Can someone explain the ins and outs of drysuits.

[PfcAJ]

You also need to consider undergarments. Something that will retain its thermal properties even when wet. Cotton sweats from Walmart won't cut it.

Invest in a quality Thinsulate undergarment. For year round Canada diving, you're probably looking at a 400g Thinsulate jumpsuit. Santi makes the best one, at the moment. Run the suit with enough gas to loft the undergarment. Having a squeeze on the suit means the undies are compressed and you'll be colder than you should be. For some reason, its in style right now to run the suit with a squeeze on it. Its baloney. Loft the undergarment. No more. No less.

For suits, DUI's got the best fit out there. I've yet to see a Santi drysuit that doesn't look ridiculous when compared to the fit of a properly sized DUI. The Fusion requires kludge pocket solutions and add-on boots because of their goofy foot pockets.

The DUI FLX Extreme is the answer if you want a long lasting DRY suit. I've got a few friends with them who dive in some rough spots with nay a leak. Those suits are the real deal. Expensive, but with most things, you get what you pay for. The weak spot on all DUI suits is the turbosoles. The new "tech sole" option places kevlar reinforcements on the wear areas that solves the weak link issue. Zip seals might be a thing to consider also.

 

[elan]

A lot of good advice was given.
It feels like the employee has very limited knowledge about the dry suits. Of cause it is always about preferences but our preferences based upon specific properties of the tool we are using.
ImHO forget about insulating properties of the dry suit. Those (neoprene) that have it also lose them with depth. And that is not the worst of their properties. With depth they also lose buoyancy so you essentially are diving overweighted almost all the time. The warmth should come with undergarment. I you live in north states or canada you would likely need both 200 an 400g. 200 for warmer water and 400 for the rest. SANTI makes very good undies. I got 400 this winter and I was able to stay warm in 37f for an hour. It does not need much loft to work either. you should not try to save on undergarment. If its wrong fit, cold or lofty you will hate diving it.

 

[MKrauter]

Thanks for the advice. The neoprene suit he recommended to me is crushed neoprene so I don't know how much the effects buoyancy and thermal properties. I am a little concerned if I can fit enough undergarments underneath it.

 

[tracydr]

A lot of good advice was given.
It feels like the employee has very limited knowledge about the dry suits. Of cause it is always about preferences but our preferences based upon specific properties of the tool we are using.
ImHO forget about insulating properties of the dry suit. Those (neoprene) that have it also lose them with depth. And that is not the worst of their properties. With depth they also lose buoyancy so you essentially are diving overweighted almost all the time. The warmth should come with undergarment. I you live in north states or canada you would likely need both 200 an 400g. 200 for warmer water and 400 for the rest. SANTI makes very good undies. I got 400 this winter and I was able to stay warm in 37f for an hour. It does not need much loft to work either. you should not try to save on undergarment. If its wrong fit, cold or lofty you will hate diving it.

I think you may be right about the neoprene. Also, if you travel, the trilam is really nice because it dries in no-time, and is really light. I'd rather travel with my drysuit than even my 3 ml.
As far as LDS employees knowing drysuits, yours might be better than ours. I asked to look at undergarments at one of the LDS around here and the employee showed me to a rack of lycra and 1 ml skins!

 

[elan]

Thanks for the advice. The neoprene suit he recommended to me is crushed neoprene so I don't know how much the effects buoyancy and thermal properties. I am a little concerned if I can fit enough undergarments underneath it.

crashes is better in that and it is also rugged but they are superheavy and take ages to dry. say a crashed one might get dry in several hours while a trilam can take half an hour to dry

 

[MKrauter]

Finally got word for what the other suit is. It's a Hollis FX100 suit. Just the suit no boots or undergarment for 1000$. The Everdry is 1250 for the suit, bag, undergarments and boots

 

[freedc]

This is such a helpful thread! Thanks to all who have posted. It would be even more helpful if anyone wanted to add some advice about neck and wrist seals, valves, and boots, like what makes them good, durable, useful, etc. -- unless of course those things don't factor into the decision about what to purchase.

Thanks.

