KathyIGH
Dive professional
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My DUI Xm250 DiveWear “Love” Story
By Casey
McKinlay
Casey McKinlay is a renowned aquatic explorer with more than 20 years of
active research and discovery experience. Casey is currently responsible for
directing operations for the Woodville Karst Plain Project (WKPP) which is the
most active and successful cave diving exploratory project in the world with
more than one hundred members. The WKPP recently received a Resolution from
Florida Governor Crist and the Florida Cabinet recognizing the project’s 20 year
contribution towards underwater cave exploration and its work to protect Wakulla
Springs. Casey and his diving partner Jarrod Jablonski hold several cave diving
world records including the longest exploration dive into a flooded cave system
at more than 5 miles requiring more than 28 hours underwater. Casey serves on
the GUE Board of Directors, is a fellow of the Explorers Club and serves as an
advisor to the Wakulla Springs Water Quality Working Group and Unit Management
Planning Committee, promoting responsible use, study and protection relevant to
water quality issues affecting Florida Springs. Casey along with Global
Underwater Explorers recently completed 3 cave diving expeditions to mainland
China at the invitation of the Chinese government in addition to assisting with
ongoing exploration and research projects in the Bahamas and Mexico.
It had been more than 15 years since I last used a DUI 200g Thinsulate
jumpsuit so I was looking forward to diving the new Xm250 when it was introduced
in 2010.
Most of my drysuit diving over the years involved either the tried and true
DUI 400g Thinsulate suit for long/cold/extreme exposures or a DUI 300g Polartec
PowerStretch suit for shorter, recreational dives in moderate temperature water
above 18c. On occasion I added the Plus 5 vest if the water temperature was a
little cooler or if I expected the dive to run long. The 300g suit worked well
for many years but for me it never had a “perfect” feel to it. That’s not to say
that the 300g Polartec PowerStretch suit is not a great product for certain
divers or specific environments, only to say there were a few things I did not
like but was willing to tolerate because the product got the job done.
For example, I found the 300g Polartec PowerStretch to be a challenge to put
on and take off during the warmer summer months in Florida since it would stick
to the skin and absorb sweat. Since I do a lot of scooter diving, the wrist and
forearm areas on the right arm would usually get wet, soggy and remain damp.
When diving large, double steel tanks there never seemed to be enough thickness
or padding across the shoulders with the 300g Polartec PowerStretch and the
buoyancy characteristics were less than ideal for technical diving with heavy
tanks and stages. The jumpsuit also seemed to slide around a bit and would not
always stay in place under the suit. Finally, a primary issue for most technical
divers, not to mention something that seems to have been ignored in the
technical community and drysuit industry the past 10 years, is that the
undersuit MUST insulate when wet. The 300g Polartec PowerStretch was good for
short dives but occasionally I would attempt to do something longer with
possibly some moderate decompression and it was not the right tool for the job.
I’d been looking forward to a change for some time and was encouraged to
discover in 2010 that DUI was planning a 200g Thinsulate BZ suit with a similar
design and cut based on their new Xm450 jumpsuit.
It’s been more than a year using the new DUI XM250 and I can say without
hesitation that this product has easily become my favorite undergarment since I
started drysuit diving 20 years ago. I hear many similar comments from other DUI
divers and other non DUI divers who have used the Xm250 in combination with
other drysuits.
The Xm250 cut is a great fit and the flexibility is excellent. In the Xm450 I
wear an XL-Tall but the XL Xmw250 is perfect because of the added flexibility in
the Polartec panels under the arms, across the knees and down the sides of the
legs. The feel is solid when you put it on, the Thinsulate across the top of the
shoulders is a night and day difference in comfort and the additional loft has
greatly improved the buoyancy characteristics. The Thinsulate is going to
function when wet so for moderate exposures it works perfectly with the added
flexibility of the Polartec panels outweighing any marginal insulation issue.
One of the other design features I like is the outer shell of the
undergarment. It looks good, feels good and wears well over time. Putting the
undergarment on and removing it even in warm weather is not a problem since the
material does not stick to the skin, stretch or slide around. I always wear a
synthetic shirt underneath to absorb some sweat and oil which helps keep the
undergarment cleaner between washings. The insulation qualities are excellent
for moderate exposures but I would not suggest using the suit in water over 78
degrees because it gets too warm. North Florida caves, Mexico caves, Catalina
and Jeju Island this past year were great experiences diving the XM250 and
TLS350 or FLX EXTREME drysuit combinations.
Any diver out there looking for the right product to go with their new DUI
drysuit (or any drysuit) or existing divers looking to replace that old, well
used or unwashed undergarment will not be disappointed with the Xm250. I
strongly encourage those looking to enhance their diving experience to make a
performance driven, long term, quality, and non-gimmicky investment in the Xm250
or give one a try through your local DUI dealer or upcoming DUI DOG Rally &
Demo Tour event. You will not be disappointed!
Did I mention the Xm450 boots are also a new favorite???
