'K, I give up.

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The straight CLX-450 does not have compressed Neoprene on the bottoms. Its a polyester trilam, or you can get it made with the whole thing being cordura trilam, which is the way I got my CLX-450...

Now, there is a CLX-50/50, which has a cordura top part, and CF-200 material on the bottoms...


ALso, on the fit issue... with all trilam suits, if you get them tight, you will restrict some of your range of motion. Cave cuts being the most restrictive. So, DUI has made some allowances for this in the sizing. My first suit that I got from DUI was made WAY too baggy, and I told them try again, its too big, and they made me ANOTHER suit, which was perfect...

Fit is a very personal preference...
 
Fit is a very personal preference...

... which is why I find it incomprehensible that DUI, or any other "serious" drysuit maker, does not INSIST that their dealers carry the darn things IN STOCK and have a rental program.

Yeah, yeah, that's extra cost. Ok, and? We're already paying a 100% markup, and the dealer gets to make rental fees off the suits!
 
Genesis once bubbled...


... which is why I find it incomprehensible that DUI, or any other "serious" drysuit maker, does not INSIST that their dealers carry the darn things IN STOCK and have a rental program.

Yeah, yeah, that's extra cost. Ok, and? We're already paying a 100% markup, and the dealer gets to make rental fees off the suits!

Actually, they do... WHen my old shop became a DUI dealer for the second time, they made the owner buy 15 suits for the rental program. (he had 3 shops at the time) That is really a great way to sell the suits. Rent them out, and people fall in love, and want to buy one. When I own my own dive shop, this is one thing that I will do alot. WE RENT WHAT WE SELL, TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!!!! Thats goin to be a huge sign right in the front window of my shop...
And, they keep telling him to carry suits in stock... (but he doesnt HAVE to carry any in STOCK...)

I think the rental thing is more of an issue. As long as there is a suit for you to try on, its all good...
Then, they can order you YOUR suit, with any mods that you want on it...

I think a trip to EE is in your near future!!!!!!!

Good LUck!!!!!
 
... the not having stock sizes in the building for purchase, although it puts the local shop at a SERIOUS disadvantage to the internet places (and there is at least one authorized dealer selling online)

But, not having the suits available for rental is insane. I can't fathom why any quality gear manufacturer doesn't INSIST on such a thing to get a dealership, especially when you're talking about something like this.

Quite realistically, you have to price the rentals where it makes sense. But $50 or so for a day (or perhaps two, given one "real" day of use - e.g. pick up at the close of business, return at the close of second day's business, etc) is not out of the realm of reason, and it would require (at the mark-ups the shops make) only 20 or so rentals to pay for the suits at dealer cost.

Certainly any reasonable shop could manage this; keep one of each of the common stock sizes in perhaps the CF200 and TLS350 material. After a couple of years, sell them off and buy new ones.

BTW, the CLX450 doesn't seem to make all that much sense with the cordura top and TLS350 bottom material. What's the point to that? I'd think you'd want the tougher material on the legs, where its more subject to getting damaged - no?
 
How frustrating, guess i wont take the fact DUI is 75 min south of me for granted anymore.

I will be headed there this coming Sat.

Good luck to you.

Andy

I was in Dallas when i got my first suit ( bought it sight unseen from a shop in CA) It fit, but it was baggy. Decieded on the SS CLX 450 for my next purchase, i love the suit.
 
.... too tight is bad - I can reach my valves, as while its a bit tight in the top I can deal with it.

The problem I've got with the Dacor I picked up is that its a bit short in the TORSO. The consequence is that I pinch things that shouldn't be pinched when I go to kick - especially if I try to frog with my legs up! NOT good, considering that's how I'd like to be propelling myself for proper trim and minimum silt, and oh, did I mention that you can forget about backing up unless you want to sing soprano? :wink: That's with one layer of Polypro under a set of polarfleece - nice and comfortable in cool but not cold water.