 

[Instructor_Tom]

Hmm I think I like the features of the Fusion. I will see about the Hollis suit and try to try on the Fusion. I am just concerned about the pockets. Could I get something like the DiveRite wetsuit pockets and stitch them on?

you can put pockets on any suit. As a DM I have a need to carry demo gear with me on training dives and have put pockets on my Bare Drysuit and on my wetsuits. the process is simple.

you need chalk or soap, Aqua Seal glue, an AL80 tank, and packing wrap.

1 select a glue on pocket of your choosing.
2 put on the suit and test fit the location for the pocket, mark with soap or chalk.
3 take suit off and stick an AL80 in the leg.
4 apply liberal amount of "Aqua Seal" on the pocket and suit.
5 use packing wrap, to wrap the pocket on to the suit around the tank and let sit for a couple of days.

the pocket will be permanently attached to the suit.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[tdtaylor]

I am a diver in the Fusion camp- not in love with it, but didn't want to spend a fortune on a DUI custom suit (probably will eventually). I have very short legs, short arms, long torso, so the Fusion works. Also have back issues, and the Fusion is very flexible. I also dive it without ankle weights and with the same weight as my 7 mil with 200g underwear. As others have noted, the pockets are the weak point (I tend to use the tech skin).

But that is not the point of my post. I have gone with replaceable seals and silicone. While not allergic to latex, my skin was always irritated after a dive. Having gone with silicone, the fit is more comfortable, and no reaction from my skin. Also, I can easily carry a extra set of seals for if one is damaged.

Excellent posts above. I dive with others who have many different suits- Bare, DUI, Sanati, Andy's, and many I can't remember. What is common is that they have all learned to dive their suits well.

Terry

 

[Gachnar]

This is such a helpful thread! Thanks to all who have posted. It would be even more helpful if anyone wanted to add some advice about neck and wrist seals, valves, and boots, like what makes them good, durable, useful, etc. -- unless of course those things don't factor into the decision about what to purchase.

Thanks.

Most of it comes down to preference/need and most drysuits can accommodate different styles. Personally I have latex bottle seals for wrists, neoprene neck seal, and integrated boots with no p-valve/zipper. I'm happy with everything, though I may add a relief zipper at some point.

Suits with field replacable seals offer the ease of being able to carry extras and change them out if something goes wrong, but can also come loose or leak (the seal is like a ziplock bag, and if it isn't fully closed it will leak. Glued seals won't usually come lose, but mean more work to replace when they do wear out, so if it happens on a trip, you will miss some diving (they can be changed in the field, but the suit will still need dry time).

Latex provides a good seal, and can either be trimmed or stretched for fit (depends on the type of seal) but some people find them constricting and they don't last forever. They can last a long time with proper care (careful handling, avoiding sharp items, keep out of sun, rinse and power after dives etc.). They are also not that expensive to replace.

Silicone offers an alternative to latex, but I have personally never used them, so I can't really comment.

Neoprene seals are generally more comfortable, last longer, but may not offer as good of a seal as latex. I find with my neck seal that no water gets in if I wear a hood, but without a small amount can if I tilt my neck in certain ways. Neoprene seals go on easier when wet than latex, and don't require quite as much maintenance/care (though like all neoprene they should be kept out of the sun, rinsed, and stored away from ozone producing machinery).

Integrated boots vs rock boots really comes down to what type of diving you will do. If you are hiking your gear a long way, or over very sharp rocky terrain, rock boots will offer more protection for your feet. However they add a step to getting ready which can be a hassle if you are doing 5-6 dives a day. Personally I haven't encountered any shore diving where my integrated boots weren't sufficient. Eventually they may wear out, but mine look almost new still, and boots like seals can be replaced/switched.

For valves they are most useful if you are doing very long dives such as doubles, deco, etc. For rec diving of an hour, I don't see them as a necessity unless you have a tiny bladder. A relief zipper can be nice if you stay in your suit between dives, or don't want to take your suit off between dives (learning to pee in a half off drysuit without peeing all over your neck seal has a learning curve ;p). Of course any additional zipper/valve adds another spot where your suit can leak.

One other nice feature is suspenders. This lets you peel your drysuit half off during surface intervals. However I've found most drysuit suspenders are mounted too low, so the arms drag on the ground, so you may have to have them added after market.

Good luck choosing, and enjoy going dry!