Are DUI dry suits overrated?

[piikki]

With a Bare suit (or any other than DUI) you have 4 seals to worry over most of the time: 2 wrist, one neck and the zipper. With DUI you have 7: the wrist seals and their zip seals, the neck seal and its zip seal and the zipper. Anytime a system is more complex there is more chance for failure.

I think you have misunderstood. One does not have to take zip seals with DUI. Most DUI owners do not have them.

I personally have never had any of my zips leak. Well once when I swapped one, and had not zipped it on before I went into water, true. But never a leak from a zip and nowadays I do not even bother to check them before dives as they have been foolproof (except for that one time). Seal change never took more than 10 min either.

 

[El Orans]

Wrist zip seals are more common as it allows you to use the DUI dryglove system.

I know of no-one that has a zip neck seal.

 

[piikki]

Wrist zip seals are more common as it allows you to use the DUI dryglove system.

I know of no-one that has a zip neck seal.

Start knowing me then


There is no shop nearby that does in-shop repairs. I have only one drysuit. I ain't risking sending my suit away during season.

 

[Clammy]

I've never heard of a zip seal leaking except if someone just didn't put them on properly after a swap.

I watched Kathy Long (of DUI) swap out a zip seal in less than 30 seconds!

Know me to! I have a neck zips as well!

 

[rhone]

This has been an illuminating read. Most people I dive with use DUI suits around here. I can only speculate that influences suggested by this thread have something to do with it (that's what their instructor used, that's what the LDS sold, etc). I'm in the market to get a drysuit myself, probably pulling the trigger next year, and I'm really going to research different suits with an eye toward the qualities and considerations brought out by this thread. Really, before this, I suppose I was just thinking, "I guess I'll get a DUI, since that's what everyone has and seems to like it." Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful, mostly objective thoughts.

Personally, I'd buy a $1000 suit that fits well and works just fine and spend the other $2,500 diving.

And, unrelated to whether this is true for DUI (like I said, I don't have one; don't know) I really like this line of reasoning...I'm all for spending for quality and I don't buy something just because it's the cheapest, but, on the other hand, there does become a point where the extra money maybe isn't worth the extra benefit (perceived or real). I'll be thinking about that as I search for my suit.

 

[piikki]

And, unrelated to whether this is true for DUI (like I said, I don't have one; don't know) I really like this line of reasoning...I'm all for spending for quality and I don't buy something just because it's the cheapest, but, on the other hand, there does become a point where the extra money maybe isn't worth the extra benefit (perceived or real). I'll be thinking about that as I search for my suit.

I think that's it. Find where the line is for you and what is around. For me price difference between rack Bare or Pinnacle suits and custom DUI was $250-350 depending on the suit. (Yesyes, I did not pay 3k or 2k for my DUI). It was no contest when DUI was also the only one LDS supported.

I snicker when I read accounts where DUI users get called snobs or sissies for choosing their suits. I did not sacrifice anything for getting a custom DUI. It has served me well crawling in current&low viz and cave instructors did not seem to laugh at it either in Fl flow&bang. One needs to consider the deals to be had as they may vary. I am kind of tired of having to excuse myself for owning something that works for me because it evokes such a negative response in some others who found that something else worked for them.

 

[CompuDude]

Wrist zip seals are more common as it allows you to use the DUI dryglove system.

I know of no-one that has a zip neck seal.

I use wrist zip seals, but have Diving Concepts dryglove rings mounted on them. I know a couple other local divers who use this system as well, and it works wonderfully.

The only zip-seal-specific leak I've ever had was one time when I put a bungee-mounted compass directly on the zip seal line, and the bungee was a little short so it was stretched quite tight, putting a bit of pressure on the attachment point. I had a little minor water trickle on that dive. Learned my "lesson" and don't put that there anymore, no more leaks.

I also use neck zip seals. Never had a problem with them, no leaks. I don't have the setup to change neck seals without shipping the suit off, so I am grateful to have the ability to swap seals myself, easily, in minutes, once my neck seal eventually needs replacing.

 

[CompuDude]

With a Bare suit (or any other than DUI) you have 4 seals to worry over most of the time: 2 wrist, one neck and the zipper. With DUI you have 7: the wrist seals and their zip seals, the neck seal and its zip seal and the zipper. Anytime a system is more complex there is more chance for failure.

As piikki noted, zip seals are optional. Most DUI owners don't spend the extra money to get them, but some of us do, and are quite glad we did. It only takes one saved boat trip to make it worth the cost.

 

[flareless]

As piikki noted, zip seals are optional. Most DUI owners don't spend the extra money to get them, but some of us do, and are quite glad we did. It only takes one saved boat trip to make it worth the cost.

My dry suit dealer told me that unless I was doing remote diving where seal replacement may be necessary, not to waste the extra cash. Because I live less than 30 minutes from his shop a quick fix is almost always possible.

I also use the Diving Concepts dry glove system. They work great, especially if I remember to close the seal properly. Good thing I carry a spare pair of dry gloves.

 

[Clammy]

Will your LDS airlift themselves to a boat? So if you have rip a seal, how fast can they possibly replace it?!