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Thread: Hooded wetsuits?

  1. #1

    Hooded wetsuits?

    Hello merfolk. I actually write wondering what I should get a mermaid friend of mine. She lives in Canada and wants to wear her tail but it seems too cold, and the water absolutely necessitstes a hooded wetsuit. are there any suggestions for a hooded suit for her that won't look too estranged from a tail?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Euro Pod Echidna's Avatar
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    that's a good question for all cold water mers, and sadly one I haven't been able to find a satisfying answer to.

    I have been looking myself into wetsuits, and all the better looking variants seem to have gone out of production decades ago. All the modern wetsuits are black or camo and look terrible. I've written to a japanese manufacturer who makes custom suits, but never heard back (they're probably not interested to sell outside of Japan).
    Other than that, the only thing I've found is Otterbay, they used to make mermaidy wetsuits with a tail/fluke incorporated already.
    I'm not sure if they are still making/selling those suits though.

    The only alternative seems to be to buy some non-ugly neoprene (good luck with that) and make a mermaidy looking suit yourself- or maybe you can find a manufacturer who will do it for you. In my region, there are just three and they all refused, so...gotta tough it out.

  3. #3
    I guess the best I could do is buy something that looks as girly as possible, get a hooded vest for underneath and hope for the best. She actually doesn't like the cold so toughing it out wouldn't be an option for her, ironically.
    I've seen otterbay suits and while they look ok, I don't know about the hooded aspect, whether it's attached, how it stretches, ect. She's got long hair so it needs to fit, but I'll look more into it. They're probably expensive though

  4. #4
    There is also Mermaid Protector who offers full suits and they offer caps as well. They are not as good as a full hood but maybe enough for a few minutes.

  5. #5
    That's definitely more in line with what she's looking for, but she really needs a full hood.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Euro Pod MermanOliver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by alex25ishere View Post
    That's definitely more in line with what she's looking for, but she really needs a full hood.
    Maybe she could contact the crew of Mermaidprotector, as far as I know they also do made-to-measure. Maybe they have an idea that is not on their homepage.

    Other idea is Eliossub from Italy, they make freediving wetsuits and can make them from coloured neoprene. Also made-to-measure.

    Sent from my H3311 using MerNetwork mobile app

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    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    I've got this. Its very warm. I bought my wetsuit from end of season sales at a scuba shop. It was originally $300, reduced down to $50.
    https://scubadiving.com.au/products/...-nemo-3mm-hood
    Last edited by Mermaid Jaffa; 05-09-2020 at 11:14 AM.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  8. #8
    if your friend can sew, what about making a 'skin' to go over a standard (black) wetsuit?

  9. #9
    Blind stitch is something not many people are capable of. You can not sew a wetsuit like normal clothes. If you do it wrong, water gets inside the suit and you will cool too fast.

  10. #10
    I was meaning a lycra cover, that you put on over top of a regular hooded wetsuit, no sewing neoprene at all

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  11. #11
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Starfire View Post
    I was meaning a lycra cover, that you put on over top of a regular hooded wetsuit, no sewing neoprene at all

    Sent from my CPH1875 using MerNetwork mobile app
    Nope! Won't work even if its got an elasticated waist. It'll just slide off.

    I know this because I once wore a tail over my wetsuit and the whole time, I was holding the tail up with one hand!

    Its better to mod the wetsuit and sew it with zigzag stitch to attach your additions.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Jaffa View Post
    Nope! Won't work even if its got an elasticated waist. It'll just slide off.

    I know this because I once wore a tail over my wetsuit and the whole time, I was holding the tail up with one hand!

    Its better to mod the wetsuit and sew it with zigzag stitch to attach your additions.
    If you say so, I have no experience with wetsuits. If that's the case, how was your friend planning on swimming in a wetsuit & tail though?

    I was thinking something like a long sleeve, hooded leotard or one piece swimsuit, that can be put on over top of the wetsuit made out of fabric that matches the tail, could that work?

  13. #13
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    Get a cheap pair of wetsuit pants in the next size up. 2 sizes up is better, you have more fabric to play with. Cut along the inner legs and crotch. Put the two sides of the inner legs together and sew. Do the same for the other side. If you got 2 sizes bigger pants, put it on and pin and tack until it is a nice fit. Not too tight or loose. Now you got a tail body, you can curve out the ankles so that it looks like the scaled part of the tail before the fluke. Make the tail fluke separately and baste stitch it to the tail body. Try it on one more time with monofin inside, when you feel it is a perfect fit, zigzag stitch on all the seams that you used the baste stitch on. When sewing is done, take out the baste stitch, you don't need it anymore. It was just there to hold things together temporary.

    I've seen custom wetsuit hoods, where they've added fin ears, and animal faces.
    Last edited by Mermaid Jaffa; 05-20-2020 at 11:17 AM.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  14. #14
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    I checked - Ottebay is in business today and they make custom ( mermaid ) suits. http://www.otterbaysuits.com/Otter_B...s/Welcome.html. Looks like they moved their shop to another location in Monterey, CA.
    Ruth Cricket Justice-Limes
    Otter Bay Wetsuits & Drysuits
    243 Foam Street, Suite A, Monterey, CA 93940-1413
    (831)333-0234 main line // (833)333-0234 toll free
    (866)312-4713 toll free fax

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