Can a Wet Suit be Altered?
Terrapin Wet Suits
December 14, 1998
Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine
Editorial Office
6600 Abercorn St. Suite 208
Savannah, GA 31405
rsdmgzn@aol.comRE: Ask RSD column, Jan/Feb ’99 edition
Dear Editor:
Roger Prine wrote to ask, "Is there any way to stretch a wetsuit or alter it so I don’t have to buy a new one?" While Buck Butler’s response gave him one possible reason the suit no longer fits, it hardly answers the question. Roger should be told... "Absolutely yes, wetsuits can be altered!" There are at least 4 wetsuit specialty tailors in the USA, in Houston (TX), Kent (WA), California and Florida, and another in Scotland, UK. Depending on the condition of the suit, the whole thing probably doesn’t need replacing, just parts of it. A wetsuit tailor can add neoprene to accommodate, for example, a larger chest measurement. We can also insert stretchy side panels to enhance the elasticity of a suit. Also, zippers can be added to arms, legs and/or torso, to make it easier to enter/exit the suit.
Even if your weight doesn’t change, over time it can be redistributed, so places that used to fit are now tight. Stretching out the neoprene will cause it be thinner over the tight places, providing less warmth and accelerating the compression break-down of the tiny bubbles inside the rubber which provide the insulation and resiliency. A high quality suit, properly cared for, should last a least 10 years, so it may still be worthwhile for Roger to consider altering his suit, before he chucks it for a replacement. Moreover, custom tailoring any suit, new or old, can enhance the diver’s comfort.
One more thing, if you do use some kind of slippery goo to help squeeze into a tight suit, be sure it does not contain petroleum-based ingredients... they can dissolve the glue laminating the nylon fabric to the neoprene rubber. The small clay particles in talcum powder can become embedded in the fabric lining the suit, so it should be rinsed out thoroughly before it dries.
Sincerely, Chris Brandes,
Owner, Terrapin Wet Suits