jefffalcone
Contributor
How much difference is there between regular compressed neoprene suits and DUI's crushed neoprene? Is the crushed neoprene worth the extra money?
Compressed vs. crushed neoprene???
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From what I understand there is a difference in the manufacturing process. The compressed neoprene used in many drysuits is essentially made using the same technique as making wetsuit material but at higher pressure to make it 4mm thick instead of 7mm thick. To make a 2mm pieces of compressed neoprene, what I understand they do is to start with a 4mm piece and shave it down to 2mm.
I don't know much about crushed neoprene but from what I understand the 2mm crushed neoprene is manufactured to 2mm directly and in the process the neoprene is made to be much denser. That would probably mean that it's heavier and maybe stiffer but it's probably tougher and may have less loss of bouyancy than an equivalent 2mm suit made from compressed neoprene.
If it's worth the extra money or not I can't say. I've never compared them. If I had to guess I'd say that the difference is probably marginal and that if you're planning on spending extra money on a drysuit getting one custom fitted will probably do more for your comfort than buying one from crushed neoprene. But like I said, that's just a guess.
R..
I don't know much about crushed neoprene but from what I understand the 2mm crushed neoprene is manufactured to 2mm directly and in the process the neoprene is made to be much denser. That would probably mean that it's heavier and maybe stiffer but it's probably tougher and may have less loss of bouyancy than an equivalent 2mm suit made from compressed neoprene.
If it's worth the extra money or not I can't say. I've never compared them. If I had to guess I'd say that the difference is probably marginal and that if you're planning on spending extra money on a drysuit getting one custom fitted will probably do more for your comfort than buying one from crushed neoprene. But like I said, that's just a guess.
R..
OP
jefffalcone
Contributor
Thanks for the input. DUI has a convincing pitch for crushed neoprene, but their suits are pricey. Any suggestions on what to look for in a suit? I'm leaning towards neoprene because it seems to be more durable, and I'd rather spend money on something that will last than repeatedly spend on things that fall apart. From all of the research I do, I can't really tell one drysuit from another. All of the local diveshops say the brand they sell is the best, of course.
go with the DUI compressed neoprene with neoprene seals..Back zipper is the only option with that suit..I don't remember if it has suspenders,if not go for that option..you can save $ and not sacrifice durability..should be able to get this suit for $950/$1,100.
Compressed still has bubbles in the neoprene but they are very small and dense. So it still acts somewhat like regular neoprene but since it's so dense it doesn't compress at depth as much. It is fairly durable.
Crushed is just that no more bubbles and it's thinner and much more durable. If you aren't going to be trashing your suit then compressed id fine. If you are working or going to abuse the heck out of the suit then consider crushed.
I've got a CF200 that has been to H$LL and back a couple times and it's still going. Short of a rubber suit I don't think any other suit would have survived what this one has.
Dave
Crushed is just that no more bubbles and it's thinner and much more durable. If you aren't going to be trashing your suit then compressed id fine. If you are working or going to abuse the heck out of the suit then consider crushed.
I've got a CF200 that has been to H$LL and back a couple times and it's still going. Short of a rubber suit I don't think any other suit would have survived what this one has.
Dave
jefffalcone:
The three most important things are
fit
fit
and
fit
After that comes fit and then other things that define comfort like which seals you like. Somewhere on that list there has to be a spot for thinking about what kind of diving you're going to do.
If you rummage around in a lot of wrecks or climb in and out over oyster covered shorelines then you'll need a suit made from something tough if you want longevity.
If you dive deep and/or you have a lot of heavy kit then you'll want a suit made with something that has little or no compression (buoyancy swing) at depth.
If you dive in warmish water then you'll want a thinner suit. In colder water you'll want a slightly thicker suit, with the sidebar that anything over 4mm in terms of drysuits is generally too buoyant to be comfortable.
Those would be the main things to consider. For each feature you could probably think of some criteria to consider.
R..
I compared the material of the CF200 and the Diving Concepts Pinnacle suit, and there was very little stretch in the DUI material and a great deal more in the Pinnacle suit. Unfortunately, not enough to let me reach my valves, as it turned out 
ClevelandDiver
Contributor
yangnome
Guest
DUI will send you samples of the two materials to show you the difference.
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