I took advantage of the current 60%-off coupon on xterra wetsuits and got myself a Vortex 3 for under $200. It seemed to fit pretty well on dry land, tight, but not too tight, no problem zipping it up, no baggy bits. However, today when I wore it in the water for the first time, I immediately got a load of water down the back of my neck, and when I tried to adjust it further, another load down my front. This is the first time I've ever worn a wetsuit, and I hoping I just didn't have it pulled up sufficiently around the neck. I'm going to try it again tomorrow, but in the meantime, if anybody has any advice, I'm eager to hear it.
Also, after my suit was thoroughly wetted inside (top half), I found it very difficult to adjust, so I ended up just taking it off and hanging it up to dry. Is it even possible to put on a wet wetsuit, i.e., should I have taken it off and then tried to put it on again?
It's hard to say for sure over the internet, but based on what you describe, it sounds like the suit is too big. Every wetsuit is going to let water in. But it shouldn't be sloshing around. I'd say that if you feel it in your legs when you stand up, the water is sloshing around.
Then you say this about putting the suit on:
no problem zipping it up,
When a wetsuit has fit me, it has been hard to zip--and I usually cannot get it zipped on my own.
The sizing charts are guidelines, really. If you fall within them, you should fit the suit. But that doesn't mean that you couldn't fit better into a smaller one.
Good luck.
It's hard to say for sure over the internet, but based on what you describe, it sounds like the suit is too big. Every wetsuit is going to let water in. But it shouldn't be sloshing around. I'd say that if you feel it in your legs when you stand up, the water is sloshing around.
Then you say this about putting the suit on:
no problem zipping it up,
When a wetsuit has fit me, it has been hard to zip--and I usually cannot get it zipped on my own.
The sizing charts are guidelines, really. If you fall within them, you should fit the suit. But that doesn't mean that you couldn't fit better into a smaller one.
Good luck.
