California Diving News - Gear Review: JMJ Custom Wetsuit

The ultimate fit test — my thigh, knee and calf. JMJ fit them perfectly. The rest of the suit fit perfectly as well.

JMJ Custom Wetsuit
Why limit yourself to diving only a few months out of the year because the water is “a little chilly”? Truth is most divers mistakenly think they can get by with much less thermal protection than they really need. They try to economize by buying an inexpensive off-the-rack suit that is fine (or maybe only marginal) when they get certified (for most divers, in the summer). Then they find on repeated summer dives, deep dives, or spring and fall dives they are uncomfortably cold. Winter dives are almost out of the question. You need better thermal protection. Your air consumption will improve and you’ll be able to make more dives per day. A cold diver can be more dangerous as hypothermia can affect coordination and even cloud thinking. And cold divers are more vulnerable to decompression illness.

What are your options for better thermal protection? A dry suit is an excellent choice but requires some training, more lead weight, and they are a bit more restrictive. The biggest consideration, however, is the substantial price—$800 to over $2,000.

A custom cut wetsuit, well crafted by experienced hands, in the right configuration, and made with top quality materials will comfortably handle nearly any kind of cold water that the California ocean can throw at you.

One of the finest and most experienced custom wetsuit makers in California is JMJ. The small and efficient crew at JMJ come from a background of fine wetsuit crafters. Us old-timers remember Bluewater Wetsuits from the 1980s. They were a excellent wetsuit maker for their time staffed by those that loved California diving. When the company dissolved, some of the staff moved on to the quality productions at Body Glove. When Body Glove moved most of their operations out of state, they stayed and formed JMJ with a philosophy of the highest quality in custom made wetsuits for the California diver. JMJ derives its name from the first initials of the owners, Jeff Sterr, his wife Martha, and design specialist Jon Lent.

Their wetsuits are available in dozens of configurations. What you choose will depend on your personal preference, diving style and situations. But rather than going into your shopping at JMJ with a preconceived notion on just what you want, be open minded. One of the most impressive things about these folks is the knowledge and advice they can impart. They will give you option considerations you may have not considered that can give you added warmth or added versatility to your suit. In addition, they can suggest small additions that will greatly warm up a wetsuit, such as wrist and ankle seals.

After consultation, Jeff and I concluded an attached hood on the bib of my farmer-john would be the most effective. The body of the farmer-john would be created with a slippery skin-in material. This is the area where warmth needs to be maximized. The same material was used to seal the wrists and ankles. The rest of the suit, however, would be created using a Titanium infused nylon II jersey lining—a bit of an old concept, but one I was willing to return to. I love the new “skin-in” materials. It is very warm, dries quickly, and slides on easily when dry. But when it is wet, it can be difficult to put on. As an underwater photographer, I have to pull off the upper half of my suit so I do not drip into my open camera. I then slip into my wetsuit again for another dive. Even the fastest drying suit does not have time to dry. In this case, the new skin-in materials are difficult to put back on. The nylon jersey lined material, however, slides on easily, even when wet. And because the jersey material is thin, the compromise in warmth is very small.

Also, in the conversation with regards to materials you will want to consider the grade of neoprene. In general, your choice of neoprene material is a trade-off. The very pliable, stretchy materials conform to the body well and are quite comfortable. They lack, however, toughness and durability. Stiffer neoprene grades will hold up well for repeated deep dives and abuse. But it can be difficult to move in a suit made of these materials. I had never realized I had a choice of materials in the making of a custom suit. More importantly, JMJ gave me an educated choice. I learned so much from these guys!

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.

Layout of the suit panels and placement of seams vary widely in suits. Many suits strive to get the most out of a sheet of neoprene—cost effective but does not always achieve the best fit for customer.

I have had a number custom wetsuit built for me over my nearly three decades of diving. All have fit well, some better than others. Some have had to go back for a second fitting. But with the JMJ I have no hesitation in saying it is the best fitting custom wetsuit I have ever worn, right from the get-go.

Perhaps in no other place was this evident than in my legs. Although the rest of my body has gone to pot over the years, my thighs and calves are still very muscular—lots of curves and bulk. My JMJ custom wetsuit fit my legs perfectly, following every contour. It was cut and sewn well, in addition to being built with the right materials.

While I do not spend a lot of time deep diving I do a lot of diving in a year and often am quite abusive to suits in beach diving and during underwater photo sessions close to the reef. The material recommended and chosen for my suit was surprisingly soft and pliable but still retained a good degree of durability.

Frankly, 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, as previously mentioned, it is also in the other details—often not much more than just that, a lot of details that can add up to a big difference. JMJ is fantastic on 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, collar, etc. 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 http://www.jmjwetsuits.com on the web.