McKinlay
Casey McKinlay is a renowned aquatic explorer with more than 20 years of
active research and discovery experience. Casey is currently responsible for
directing operations for the Woodville Karst Plain Project (WKPP) which is the
most active and successful cave diving exploratory project in the world with
more than one hundred members. The WKPP recently received a Resolution from
Florida Governor Crist and the Florida Cabinet recognizing the project’s 20 year
contribution towards underwater cave exploration and its work to protect Wakulla
Springs. Casey and his diving partner Jarrod Jablonski hold several cave diving
world records including the longest exploration dive into a flooded cave system
at more than 5 miles requiring more than 28 hours underwater. Casey serves on
the GUE Board of Directors, is a fellow of the Explorers Club and serves as an
advisor to the Wakulla Springs Water Quality Working Group and Unit Management
Planning Committee, promoting responsible use, study and protection relevant to
water quality issues affecting Florida Springs. Casey along with Global
Underwater Explorers recently completed 3 cave diving expeditions to mainland
China at the invitation of the Chinese government in addition to assisting with
ongoing exploration and research projects in the Bahamas and Mexico.
It had been more than 15 years since I last used a DUI 200g Thinsulate
jumpsuit so I was looking forward to diving the new Xm250 when it was introduced
in 2010.
Most of my drysuit diving over the years involved either the tried and true
DUI 400g Thinsulate suit for long/cold/extreme exposures or a DUI 300g Polartec
PowerStretch suit for shorter, recreational dives in moderate temperature water
above 18c. On occasion I added the Plus 5 vest if the water temperature was a
little cooler or if I expected the dive to run long. The 300g suit worked well
for many years but for me it never had a “perfect” feel to it. That’s not to say
that the 300g Polartec PowerStretch suit is not a great product for certain
divers or specific environments, only to say there were a few things I did not
like but was willing to tolerate because the product got the job done.
For example, I found the 300g Polartec PowerStretch to be a challenge to put
on and take off during the warmer summer months in Florida since it would stick
to the skin and absorb sweat. Since I do a lot of scooter diving, the wrist and
forearm areas on the right arm would usually get wet, soggy and remain damp.
When diving large, double steel tanks there never seemed to be enough thickness
or padding across the shoulders with the 300g Polartec PowerStretch and the
buoyancy characteristics were less than ideal for technical diving with heavy
tanks and stages. The jumpsuit also seemed to slide around a bit and would not
always stay in place under the suit. Finally, a primary issue for most technical
divers, not to mention something that seems to have been ignored in the
technical community and drysuit industry the past 10 years, is that the
undersuit MUST insulate when wet. The 300g Polartec PowerStretch was good for
short dives but occasionally I would attempt to do something longer with
possibly some moderate decompression and it was not the right tool for the job.
I’d been looking forward to a change for some time and was encouraged to
discover in 2010 that DUI was planning a 200g Thinsulate BZ suit with a similar
design and cut based on their new Xm450 jumpsuit.
It’s been more than a year using the new DUI XM250 and I can say without
hesitation that this product has easily become my favorite undergarment since I
started drysuit diving 20 years ago. I hear many similar comments from other DUI
divers and other non DUI divers who have used the Xm250 in combination with
other drysuits.
The Xm250 cut is a great fit and the flexibility is excellent. In the Xm450 I
wear an XL-Tall but the XL Xmw250 is perfect because of the added flexibility in
the Polartec panels under the arms, across the knees and down the sides of the
legs. The feel is solid when you put it on, the Thinsulate across the top of the
shoulders is a night and day difference in comfort and the additional loft has
greatly improved the buoyancy characteristics. The Thinsulate is going to
function when wet so for moderate exposures it works perfectly with the added
flexibility of the Polartec panels outweighing any marginal insulation issue.
One of the other design features I like is the outer shell of the
undergarment. It looks good, feels good and wears well over time. Putting the
undergarment on and removing it even in warm weather is not a problem since the
material does not stick to the skin, stretch or slide around. I always wear a
synthetic shirt underneath to absorb some sweat and oil which helps keep the
undergarment cleaner between washings. The insulation qualities are excellent
for moderate exposures but I would not suggest using the suit in water over 78
degrees because it gets too warm. North Florida caves, Mexico caves, Catalina
and Jeju Island this past year were great experiences diving the XM250 and
TLS350 or FLX EXTREME drysuit combinations.
Any diver out there looking for the right product to go with their new DUI
drysuit (or any drysuit) or existing divers looking to replace that old, well
used or unwashed undergarment will not be disappointed with the Xm250. I
strongly encourage those looking to enhance their diving experience to make a
performance driven, long term, quality, and non-gimmicky investment in the Xm250
or give one a try through your local DUI dealer or upcoming DUI DOG Rally &
Demo Tour event. You will not be disappointed!
Did I mention the Xm450 boots are also a new favorite???
. For the Polartec you simply toss in yourwasher and launder. The Thinsulate doesnot like to be laundered. So we suggestthat you wash it as little as possible. Wear a wicking shirt under your Thinsulate. This will absorb most of your body oils andyou can launder this. We say to launderyour Thinsulate when you can't stand yourself anymore... or your dive buddystops calling you to go diving. :shocked2: Soapacts as a wetting agent. Thinsulateworks so well because it is tiny, tiny, tiny fibers tightly woventogether. Remember 'insulation is reallytrapped air' and you love all those tiny fibers because they trap air. But the soap can work its way in and soapattracts water. So that's not good. That is one reason why we say not to wash theThinsulate. And the Thinsulate itselfbreaks down in the washing... so wash as little as possible. Thinsulate is the warmest insulation you canbuy.