Oddly enough I can flutter reasonably ok, but that's not a good compromise. I figure I need about one inch more in the torso and/or legs, which of course is not fixable no matter what I do - you can't just chop off the boots and put on longer neoprene socks which would effectively extend the legs, as that won't fix the problem. But in terms of fit otherwise, its damn near perfect. Arms, chest, everything. Not a lot of extra space, no real bagginess, and I can reach my valves on a set of doubles. I'd be ok down to the mid 50s in water temp in this suit, but if I ever needed to go to 400gm thinsulate, I'd be hosed.

Anyway, it was a nice try.

The problem is that my former Bare Nex-Gen was WAY too baggy. It was a bit too loose for me last winter, but this spring I lost 40lbs - and when I got it out this fall to check it out and suited up I said "whoah! No way!" On eBAY it went.

The unfortunate reality is that its VERY difficult to know what DUI and the other makers REALLY think is an "ok" fit. I'm right up the line on a stock size "L" according to DUI's size charts, EXCEPT that my chest and waist are one inch less in circumference than their "lower limit." That's probably ok, as a bit much material there isn't a big deal. Too much in the LEGS is a VERY bad deal though, and you'll find out why if you ever get inverted, as is a LOT too much in the chest area.

Unfortunately without trying one on there is simply no way to know whether the stock size will fit me properly or not.

I'd consider Andys and a couple of other brands as well, but I've got the same problem with them - no answers, no way to know whether I will find the fit acceptable or not, nobody has stock and nobody has rentals. That SUCKS, to put it mildly.
 
Genesis once bubbled...


... which is why I find it incomprehensible that DUI, or any other "serious" drysuit maker, does not INSIST that their dealers carry the darn things IN STOCK and have a rental program.

Um... aren't you the one who VEHEMENTLY opposes top down regulation in this industry? You want the manufacturers to remove all restrictions on dive shops..... except when it's convenient for you?
 
Um... aren't you the one who VEHEMENTLY opposes top down regulation in this industry? You want the manufacturers to remove all restrictions on dive shops..... except when it's convenient for you?

"Regulation"?

You consider this a matter of convenience?

I want shops to set their OWN policies. If they want to stock nothing and play order guy, then fine - but then they should be selling at whatever they want.

BTW, requiring someone to maintain stock isn't unusual, nor does it amount to vertical price restraint. It may create market forces that lead to particular pricing policies on an individual shop basis, but that's not a matter of "regulation."

Setting price restraints but NOT requiring any kind of rental program or stocking leads to exactly what we have now.

That is, dealers selling at full price or damn close to it, no stiock, and no rentals. Yet these dealers can hide behind their list prices, knowing full good and well that in exchange for their zero service levels you cannot go beat their price somewhere else.

This system gives the "dealer who isn't really" cover, in that they have no requirement to actually BE a dealer - they just take your money and then pass through the suit sale, providing zero before-sale service or support. You have no means to compare the available suits and sizes or determine the appropriate choice for you. They know you can't do any better shopping around due to the price fixing.

The price fixing makes it possible for these shops to stay in business. Without that they couldn't manage to do so, as someone would open up a "box shop" and undercut them out of business. Oh sure, they'd provide no service either, but you'd get that "no service" at a very low price! That would force the "full price" guys to actually offer SERVICE to justify their markup.

Vertical price restraint is unlawful, in general. That certain manufactures have succumbed to dealer pressure (and vice-versa) to impose this and have found a loophole doesn't change the essential character of what is going on.

None of this has anything to do with a manufacturer's claim that they are "the" premium product in the marketplace, yet they act like YUGO when it comes to how they ACTUALLY have their dealers behave.

Its easy to have an objective standard for a dealership that says you must have an active rental program with suits no more than two years old, in sizes "X", "Y" and "Z", in order to carry the line.

None of that restrains the price at which the product can be sold.

See how many Hickey Freeman suits would be sold without the stores selling them having stock on the floor. I'll tell you how many - ZERO! I own a few in my closet, and I would not have bought a single one of them if I could not have put them on in the store first, and seen how they fit and looked on me.
 
As stated, I have the FLX 50/50. I'm really not crazy about the crushed neoprene part. It's heavy and takes a week to dry (2 days on my DD dryer). The top trilam part is great.

I had a ball with the rental CLX 450, even though it was a bit too tight. Light material, dries quickly. It's definitely on my to-buy list.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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