Wetsuit Problem

[Alex]

Last summer, I purchased a 2XU C1 wetsuit from a local swim shop. The guy who fit me is a triathlete. I have noticed that water comes in at the neck and the neck gaps a small bit in the front. (I have a really small neck and a small upper body.) Is there any way I can fix this? I have tried pulling the suit way up in the front, and then pulling it down in the back, and that works okay, but it's not perfect. Also, I get in the water, let the suit fill up, and then get out, pull out the neck a bit, and let the suit conform to my body. That works pretty well, too. If I don't do that, I end up with quite a lot of water in my suit that then gushes out when I exit the water.

I am contemplating using some Aquaseal or something to attach more velcro on the suit so that I can make the suit tighter around the neck. In looking at other suits that people were wearing at last weekend's race, I think I may have the same problem no matter what kind of suit I have. FWIW, local shop guy put me in a wetsuit that, according to the chart, is one size bigger than what I should have based on my weight. However, when I bought the suit, I didn't even know how to swim yet and I suspect he put me in a bigger suit because of my rank beginner status.

The local triathlon club is having an OW clinic in a couple of weeks and there will be shops there with wetsuits that we can try. Before I do anything drastic like permanently altering my suit with additional velcro, I will talk to the shops and see what they recommend. The guy I bought the suit from really didn't have an answer to my dilemma.

Any advice on how to handle this problem? Is it common? I suppose I could just be thankful that I don't feel like my suit is choking me, right? Are there other brands of suits with better designs for the small necked?

Thanks in advance!

[colby]

Did he have you try the suit on that is your proper size? You might start there - put on suits that are the right size based on your weight, see if you have the same problem. If so, you'll have to work on a solution no matter what. If not... you're in the wrong size.

Oh wetsuits, why are you so troublesome.

[Alex]

Thanks, Colby. This was the only suit I tried on, and I have never worn any other. I really don't want to buy another suit, so I'm going to have to work something out with this one.

[withm]

Sounds like you need to make a dart or two in the neck. It's pretty easy. You will need very sharp scissors, and a can or tube of wetsuit cement.

Basically you just cut a V-shaped wedge out of the neck of the wetsuit. It is very important to make a clean cut in one stroke, so you will have flat edges. If you have to close the scissors twice you run the risk of a lumpy and jagged edge that will be harder to seal. Coat the edges with a very thin coating of wetsuit cement. Let it dry about 10 minutes while keeping the glued edges apart from each other. Bull-dog binder clips work well for this, or inserting a toothpick or other similarly shaped object to hold the edges apart. Add another coating of wetsuit cement, let dry again, then press the two slit edges together. Let cure for whatever the cement instructions say.

Different wetsuit cement manufacturers may have slightly different instructions, but basically that's how you do it. I have had several wetsuits custom fitted using this method. Some of these alterations I am comfortable doing myself, but for more involved custom fitting, there are professionals that offer this service. Start by calling a local scuba shop - they should be able to steer you to someone that does this kind of work. But really, for what I think you need, it's simple to do this yourself. If you are very careful it can even look good (especially if your wetsuit is black!) but let's face it, a wet suit does not need to look like you just stepped out of the pages of Vogue.

Wetsuit cement will actually bond the two cut edges together. The repaired area will be just as strong, if not stronger than any other part of the wet suit.

Good luck.

[colby]

Just wanted to chime in that that's awesome advice. withm to the rescue!

[Alex]

withm, you're my hero! Thanks so much.

And, believe it or not, there are actually scuba shops in Utah...

Stepping out of the pages of Vogue! Snort! DH got a picture of me trying to get the silicone earplugs out of my ear as I exited the water. Do you think Vogue would be interested in that? LOL!

[withm]

LOL. 30 years of scuba diving.....

[Susan Otcenas]

Sand a can or tube of wetsuit cement.

So, I managed to snag the leg of my wetsuit with a fingernail and now have a half-moon-shaped cut in it It doesn't go all the way through, but I don't want it to get worse. Is there a brand you would recommend buying? Something you've used that works well? It's too late for me to do anything about it before my Oly this weekend, but I really want to get it repaired before my HIM in 3 weeks, and I don't want to have to send it out. I need it for practice!

TIA.

Susan

[HillSlugger]

So, I managed to snag the leg of my wetsuit with a fingernail and now have a half-moon-shaped cut in it It doesn't go all the way through, but I don't want it to get worse. Is there a brand you would recommend buying? Something you've used that works well? It's too late for me to do anything about it before my Oly this weekend, but I really want to get it repaired before my HIM in 3 weeks, and I don't want to have to send it out. I need it for practice!

TIA.

Susan

Those fingernail cuts are pretty easy to get. Fortunately, they are very easy to fix, too. If your race is Sunday and you can get some cement tomorrow you should be able to repair it before your race.

[withm]

Wet suit cement is a pretty generic product It's liquid rubbery goo, and every time I ever bought it, it had a different label. It's like rubber cement - use it in a well ventilated room, and get the smallest container cause it will undoubtedly turn into a rock the next time you need it. You can buy wetsuit cement thinner when that happens and try to doctor it up yourself, or save the hassle and buy another container.

Often these repairs aren't pretty unless you are very meticulous about your work. The cement is usually black, sometimes you can find clear. Invariably you will get the black rubber goo on something you wish you hadn't. Cover your work area with cardboard (I cut up cardboard shipping boxes), newspaper, paper towels, paper grocery bags or something like that. Depending on the size/shape of the repair, you can use the brush that comes with can, or buy those cheap hobby brushes, ur use toothpicks to spread the goo. I'd wear disposable latex (or equiv) gloves as well - the black goo can take a while to get off your hands and will probably never come off if you spill it on your clothing (she says blithely as she picks white paint off her hands from refinishing a dresser tonight....).

There used to be a place in the DC area that did this work - then they moved to Pocomoke City, then ultimately sold the business to one of their employees but the last I heard, she doesn't do it anymore.

Hope this helps.