All . . . . .

I just tried on my first wetsuit - full length -large. The suit seemed to very tight around my chest. It was hard to breathe! It seemed every corpuscles was squeezed. The salespeople said it was the perfect fit! I tried on an extra large, and it wasn't much better in the chest. The people said it was too big. There were lumps near my upper arms.

How is a wetsuit supposed to fit? I mean, is it really that tight!! Does it loosen up once you are in the water? Should I try on another brand?? Help !!!

Do you recommend that I should wait until I get to Bonaire to buy a wetsuit? I am not worried so much about the extra money, but I may find a better selection of wetsuits. However, I would rather buy one before the trip.

The other thing, my flippers have a full boot, i.e. not a strap. Thus I can't wear booties with my fins. Do I need to buy a new pair of fins and booties? Can I wear water shoes into the water, then take them off and put in a mesh backpack?
Do they sell mesh backpacks that will hold a pair of shoes??

Your help would be appreciated!! thanks.

My significant other found a wetsuit that seems to fit her. So we will buy thoes.

I'm not an expert but I wouldn't go into the water w/o booties. Lots and lots of coral! My wetsuit fits tightly until I get into the water. I (think) I know that if it's too big, it won't keep you warm because too much water gets into your suit and defeats the purpose of wearing it. I'm sure a lot of scuba pros on this board can answer that though -
Michelle

Do you get cold easily? If you don't, i.e. you sleep with a sheet and your wife is under a blanket, just get a skin, they have more give. Or you can get a wetsuit that has the zipper down the front and leave it unzipped to your waist with a t-shirt underneath or over it to keep any occasional stingy thingys off your chest.

You can wear water shoes until you are in the water, take them off, and stow them in a mesh bag/backpack or thread some sturdy cord thru the loops at the backs and clip them to a belt at your waist or to a small backpack.

Ken, I would be inclined to get a bigger wetsuit. To tight is not good, I would trade breathing room for BTU's any day. The other recommendation is to get booties, hard souled booties and open fins. Booties are great water shoes, you never get sand in them. They really are what you want to walk around the water in Bonaire and simplifies snorkeling.

I agree on the booties, hard soled ones are the best option. You can use the water shoes but it gets to be a real pain.

As for the wet suit, it should fit very snug but unless you are very cold natured, I would go for a fleece lined skin or some other very light wetsuit,something like a Polar Tech. If you still need some additional warmth, try a skull cap or thin hood. My wife gets cold fairly easily and a lined skin and cap was enough for her 2 weeks ago. You can always rent one after you get on island if you need more. I am assuming you are diving, if you are snorkeling then you need even less thermal protection, actually the only thing you need a suit for snorkeling is for sunburn protection.

Linnea, about the water shoe thing. I'm planning to do just as you said. I have good watershoes, want to buy a belt to clip on my shoes and a little watersafe container to hold a little money, carkeys, maybe a credit card.
And i still have to buy flippers, plan the ones with a full boot. want to exchange my watershoes for the flippers in the water. How hard will that be? All experiences are welcome!
We're only snorkelers, btw.

It is not too hard to exchange water shoes for fins. Finding the exact depth to where you can do it comfortably is the hard part. If you are much taller than your wife, have her hold onto your arm while she does the change. Then go out a little deeper to where you can use her bouancy to help steady you while you put on your flippers. Practice at home until you are both good at doing the exchange without falling down. When you buy the fins, have the salesperson demo how to do it. There are several ways to put on fins depending on your flexiblity, foot size and fin type.

Last time, was the first time we had experienced "shore entry" snorkeling (it was our first and hopefully many more times to come - on Bonaire). I was happy that we'd chosen the bootie/open fin option because if you are new at shore entry, it's a bit difficult just getting acclimated to the environment - surge, coral so close to entry sites etc. If you are really comfortable in the ocean with gear, I don't think switching from water shoes to closed back fins would be a problem. However, IMHO, I really liked being able to snap on/off my open fins and then walking in & out of the ocean.
:-)
Michelle

All . . . . .
Thank you very much for your recommendations. At least your help has put my questions in perspective. Some things I know now, and others will have to wait until we get to Bonaire.

As for booties, we will buy a new set of open fins and dive booties. Thats for sure.

We will buy a 3mm wetsuit or dive skin, I don't know which. We will wait until we get to the Divi and check out the water. I like the idea of thermal protection of the wetsuit, but a wetsuit may be overkill for out trip. I like the idea of a lycra dive suit (sounds like they are very comfortable) but it does not appear to have much thermal protection. I don't know how much thermal protection we will need. I don't expect to be in the water 6 hours a day. We will need the sun protection, however. Also we need something to wear to make us look "Bonaireie".

And, based on your recommendations, we should buy our stuff at the Carib (I understand that Bruces's place is near the Divi).

Thanks again. Ken and Sue

Ken,

Bruce at Caribe Inn is GREAT! We bought all the gear we needed while on Bonaire from him.

Belinda

I just happened by this board again after a while.
Haven't been to Bonaire in almost 10 years, but we go to Aruba every year and snorkel every year.
We had closed foot fins that we bought before we went to Bonaire in 1995 and used them without problem.
A couple of years ago, we decided to upgrade to booties/open fins. IMHO, it was an excellent decision. Getting the fin on is SO much easier...the booties provide more traction/stability when entering slippery or sharp areas -- like Aruba's "Natural Pool". The last year I used the closed foot fin, I actually hurt my knee....trying to bend back and get the fin on (I'm in my late 50's and not very flexible/agile). That incident prompted the change. I bought the fins from an on-line company in Florida...they tried to talk me out of buying them, but their catalog said that they were good for snorkelers/casual divers. I said that we had used closed foot fins for a number of years and wanted to upgrade. Anyway, we made the purchase and both of us (my wife and myself) are very glad.
We considered a return to Bonaire this year. It didn't work out, but we'll try again for 2005.