I'm in the market for a new farmer john. I've been looking around a farm john sized for a "medium tall" and I haven't had any luck finding something that would fit, so I'm contemplating a custom suit. Has anyone else gone the custom route? I'm looking for recommendations. A couple of years ago someone (Wes Boyd?) recommended Liquid Fit. I got a ballpark price from them for a farmer john/jacket combo in "super stretch" neoprene. Has anyone used the "super stretch" neoprene? The thought of a farmer john/jacket that actually fits, and is comfortable, is starting to overcome this cheapskate's reaction to the cost of going custom. Kirk -- Kirk Olsen kork4_at_cluemail.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
NRS has some big and tall sizes in stock. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kirk Olsen" <kork4_at_cluemail.com> Subject: [Paddlewise] Custom wetsuits > I'm in the market for a new farmer john. I've been looking around a farm > john sized for a "medium tall" and I haven't had any luck finding > something that would fit, so I'm contemplating a custom suit. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Thu, 22 Jan 2004 14:21:23 -0500, "John MacKechnie" <bigmac1_at_enter.net> said: > NRS has some big and tall sizes in stock. I looked at NRS, the ultra john sounds nice and comfy (http://www.nrscatalog.com/product.asp?pfid=2220). Alas for their sizes I can fit the chest or the waist measurement but not both. I end up missing the second measurement range by 2 to 3 inches, which is more gaping or constricting than I'm up for. My recently deceased farmer john lasted 20 years, if the next suit lasts half that long it's a nice long time to spread the cost over. Plus the neoprene farmer john is my most often worn paddling garment, outside of my PFD. Kirk -- Kirk Olsen kork4_at_cluemail.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Kirk Olsen wrote: > Plus the neoprene farmer john is my most > often worn paddling garment, outside of my PFD. If you wear a farmer john outside of your PFD it's no wonder you can't find one that fits properly. Sorry, couldn't resist. :) -- Steve Cramer Athens, GA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
If you have a 15-20 yr time horizon, then cost is almost irrelevvant. Get what you want. $200 vs $250 is $2-3 per year difference. I got a Bare MT a dozen years ago for $180 CDN. That was only slightly less than a custom order, which I was about to get, for a well-made suit. The lifetime purchase theme prompted me to get a GoreTex drysuit. Verrry comfy. I expect it will last me about as long as I amlikely to want a drysuit. If I should use it enough to wear it out, I will be very, very happy. GaryJ Kirk Olsen wrote: > I looked at NRS, the ultra john sounds nice and comfy > (http://www.nrscatalog.com/product.asp?pfid=2220). > > Alas for their sizes I can fit the chest or the waist measurement but not > both. > I end up missing the second measurement range by 2 to 3 inches, > which is more gaping or constricting than I'm up for. > > My recently deceased farmer john lasted 20 years, if the next suit lasts > half that long > it's a nice long time to spread the cost over. Plus the neoprene farmer > john is my most > often worn paddling garment, outside of my PFD. > > Kirk -- Director, Family Canoeing Centre Recreational canoeing courses for the whole family. +--------------------------------+ | /"\ | | \ / | | X ASCII RIBBON CAMPAIGN | | / \ AGAINST HTML MAIL & NEWS | +--------------------------------+ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I never use Farmer John's anymore. If I need to wear a wet suit, I use a full surf wet suit (I think from body glove). I have a 3/2 for local winter, and northern summer paddling, and a 4/3 for northern winter paddling. Both are extremely comfortable and flexible, but for the 3/2 I got their most stretchy (and expensive) version. Well worth it. No impediment to paddling whatsoever. Surf shops have a very wide range of sizes and styles that all seem to be of much higher quality then kayaking counterparts. The only down side is that they tug on the neck a little when seated. Really not a problem, unless you get one that is too short in the torso. Lean toward a longer one and it won't be an issue. I was amazed and a little embarrassed about how large a size I needed (for someone my height), but since there were so many sizes available it wasn't an issue. I have a local wet suit shop install a custom relief zipper. FYI, my zippers cover a range that looks more like a relief zipper for a woman. That way they work standing on shore or sitting in the boat. All the farmer johns with relief zippers I have seen don't seem to comprehend male hardware position when seated in a kayak. Steve Brown -----Original Message----- I'm in the market for a new farmer john. I've been looking around a farm john sized for a "medium tall" and I haven't had any luck finding something that would fit, so I'm contemplating a custom suit. .......... The thought of a farmer john/jacket that actually fits, and is comfortable, is starting to overcome this cheapskate's reaction to the cost of going custom. Kirk -- Kirk Olsen kork4_at_cluemail.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 02:03 PM 1/22/04 -0500, Kirk Olsen wrote: >I'm in the market for a new farmer john. I've been looking around a farm >john sized for a "medium tall" and I haven't had any luck finding >something that would fit, so I'm contemplating a custom suit. > >Has anyone else gone the custom route? I'm looking for recommendations. > >A couple of years ago someone (Wes Boyd?) recommended Liquid Fit. Yeah, that was me. >I got >a ballpark price from them for a farmer john/jacket combo in "super >stretch" neoprene. Has anyone used the "super stretch" neoprene? The one I had Carolyn at LiquidFit make for me is an early version of this material, as I understand it. It's not real, real stretchy but it does stay snug. I have had no mobility problems and have been very satisfied. (Just a customer, no financial interest.) >The thought of a farmer john/jacket that actually fits, and is >comfortable, is starting to overcome this cheapskate's reaction to the >cost of going custom. Money well spent. It only cost me about $30 more, if I recall correctly, to get a custom fit suit over buying a NRS Grizzly that never came close to fitting comfortably. Many custom wet suit makers, like LiquidFit, specialize in diving suits; other applications are secondary. You do need to specify that the suit is for kayaking, and that you're going to be spending a lot of time sitting, so it can be cut accordingly. The only quibble I've had with my LiquidFit custom job is that the zipper pulls for the ankle zippers are on the back side of the legs, and occasionally manage to stand up on the floor of the kayak. I'd advise having the zipper pulls on the inside of the leg. -- Wes --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wes Boyd's Kayak Place NEW URL! -- http://www.kayakplace.com Kayaks for Big Guys (And Gals) | Trip Reports | Places To Go | Boats & Gear --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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