dry-suits who makes the best?

[wdearn]

DUI by far makes the best suit. They have a suit for every condition or activity even a tropical dry suit. Also if buying a drysuit you will have no need to use your wetsuit even in warmer months. I live in Massachusetts and own a DUI tls-350 its the best piece of dive gear I have ever purchased. DUI has a great customer sevice department and they don't just forget about you after you purchase your drysuit. Look at all the big names in wreck diving these days almost all of them dive with a DUI suit. Also DUI has demo days every year in many places for you to try out any suit you would like. Also the demo days are a great place for DUI owners to get together. check out http://www.dui-online.com

 

[cummings66]

I would add that Viking makes a good drysuit as well. In my mind I'd look at Viking, Diving Concepts, and Bare. I've dove many DUI suits and they fit well, but that's all I'm going to say of that beyond I love the rock boots. Odd, many hate them but IMO that's the only worthwhile thing they offer.

PS, the rally for DUI is a good place to try them out and you'll get the honest poop on the drysuit. Not that I distrust resellers, but I'd rather hear from the users first hand and to my knowledge DUI is the only one out there that does a rally. Pay your $8 and go dive any of their suits out there, they'll fit you and if you're not certified they usually have a mini-class and will take you out under instruction so you can check out the suits.

Also, just so you don't get upset when you get yours, dry-suits are dry in name only. You will perspire and get damp in hot weather, you should not get truly wet.

 

[reefugee]

Since you asked who makes the best drysuit, and not the best value drysuit - I will tell you what I would get if money wasn't an issue:

DUI CLX450
Zip Seals for both neck and wrist
Kevlar knee pads
Kevlar Butt pads
Kevlar elbow pads
Two pockets
DUI undergarments
Custom fit

The other suit I considered was the DUI CF200 - but decided against it because of the slower dry time and the heavier weight.

IMO - the Bare Trilam HD Tech. I came close to purchasing this suit - but like you, I decided to "buy the best" only once and got the DUI CLX450. But I made the stupid mistake and got a stock size. Now I wish I had the extra $$$ for the custom. Luckily my daughter is almost as tall as me (and she's only 12), so she's going to get my "used" (all 3 months) drysuit once she is my height. Then I am going to order my self the same suit - but in a custom fit.

PS - I am only 37 and need another mid-life crisis.

Minh

 

[CompuDude]

Make your life easier, and call Richard at DiveTank.com They sell a variety of excellent suits for a number of manufacturers, and have fantastic customer service as well. (just a satisfied customer)

Excellent brands worth considering (considering your North American location, UK and euro divers have some other options):

1. DUI
2. Bare
3. Pinnacle
4. Diving Concepts
5. USIA
6. Whites
7. Viking (but they only make rubber suits, AFAIK)

Not worth adding others in to round out a top ten, IMO.

 

[cummings66]

Viking makes a membrane suit too, the Extreme is not rubber.

As in anything it depends on how it fits you as to what's best for you, consider though that DUI and many other suits have built in leaks, i.e. they're stitched and then the seams are glued to repair the thousands of holes they put in them. I'm not a fan of that type of construction, I like the melded or rf welded suits best and I've dove both types, owned both types in fact.

Both will leak eventually, some sooner than others. Whites is a good drysuit as well.

I can't help it, I try to not speak ill of products but around here DUI has a bad rep.

 

[MakatiNick]

Thanks for all the help everyone, Ive have lots of time to think about this before I part with any $$$! Im going to take my time with this decision

Both my fiance and I own Whites Catalyst drysuits. She ordered a custom suit in 2005, and the fit was terrible. The local dive shop was not much help, acting as if it was normal to have a custom drysuit that looked like it was built for someone 5 inches taller. It took 3 months of emails and phone calls to get the suit cut to the correct measurements.

Meanwhile, I had put about 30 dives on my suit and hated every one. The Catalyst suit is extremely bulky and stiff. It's a workout to do a surface swim of more than 50 yards. Reaching across to the dump valve located near the left bicep was difficult. Ultimately, I put the suit in the garage after 3 months and it's been there for over a year. My fiance really tried to like the suit, diving it for about 5 months before abandoning it and returning to a wetsuit.

We are now looking at the Diving Concepts suits, but it appears that their customer service may be just as bad as Whites'. I sent an email to Diving Concepts in February asking for local dealers that actually have the suits in stock so we can try them. I have received no response from Diving Concepts in 4 weeks, despite 5 additional emails to them.

Others may be thrilled with Whites and Diving Concepts, but I am hesitant to recommend either one based on my personal experience.

Cecil Claspell
PADI IDC Staff Instructor
Monterey, CA

 

[karstdvr]

When I get asked that question of what I think the best dry suit is,I can usually reply to about 5 different brands I've owned over the years, but I tell people for the best answer is talk to someone who does dry suit repair for a living. These people see 1000s of dry suits of all makes over time,and they start to notice repair trends and weaknesses,plus they look at a make of a suit for its strenghts. I have found their replys interesting because one of the most popular dry suits is how they make their living. I would highly recommend contacting Evie Dudas or Steve Gamble at gamblescuba.com at get their recommendations before investing a lot of money in something that could be a money pit.

 

[karstdvr]

1. DUI
2. Bare
3. Pinnacle
4. Diving Concepts
5. USIA
6. Whites
7. Viking (but they only make rubber suits, AFAIK)

Not worth adding others in to round out a top ten, IMO.

I know on the west coast you probably receive a lot of exposure to these brands,but I sure like what I see from Atlan and Brooks.

 

[mynamehere]

uh oh. my DUI TLS350 ships monday.
everyone in my area has a strict set up - and part of that is the DUI dry suit. (among the scubapro regs, jets, dive rite trans pac, dive rite HID, etc) have i fallen victim to peer pressure in choosing my suit?

does it really stand for Dry Until Immersed?

 

[CompuDude]

uh oh. my DUI TLS350 ships monday.
everyone in my area has a strict set up - and part of that is the DUI dry suit. (among the scubapro regs, jets, dive rite trans pac, dive rite HID, etc) have i fallen victim to peer pressure in choosing my suit?

does it really stand for Dry Until Immersed?

You'll do fine. The TLS350 is a really good suit, and DUI stands behind their products... assuming you bought new and have the 7 year warranty.