Calling all Whites Fusion divers

[gasgirl]

Hey Lowdrag,

Congratz on doing so well with your buoyancy - it sounds like you and your wife did amazingly well in your drysuit specialty course.

Your path has been pretty darn smooth compared to my own transition into drysuits.

(Personally, I had several interesting FFA's with poorly sized rental drysuits of various brands before finding the Whites Fusion.)

I am currently diving the Sport skin but I am in the process of upgrading to the Bullet skin so it's great to hear that the donning and doffing is do-able.

Dive safe!

 

[RVBldr]

Sounds like great progress! I've got about 7 dives on a new Fusion Tech and am just starting to feel comfortable with it. I've always been told that it takes about 10 dives to start getting used to specific drysuit, so it seems to be right on track!

 

[mathauck0814]

but there is a way to get around that.

You're well on your way I hope it works out better for you than it did for me. I'm not a big fan of "ways around" things. I expect them to just work and be perfect.

 

[LowDrag]

You're well on your way I hope it works out better for you than it did for me. I'm not a big fan of "ways around" things. I expect them to just work and be perfect.

I completely get what you are saying Matt but that is in a perfect world and that is not where we live. So, if I have to make a little adjustment then no big deal. I agree the sag issue is a PITA but I can work thru it and get on with my day. LowDrag = LowStress...

 

[TSandM]

I don't think there is a perfect dry suit, or for that matter, much of any perfect dive gear. There are ALWAYS tradeoffs, and what each of us has to decide is which advantages are important enough to make the disadvantages worth living with. We get it, matthauck, that you found the disadvantages of the Fusion outweighed the advantages. But I'll bet you there are some disadvantages to whatever you ended up with (and one of them may have been greatly increased cost).

I don't own a single piece of dive gear where I can't think of some way in which I wish it were better. That said, I'm pretty darned happy with most of the stuff I own.

 

[LowDrag]

I did a dive yesterday and afterwards left my weight belt on. It only had 16 lbs in it so no big deal. The sag issue with my Fusion was non-existent. Now I am not advocating leaving your weight belt on but a lightweight belt would do the trick and avoid any frustration during a SI.

TSandM...good point...

 

[00wabbit]

I thought you guys might like this.

It shows how much room for expansion there is in the suit. I have a 4xl. The first pic is me normally and the others are with the suit almost fully inflated.

 

[RayKay]

OP, my husband and I also both have Fusions (Tech only, for now). We have the silicone seals. Whites sent me a set in small upon request and we switched out the regulars on mine right away (the regular size was way too loose on my neck and wrists). Love the quick change system! My silicone neck seal was a bit tight initially but got more comfortable in no time (while still sealing).

For the boots...the footies typically (in every Fusion suit I have seen) are a bit big to accomodate underlayers and the range of sizes the Fusion's fit. I know a couple people who have White's specifically put on smaller footies for this reason as there was just TOO much excess, but I just tuck the extra in the front of my toes and find this to work well. I have the Fusion boots, by the way, and leave them velcroed on to the suit.

For the shoulders and such, you really need to be sure the bag is pulled all the way up before trying to pull on the exterior and this goes for the arms as much as it does for the legs. Have you watched the videos on proper donning of the suit? The suit is quite generous for my own shoulders, but my husband has large shoulders and unless the interior arm is all the way pulled up, it can be tight to put on over the shoulders. You don't want that as it can stress the zipper, I think.

The Fusion undergarment should fit close. It is very, very stretchy and is designed to provide warmth without bulk and while still allowing lots of flexibility. Unless it is actually digging in anywhere or not allowing you a range of motion, I would not worry about not having any "slop"!

I hope you and your wife enjoy your new Fusions. I really like mine a lot and find it so comfortable. I definitely do not find it a "nightmare" to get in and out of. I know many frequent divers up here in Canada who dive Fusion suits and who really like them.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

I thought you guys might like this.

It shows how much room for expansion there is in the suit. I have a 4xl. The first pic is me normally and the others are with the suit almost fully inflated.

View attachment 157398View attachment 157399View attachment 157400View attachment 157401

I have posted this picture before but here it is again. My suit is a L/XL, the picture was taken when I had the skin off to leak test after installing the p-valve, I could not believe how big this thing was.

I could not get the pic to show but here is the link
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/174152/title/100-0478-small/cat/500

 

[RayKay]

Forgot to comment on the wax issue!

If it was the McNett MaxWax that looks like THIS: Max Wax? Zipper Lubricant by M Essentials? Keeps Most Any Zipper From Sticking - M Essentials then I understand it is to be silicone-free (as indicated on that link). This is the wax that came with my Fusion.

There are other McNett waxes that are silicone-based but that one in the orange tube isn't.