber. Anyone tried that?
I’ve got a Desoto T1 wetsuit. I seem to have a hard time getting it off around my legs/ankles. I’ve heard of people cutting 2-4 inches off the bottom to help get it off quicker.
Any drawbacks to this?? Would it cause it to rip prematurely??
Or do what I did. Take your suit to a dive shop that does wetsuit repairs, and have them put in 10" heavy-duty zippers up the back of the achilles. Strip down wetsuit below waist, reach down and zip up, then do the step dance and you are out.