buy a used one. they're for sale all the time. hopefully you're of average size and build. also might try other manufacturers. $4k for a -20 suit sounds awfully steep to me.
I don't think you add his two numbers up... what he meant was $1,300 for a lower end price/brand,,, vs $2,800 for a top of the line "Name Brand" fire suit.
Either way,,, Joe Timney has these SFI 20 Suites,,, "Super Suits" he just sent me a sample,, and they are thinner and more comfortble than other -20 suits I have seen.
CV