Basic drysuit questions

[TMHeimer]

I may be looking to buy a drysuit. Looking only in the $300-$400 range. new/used. Wouldn't be using it much, just to be able to DM classes in 40F water occasionally. I checked out suits on Kijiji (Canada) and found several. I am a complete noob on drysuits. If you order one online how do you know it fits OK? for a 190 pound 6 foot male what would a size probably be? I'm keeping abreast of what comes through the shop of course as well. Doesn't have to be perfect or last 10 years. Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[00wabbit]

The best you can do is check the manufactures measurments and see if you are in range. Usually they will have instructions for how and where to measure your self.

Obviously since body types vary so much, you can't know if it fits until you try it on. Make sure the online retailer has a good return policy. Drysuits can be expensive to ship because of their size.

SIze of drysuits don't match clothes sizing. For my particular suit I wear a 4XL but in a t-shirt I wear 2xl. Ignore what the sizes are and follow the measurement chart.

The fit doesn't have to be perfect, but if it is too big especially in the torso the air can move around more freely in the suit and it will be more of a pain to dive.


I bought my first suit used on scubaboard. I paid $300. It was good to learn on. It was a little big in the stomach and the feet were too small. I dealt with it until I decided I liked drysuits then I bought a nicer one. For me I would need to buy a custom suit from most manufacturers to get a proper fit.

 

[WarrenZ]

You don't want it too baggy but you do need to be able to move. I like to say you have a good fit it if you can do the crouching ball move and get most of the air out but still be able to move.

By that I mean when you stand up it will be snug but not vacuum pack tight it is too big if you have to struggle to get the air out.

If that makes sense good if not drink beer until it does.

 

[spectrum]

I think it's a roll of the dice.

Just as a wetsuit wants to be tight without being to tight A drysuit wants to be loose enough with out being too loose.

A neoprene suit will be more forgiving since it has some stretch and your undergarments will be less to guess about.

If you are buying used seals may have perished or trimmed large enough to not fit you.

Pete

 

[bubbly noob]

I dont get it, I sought drysuits started at 1000USD...

 

[TSandM]

Used dry suits are frequently sold at a huge loss. It fascinates me that people will pay $3k for a new suit, but won't touch a used one for $1K if it needs seals (about a $150 repair even if you pay someone else to do it) or even a zipper ($300 to $400).

 

[WarrenZ]

I bought mine new because used and sized for a gorilla are a rarity whenever I look around.

 

[jvanostrand]

Buying a used dry suit is difficult. There are so many measurements that need to be correct for it to fit properly. Not only does the suit have to fit your body but the wrist and neck seals need to fit. Most suits have boots, those would also need to fit. A $300 suit that needs new seals and new boots could easily cost another $400. If you feel comfortable doing your own repair the components are about $250 (seals, boots, glue, tape.)

That said I dive with a well experienced diver who bought used and has done very well. The wrist seals didn't fit so has to use dry gloves.

Most suits will have latex seals. Stretch the seals and look for checking (lots of small cracks) also look for gummy or sticky areas. Either one means the seals will need replacement soon. The zipper is the most expensive repair, $400, so take a close look at it. Don the suit and check to see that moving your wrist and neck don't create channels in the seal. They should be snug but not too snug to stop blood flow.

You can test the suit easily. Some people use plastic bottles to plug up the wrists and something larger to plug up the neck. Or you could don the suit and inflate from a scuba tank. Inflate the suit (I inflate with a leaf blower inserted into the zipper) and spray the worrisome areas with soapy water. Make sure you bend the zipper, like it would be bent when donned and check for leaks.

Also keep in mind that you'll want undergarments, a dry suit hood (or cut the bib off a wet suit hood), dry suit gloves (or cut the gauntlet off wet suit gloves), and the boots of a dry suit may not fit your fins.