To dive dry?

[TSandM]

I'd second the recommendation for the Fusion. But the new ScubaPro neoprene drysuits are going, with undergarments, for just under $1K. Neoprene dry suits have their issues, but if budget is the biggest concern, that's an option.

Also have a look at the DUI seconds page. You can get some great deals on suits that are blemished or didn't fit their custom-order customers.

Used suits are beyond a doubt the best value on the market, if you know what you are looking at. Seals are easy and inexpensive to replace. Worn zippers are a much bigger deal. And some suits are sold because they have pesky, persistent leaks that the owner has not been able to locate and fix.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

With the standard placement of the exhaust valve on bare suits you have to do an ugly chicken wing and/or roll on your side. It's definitely doable but uncomfortable. If the valve is placed outside you do not need to do anything it dumps automatically. You might have used to yours and do not pay attention, I did dive with that placement as well until I listened to my friends and relocated it and realized how much it sucked.

PB300 does not hold pockets. Many guys tried it and it did not work, they stay for few dives then fall off

@elan: Your description of problematic placement of the exhaust valve doesn't gel at all with my experience. I don't find myself having to do any chicken-winging or exaggerated rolling motions to dump gas from the valve. Given my normal setting of the valve (nearly wide open) while I'm in a horizontal position, I simply rotate my right shoulder down...just a little bit. No issues dumping gas whatsoever, and I keep a generous amount of gas in my suit.

You might have a point with the PB-300 adhesive. I'd be curious to see how the adhesive surfaces were prepared (number of layers of adhesive, cleaning, roughing up with sandpaper) and what kind of material the pockets were made of. Both would make a difference in terms of "staying power" of the adhesion. I've been using it very successfully with latex seals, and I've heard that people have used PB-300 to install dryzippers as well. I'll concede that packing pockets with heavy/bulky items is probably harder on the glued junction than seals or the zipper (which bear negligible weight).


My only complaint with the Nex-Gen is that the cut of the suit isn't an ideal fit for my body type.

 

[stakanak]

Thanks people! I contacted Dayo and they do not have my size left for the Black Ice sale, although their prices in general are great.
Here are two more newbie questions:
If my size is in between, should I go with the larger size?
Where is the exhaust valve placed "on the outside" so you can reach it and auto dump without rolling?
Thanks for all the help, you guys rock!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

If my size is in between, should I go with the larger size?

If the suit's too small, you probably aren't going to be comfortable. You might get painfully squeezed in some sensitive areas. You'll also probably have to wear a thinner undergarment (to be able to fit inside the suit) which will limit how much gas you can run inside the suit. This affects lofting of the undergarment. Typically, the closer the undergarment material is to being maximally lofted, the warmer the drysuit diver stays.

If the suit is too big, the diver might have issues with managing the bubble(s) inside the suit.

Really, the only way you're going to know if the suit fits is to try it on and dive it. Order the suit from a dealer (online or brick-and-mortar) who's committed to getting you a suit that fits and makes you happy, i.e., has a good exchange/return policy.

Where is the exhaust valve placed "on the outside" so you can reach it and auto dump without rolling?

I've demoed a few different brands of drysuits. There are some standard locations for the exhaust valve on off-the-rack drysuits. I'd like to think that, as long as the valve is in one of those standard locations, a new drysuit diver can learn to dive the drysuit safely and comfortably. For someone who is used to diving a drysuit in a certain way, it might be harder "to teach an old dog new tricks," so paying attention to the specific location might be more important.

 

[elan]

Bubbletrubble may be you have an older version of the suit with a different placement ? I was told that Bare has changed the placement of the valve not long time ago, ll the suits I saw made after 2006 had it placed on the biceps.

 

[elan]

Thanks people! I contacted Dayo and they do not have my size left for the Black Ice sale, although their prices in general are great.
Here are two more newbie questions:
If my size is in between, should I go with the larger size?
Where is the exhaust valve placed "on the outside" so you can reach it and auto dump without rolling?
Thanks for all the help, you guys rock!

Check where it is placed on Fusion Sport Diving - Fusion Bullet Drysuit - Whites Diving this is on the outside

I mioved mine as much as 10cm

You should try the suit on with the undergarment do not trust the charts I learned it hard way

 

[reddiver970]

Scubatoys had some used or closeouts on their site check em out. I prefer a little larger size gives you more room for undergarments.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Bubbletrubble may be you have an older version of the suit with a different placement ? I was told that Bare has changed the placement of the valve not long time ago, ll the suits I saw made after 2006 had it placed on the biceps.

@elan: That's possible. I purchased my suit before 2006. When I'm in my normal diving position, the valve sits on the lateral aspect of the upper arm, fairly close to the shoulder. It's definitely not directly over the biceps region. Next time I'm in a dive shop that carries Bare drysuits I'll have to take a closer look.
Here's a pic of where the exhaust valve is located on my suit:

 

[Panga Man]

I will second the placement on the Bare... Had mine for 1 day and returned it. absolutely a pain to dump air.

Check out The Edge and Hog Drysuit from Dive Right in Scuba.

 

[gbray]

Another option is to check with your LDS's and see if they would like to sell you one out of their rental,class stock. They sometimes like to update their stock for students. This is how I bought my hollis Biodry for a very reasonable price. You also get to dive it before you buy it.
On the question of fit, I believe it is way better to be a little large than a little small. My suit is a little large (made for someone taller) and I have learned to manage the air bubble just fine. I dove in 38 degree water Jan 1 and loaded up with two under garments and could still move my arms. This would not be possible in a smaller suit. I hate to feel restricted. It is also not good if you ever go to doubles and have trouble reaching your valves.