I will be the first to admit it; I am a cold-water wimp. It’s not entirely my fault. I don’t have a body that retains heat and off-the-rack wetsuits tend to not fit me. In fact, on my certification checkout dive, I was wearing a rental wetsuit and the instructor stopped the dive because I could not stop shivering. A drysuit could be a good option but I’m not the biggest fan of things that restrict your neck. So if I wanted to dive California, I needed to find someone who would create a custom wetsuit that really worked for me. That company was JMJ wetsuits.
JMJ Wetsuits is one of the finest and most experienced custom wetsuit makers in California. The small and efficient crew at JMJ come from a background of fine wetsuit crafters. Jon and Jeff formed JMJ with a philosophy of the highest quality in custom-made wetsuits for the California diver.
The great thing about JMJ was how easy and quick I got my custom wetsuit. I had checked out their website beforehand, but they helped guide me for a suit that would be best for my personal needs. We talked about personal comfort and my inability to stay warm. I ended up choosing a 7 mm farmer john and jacket with “Skin-In” for the entire suit. It is very warm, dries quickly, and reduces the flow of water in and out of the wetsuit.
The heart of this custom wetsuit—of any custom wetsuit—is the measurements. A total of 30 measurements are taken, ranging from inseam to wrist circumference, to upper arm length. The type and number of custom measurements vary little from company to company. All give a good look at the customer to be fitted. But when the suit is built, the real difference shows through.
Now came the real test, I was set to try out some new gear, in Monterey no less. The divers I was with stared at me in disbelief. They all had dry suits, and there I was, in my wetsuit. I’m pretty sure they were snickering behind my back. So here comes the test. I’m in the water, swimming, then descending and I was fairly dry! A minimal amount of water was creeping in, but overall I was warm for the entire dive.
Nearly all custom wetsuits are great. They are, after all, cut to your individual specifications. Brands of custom wetsuits, however, vary in quality, often considerably. Not only is it in the cut, but also it is those minute details that can make or break a wetsuit. JMJ pays attention to details.
The stitching on the seams is impressive. The number of stitches per inch is very high, increasing durability. Soft edge tape on the wrists, around the face, and collar adds comfort to these areas.
I continue to be impressed with my JMJ custom wetsuit, both in warmth and comfort. Hollywood is also impressed with their suit quality. JMJ is a big supplier to film and T.V. production crews.
For more information, contact JMJ Wetsuits by calling 310-212-3040 or visit www.jmjwetsuits.com on the web.
