Picking a new suit

[OHIO DIVERS]

I been diving a drysuit over a year that is way to big, but it keeps me dry.
Over the last few months i been spending alot time on line and go to dive shops doing my research on drysuits.
My diving profile---3 1/2 years diving, 1 year of diving dry----i live in northwest ohio, so i will dive quarries, the wrecks of the great lakes and ice diving.
The bigest reason i want a new suit is fit,fit,fiit and durability.
I have it down to four suits

dui--clx 450---pros--durability, good fit (select xl-tall)--cons-not sure about rocks boots

waterproof--d7 pro iss--pros--this suit has two pockets and attached boots----cons--new market, are to find---poor sizing charts

viking----vts--pros great looking suit, cordura/buty/polyester, 450 g/m--cons---i would have to order this suit without never seeing one of them.

Bare's--trilam hd tech--pros---durability, should be a good fit--cons--i have received feedback, that some divers have a hard time getting their feet in and out of the bare's attached boots---factory installed pockets pulls away from the suit (poor bonding).

I'm ready to put down my cash---just looking for some more feedback.

 

[paddler3d]

Personally I found like like have 'rock boots'. You foot goes into a neoprene sock and then into the shoe. Sure the separate boots are one more thing you have to bring, but I felt like i got a better fit that drysuits with attached boots.

If I had to do it again, I'd get a suit with 'rock boots'.

I like Apeks valves. They seem to operate more smoothly.

 

[eelpout]

If you cannot try the proper size of suit from the company that sells it, don't buy it. For an investment of this $$ size the seller should be able to accomodate your request.
The fit of a drysuit should allow you to move freel to manip[ulate whatever gear you are using. If you dive with twin tanks, stage bottles, scooter, sidemount. All of these things come into play when you buy your suit.

I have owned a Posiedon Unisuit, Imperial Buble suit, DUI Cat CF200, OS systems, Viking Combat Diver, DUI CF200SE (stock but custom modifed for my short legs) , DUI CLX 450 (stock but custom modified for my short legs) , DUI TLS350 (signature series)

I personally reccomend getting a DUI suit. If you can wait, attend the local DUI Dog Days in your area. Try all their stock suits and find one that fits your needs. If you can't find one then sit down and talk to Dave Sweetin ( if he happens to be there) and have all your questions answered.


Last thing, if you decide on Rock boots and you are not happy with them, I know of four people that use Convers Chuck Taylors with their suit and they really like them.

Jim

 

[rongoodman]

If you're a stock size, keep on eye on the Factory Seconds page of the DUI site. There are some amazing deals there from time to time. I got a brand new 30/30 there last summer for about a third of the retail price. Unless you're going to be crawling around inside wrecks, which you probably won't be in the Great Lakes, don't rule out the TLS 350. Very light and flexible, and seems plenty durable to me. I highly recommend putting the big Halcyon pockets on whatever you buy.

 

[buckeye_jeff]

I highly recommend the CLX 450 for Ohio diving. I've been diving it for 6 years now without any problems. Two of my friends that have TLS's have put pin holes in their suits. One thinks he actually got the puncher from one of the picnic tables at White Star suiting up. Another nice thing with DUI are the zip seals. Since we end up using our dry suits year round in Ohio it's nice to know you can replace a seal in minutes instead of being without your suit while the glued on seal is being replaced.

 

[elan]

I been diving a drysuit over a year that is way to big, but it keeps me dry.
Over the last few months i been spending alot time on line and go to dive shops doing my research on drysuits.
My diving profile---3 1/2 years diving, 1 year of diving dry----i live in northwest ohio, so i will dive quarries, the wrecks of the great lakes and ice diving.
The bigest reason i want a new suit is fit,fit,fiit and durability.
I have it down to four suits

dui--clx 450---pros--durability, good fit (select xl-tall)--cons-not sure about rocks boots

waterproof--d7 pro iss--pros--this suit has two pockets and attached boots----cons--new market, are to find---poor sizing charts

viking----vts--pros great looking suit, cordura/buty/polyester, 450 g/m--cons---i would have to order this suit without never seeing one of them.

Bare's--trilam hd tech--pros---durability, should be a good fit--cons--i have received feedback, that some divers have a hard time getting their feet in and out of the bare's attached boots---factory installed pockets pulls away from the suit (poor bonding).

I'm ready to put down my cash---just looking for some more feedback.

I would go with DUI. When we were selecting a dry suit for my wife we skipped all the Bare etc stuff and went to DUI.

If I was buying a new suit again I would skip bare as well and would get DUI go custom cut if you worry about the fit. Do not buy a drysuit w/o trying it. It's a huge amount of money and buying something you are not sure if it fits it regretting this purchase later.

 

[OHIO DIVERS]

Elan,

what do you mean by skipping the bare etc. Stuff?

 

[elan]

Elan,

what do you mean by skipping the bare etc. Stuff?

Literally

I bought a Bare suit, after adjusting it and adding options it was not much less then a DUI suit and I'm still not happy with it and once I have some free funds available I will be getting a CLX most likely. When we were purchasing a suit for my wife we just got her a CLX.

 

[OHIO DIVERS]

Rongoodman,

no, i am not a stock size. I'm 6' 4" and 215# and wear a size 13 or 14 boot.
I when to our underwater-world last weekned and stopped by the dui booth.
I put on a tls 350 xl and it fit well, just a few inches short. The guys at the booth suggested a clx 450 size xl-tall and bigger booties.
That's one of the reasons that dui and bare are the front runners in my drysuit decision.
Still looking for any feed-back
thanks

 

[OHIO DIVERS]

Elan,

what about the rock boots---good or bad?

We purchased a new bare drysuit from our lds last year. She like the fit, but she have trouble getting her feet in and out of the attached drysuit boots.