I want a full length wetsuit for the Puget Sound (Washington state USA) and San-Juan islands. I'll be using this suit from my sailboat for mucking about in the water, free diving (catching crabs) and possibly stand up surfing. If I sail out to where there are waves, I'll definately use if for boogie-boarding and body-surfing.
My problem is that I don't go play in the water as often as I'd like (which should be all the time since I live on a boat!) because I HATE pulling wetsuits off. I don't have a huge issue putting them on, especially with the plastic bag trick, but I feel like I'm wearing a straight-jacket while having a fight with an octopus in a phone booth, every time I try and get the thing off. (The suit I'm referring to is my current scuba suit that doesn't fit my new self-insulated belly and my experience with o'niel and other suits from 15years ago in Austraila).
Are there 5/4 5/3 non-hooded suits that are easy to get in/out of? What should I look for? Does stretch help or hurt my cause? Does anyone make ankle zips anymore? Should I go front or back entry?
Now the other big problem. I'm not in a surfing area, so no surf shops. There are scuba shops, but all scuba suits feel like moon suits. Are there any websites that allow you to order 2 suits and ship back the one that doesn't fit? Any advice for how to buy a suit that fits in a non-surf area would be appreciated.
Cheers!
Sailortom
