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wetsuits for taller women

7 replies

hellymelly · 26/07/2013 12:45

I have a good wetsuit, but it does pull down on my shoulders. I saw some women yesterday in suits that fitted really well, how I imagine they should, (theirs were c-skins) but I either have the shoulder/neck problem, or the whole suit is too big. I am a size 10 and 5'8", and I think I need a suit which is longer in the body than the average womens' cut. Anyone found a good one? It is for sea swimming so needs to be not too thick. I will have to buy it online so can't go and try them on.

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PigbinJosh · 26/07/2013 12:55

You really really need to try them on, though. The usual advice is to go one size up, so that might be your problem - but I have found with better quality suits that my normal size is fine, so the one size up thing might have been a bit of a smokescreen for 'these suits aren't properly made' Grin I do find that when out of the sea my suit is not the most comfy thing to wear in the world, but as soon as I'm in the sea it loosens up. I have a damaged shoulder so I understand where you are coming from about pressure there - but I think it's a function of the wetsuit when out of the water. I often have my neck not done up to the top until the last possible moment - ie I'm already up to my waist with my board - before finally closing it properly. That helps too. Then immediately I duck below the water, to make the uncomfortableness disappear.

quoteunquote · 26/07/2013 13:15

I will have to buy it online so can't go and try them on.

That is a really bad idea especially for sea swimming, each make and each style are a completely different fit, even between suits supposedly of the same size and style,

for sea swimming you need movement, you need for it to be non rub.

go to a supplier with a really good range of high end suits, try as many on as possible, early morning is the best time,

you need a suit that is easily to get in and out of, you want it not to bag around the back of the shoulder, but also not impede movement, when you have a suit on do lunges, arm stretches,

you don't want any baggy bits, nor do you want it to pull on you in any place.

I am tall, I buy three to four wet suits a year, I would never buy on line, because I am always surprised when trying suits on, the difference in fit,

Getting the fit right makes a huge difference to your enjoyment of the activities.

I have so many suits that have been discarded because of one irritation or another.

It worth making a journey to somewhere with a decent selection, and try all the suits in your size on, it takes a while and remember to do them all the way properly or you really do not have a real idea how it is fitting,

take a friend for help,

a decent rash vest is a must, and a pot of Vaseline for the neck line.

and wet suit sizing is a whole other issue, I have suits from the same manufacture in four different sizes, they make it up as they go along.

hellymelly · 26/07/2013 15:19

Oh dear- I don't know how I would get to somewhere that sells a lot of suits. I live in a retail desert, even though we are right by the sea. Are there any makes that I could narrow it down to maybe? I did try a size up in the suit I have, but it was baggy around my middle. I don't find it loosens enough in the water, I have tendon problems in both shoulders and a dodgy neck, and so the fact it is really too short in the body makes it quite uncomfortable. Maybe a sleeveless version would be better? I think I could cope with that for Summer swimming!

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hellymelly · 26/07/2013 15:31

If it helps, I am 5'8" 30F or 28FF bra, smallish waist but curvy rather than athletic frame, size 10 usually, sometimes 8. The suit I have was expensive (over £100, I can't remember how much) but is unisex which might not be helping maybe?

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quoteunquote · 26/07/2013 15:37

Oh you have big breasts, so do I, I suggest you do try them on, as wetsuit manufactures have yet to get the engineering for breasts right.

I even know a few people who are involved with wetsuits(owners and designers), we argue about the fact that big breast in wetsuits have yet to be catered for.

You really do not want air pockets, or rub,

when I started surfing, they didn't even make women's wet suits, we used to adapt them.

hellymelly · 26/07/2013 22:44

Well I bought one from my friend (they sell good stuff for swimmers, www.swimmingwithoutstress.co.uk if anyone is interested). I tried on a sleeveless one (by aquasphere) and that was fine for sea swimming this afternoon, but I completely agree about breasts. It does really squash them, I would love something more breast-friendly in shape. I did have air pockets, partly as due to the breasts the neckline has a gap at the top, it is lower than on a full suit. If I size up to get more breast room I get big air gaps round my waist. This suit is a thin one and so nice and stretchy, I would love a thicker one with good shaping at the bust to wear in Autumn. I remember wetsuits a couple of decades ag

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hellymelly · 26/07/2013 22:46

...o, being much more shaped at the bust, with stonking great zips and all that but more tailored in shape, or am I remembering them incorrectly?

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