Dry suit neck/throat pain?

I recently bought a Stohlquist Shift drysuit--sort of an impulse buy, found one online for almost 80% off retail, new. I'm 5,8", 145lbs, which puts me smack dab into a medium according to their size chart, which is what I bought.

Before going out, I tried it on. It was snug on the neck, and bordered just below uncomfortable. But I assumed this was normal to keep water out. I wore the suit for a 5 hour trip out in Bodega last week, and truthfully it was super uncomfortable. I did get used to it after a while. A day later, my thyroid area was super tender and sore, on the front/lower part of my neck. Its feeling better now, but I am almost certain this is from the suit.

Has anyone else experienced this? I'm certain a large would be too big for me, and I don't have an abnormally large neck or anything. Any tips/insight/advice on drysuit fit would be awesome.

Thanks all.

Neoprene ... ...

Another vote for a neoprene neck gasket. IMHO, a latex neck gasket is way overkill for kayak fishing...

Yeah, those things are a pain in the neck 

I used to wear latex neck seals for 8-10 hours a day as part of my dayjob.  First and foremost, the Kokatat neck seals had index marks on them for you to trim them to fit.  Not sure if the Stolquist does.  We would also use a #10 tin can as someone else mentioned and stretch the seal over the can for a few days.  We'd also use the can as a backer for cutting the neck seal to fit with an xacto knife.

Once they are properly fitted, they should be slightly uncomfortable, but wearable for 10 hours easy.

I recently bought a Stohlquist Shift drysuit--sort of an impulse buy, found one online for almost 80% off retail, new. I'm 5,8", 145lbs, which puts me smack dab into a medium according to their size chart, which is what I bought.

Before going out, I tried it on. It was snug on the neck, and bordered just below uncomfortable. But I assumed this was normal to keep water out. I wore the suit for a 5 hour trip out in Bodega last week, and truthfully it was super uncomfortable. I did get used to it after a while. A day later, my thyroid area was super tender and sore, on the front/lower part of my neck. Its feeling better now, but I am almost certain this is from the suit.

Has anyone else experienced this? I'm certain a large would be too big for me, and I don't have an abnormally large neck or anything. Any tips/insight/advice on drysuit fit would be awesome.

Thanks all.

You are about the same size with me and I have the Shift as well.  I am fairly athletic and I wear Large on typical clothing.  For the Shift, my size is XL.  Had to go through M and L before I finally settled on XL for comfort.  Leg parts is a little long, but I dont mind it.  Everything else seals perfectly at XL.  At the XL size, it takes a some effort to get out of the seals.  The seal needs to hug fairly tight you but not choke you.  Good luck!

when I first bought my dry suit, I used a football to to stretch the neck area for a few days. when new it was super uncomfortable, but its been a few years now it fits better.  so I guess it's broken in.  I believe you can also cut the gasket. but do a little at a time.  I haven't done it yet, but I'm considering cutting the gasket on mine because there's a lot of extra that folds over.

A few more thoughts that came to me after posting my original reply:

• It's imperative that you cut in one single motion without lifting the blade.  Lifting the blade and restarting can cause a nick that will cause a tear in the seal at the worst possible time.  Cut against your tin can or gallon bottle and keep the point of the knife firmly against the can/bottle as you rotate around so it's one single cut.
• Liberally apply 303 to the seal when stretching to help it stay as soft as possible.

If a neck gasket is real tight when you first put it on (as in turn-your-face-red make-your-voice-crack tight), put a can, bottle, or other cylindrical object in it for a couple of days to stretch it out.  If it's tight but not excessively tight, just live with it, and it'll stretch out during a couple of days of use.  I've never trimmed a neck gasket, but I've got a thin scrawny neck, so it hasn't been necessary.

Neck gaskets are as the grasses of the field, and after a couple of years of use they deteriorate and eventually tear.  If your current neck gasket fits badly, when it poops out you can replace it with one which fits you better.  OS Systems sells neck gaskets in seven different sizes, see http://ossystems.com/?page_id=802, as does Immersion Research, see https://immersionresearch.com/products/latex-neck-gasket. NRS's neck gaskets come in four sizes, see https://www.nrs.com/product/2284/nrs-latex-neck-gasket, and Bare's neck gaskets come in three sizes, see https://www.amazon.com/Bare-Latex-Drysuit-Neck-Seal/dp/B07BNCBZHN, but Kokatat's neck gaskets only come in sizes large and small, see https://kokatat.com/latex-neck-gasket-zcufnek.  NRS neck gaskets come with a tacky adhesive coating on the area you would put glue on when gluing a neck gasket on the outside of a dry suit; I find this coating to be a hassle regardless of whether I'm gluing the neck gasket on the inside or the outside of the dry suit.

I used to wear latex neck seals for 8-10 hours a day as part of my dayjob.  First and foremost, the Kokatat neck seals had index marks on them for you to trim them to fit.  Not sure if the Stolquist does. 

That makes a ton of sense actually. The gasket does have rings around it, presumably for cutting to size. Great info!

when I first bought my dry suit, I used a football to to stretch the neck area for a few days. when new it was super uncomfortable, but its been a few years now it fits better.  so I guess it's broken in.  I believe you can also cut the gasket. but do a little at a time.  I haven't done it yet, but I'm considering cutting the gasket on mine because there's a lot of extra that folds over.

I think I'm going to try stretching first, then cutting if that doesn't fix the issue.

If a neck gasket is real tight when you first put it on (as in turn-your-face-red make-your-voice-crack tight), put a can, bottle, or other cylindrical object in it for a couple of days to stretch it out.  If it's tight but not excessively tight, just live with it, and it'll stretch out during a couple of days of use.  I've never trimmed a neck gasket, but I've got a thin scrawny neck, so it hasn't been necessary.

Neck gaskets are as the grasses of the field, and after a couple of years of use they deteriorate and eventually tear.  If your current neck gasket fits badly, when it poops out you can replace it with one which fits you better.  OS Systems sells neck gaskets in seven different sizes, see http://ossystems.com/?page_id=802, as does Immersion Research, see https://immersionresearch.com/products/latex-neck-gasket. NRS's neck gaskets come in four sizes, see https://www.nrs.com/product/2284/nrs-latex-neck-gasket, and Bare's neck gaskets come in three sizes, see https://www.amazon.com/Bare-Latex-Drysuit-Neck-Seal/dp/B07BNCBZHN, but Kokatat's neck gaskets only come in sizes large and small, see https://kokatat.com/latex-neck-gasket-zcufnek.  NRS neck gaskets come with a tacky adhesive coating on the area you would put glue on when gluing a neck gasket on the outside of a dry suit; I find this coating to be a hassle regardless of whether I'm gluing the neck gasket on the inside or the outside of the dry suit.

Good to know that they are replaceable. Maybe upgrade to neoprene in the future. Thanks!

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Thank you everyone for the tremendously helpful insight. I really appreciate it!