Anyone out there with Dive Rite 905?

[sharkster]

I'm thinking of purchasing my first drysuit and am discouraged by the exhorbitant prices that DUI is charging. I know they make excellent drysuits and have great customer service, but I still think I shouldn't have to pay so much for a quality drysuit. The Dive Rite 905 seems to be a good alternative but these don't seem to be in vogue. They have an interesting construction - six plys of butyl rubber sandwiched between polyster with ultrasonically welded seams. I've never heard of a shell like this but it sounds nice on paper - waterproof, strechy, and puncture resistant. I plan to use this suit for open water diving initially, but as my experience grows I would like to move into technical diving in overhead environments where high abrasion resistance is important. On Dive Rite's website I see them taking these suits to ridiculously cold expedition dives like Antarctica and a frozen Polish lake so they seem like good suits. Does anyone happen to own one of these? If so, how rugged are they and how well do they keep out water? Where have you taken them? Is it possible to get a non-stock boot size (I'm stock except for my big feet)? And what the hell are those little nibs on new tires for???

 

[Scottri]

I know a guy in Michigan that had one and loved it. He used it during our ice diving class and stayed warm and dry. It looke pretty rugged to me.

 

[Rick Murchison]

these don't seem to be in vogue.

Don't know 'bout that vogue stuff, but lots of folks 'round these parts use 'em and as far as I know everybody's happy, warm & dry.
I think mine's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

stretchy

Well, no, it ain't stretchy.

how rugged are they?

They're a laminated shell suit. Pretty rugged for one of those, but not as rugged as neoprene or vulcanized rubber.
Rick

 

[pdoege]

I have more than 200 dives on mine. I had a new neck seal installed after 250 dives.

I cave dive with mine and it is holding up quite nicely.

Peter

 

[sharkster]

I have more than 200 dives on mine. I had a new neck seal installed after 250 dives.

I cave dive with mine and it is holding up quite nicely.

Peter

If you trust it in a cave that's a pretty good endorsement... would you care to compare it against the DUI TLS350? It's not much more expensive and of course comes with DUI's 7-year warranty. Longevity is pretty important to me... what is the warranty on the 905? Ever have any leaks/punctures? What kind of seals do you use? And what is the meaning of life :06: ?

 

[sharkster]

... would you care to compare it against the DUI TLS350?

Looks like no one wants to make this comparison? Would I be better off shelling out the extra $$$ for the TLS?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Looks like no one wants to make this comparison? Would I be better off shelling out the extra $$$ for the TLS?

Sure... go ahead...
It's your money.
Seriously, I doubt there are many folks who own both. I only own the 905 and can only comment on the 905 - which I already did. And the title of your thread asks about the 905... you're not going to attract many TLS owners with comments to a thread that's not about the TLS.
Why don't you start a new thread about the TLS and then you can compare superlatives...
Rick

 

[PerroneFord]

Man, I must have seen a few dozen TLS350s and at least 15 905's last weekend at Ginnie Springs. People use both. The 905 is backzip which a lot of people seem not to like. It's kind of a pain to have to have someone else dress you.

There is no question the DUI is a terrific suit. You pay your money and you take your choice. If a new DUI is beyond your means (and it's certainly beyond mine right now) maybe a used DUI would be more suitable. There are a lot of people making drysuits. For strictly open water use, I don't see the point in spending $2k-3k. That's just me.