DIVING CONCEPTS Drysuits any comments?

[kalvyn]

Soggy once bubbled...
The stitching on a friend of mine's $500 underwear began falling out after only a couple months. I'd really suggest staying away from it.

I personally know a couple guys who are having the same exact problem with their Diving Concepts undergarments. Both of them said they wouldn't buy another one.

Jimmie

 

[sheck33]

the DC undies are very warm and stay warm when wet but the stitching quality is truely pathetic. although i would probably buy it again.

i just bought a DC hyperstretch and after the first dive it is back in the shop to fix a leaking cuff dump & inflator valve. The hyperstretch material is great BUT be very aware that DC sizes are from outerspace. What DC calls a 'large' the rest of the world would call a 'medium' at best. i'll have to send it back to DC to custom it, there is no way i can dive it as is :upset:

 

[diver_paula]

I love my DC dry suit! I've been diving in it for two years and have not had a leak once. I chuckle to myself watching my DUI friends constantly wringing out their undies.

The stretchy tri-lam is nice. The cuff dump isn't my favorite but I am getting used to it. I found it much easier to use a shoulder dump. Just roll slightly right and dump. With the cuff I need to get more vertical to dump.

A friend of mine has a DC from their first year of production. He's had some troubles but from what I can tell they've improved their manufacturing. & yes, his DC undies are unraveling.

Found some great undies this year - Weezles. They are from the UK. Very warm! And extremely quick drying. & can pack in a very small bag.

Paula

 

[gbrandon]

and its been great. I ordered mine custom sizing, and also custom sizing on the TPS stretch thinsulate undergarment. I too have experienced some of the stitching come out of the undergarment, but it does come with a warning to gently pull the legs on to prevent ripping of the stitching. Maybe I was a bit too rough, I dunno. the suit itself is great, but im second guessing my decision to go with the cuff dump. Sometimes on ascent when Im venting air out of the bc using the deflator button its also dumping air out the cuff dump. maybe i should have got the cuff dump on the right sleeve instead of the left. Other than that, the only other thing i can recommend is if you do buy the undergarment from them, dont get the stretch thinsulate. Im pretty cold in my stretch thinsulate extreme and I just ended up ordering another thinsulate extreme, this time without the stretch. I was told this should be quite a bit warmer than the stretch thinsulate. The water i dive in is off the coast of california, water temp avg is 59 or so.

 

[Dryglove]

gbrandon once bubbled...
the suit itself is great, but im second guessing my decision to go with the cuff dump. Sometimes on ascent when Im venting air out of the bc using the deflator button its also dumping air out the cuff dump. maybe i should have got the cuff dump on the right sleeve instead of the left.

That was one of the reasons i had my exhaust valve relocated from my upper arm to my forearm. I always dive the valve fully open. When i dump air from my wing it also vents excess expanding gas from my drysuit killing two birds with one stone.

 

[nitroxbabe]

I have the Diving Concepts 3mm crushed neoprene dry suit and I love it! It's more streamlined than the shell suits, and has worked perfectly for me so far.

I also have the thinsulate stretch DC undies. I got mine for substantially less than $500, and they are VERY warm & toasty.

However, the stitching IS pulling out. My LDS has told me they will return them to Diving Concepts after I'm done with my local diving season, where they will either repair or replace the undies.

I hope they re-stitch rather than replace them: based on what everyone has said, I have no reason to believe that a new pair would not also unravel. Despite the stitching, I still like 'em. They fit closely and stretch and are very warm.

 

[oatmeal769]

Try Carol Davis Sportswear.
She makes a polarfleece undergarment for $100 that I wear under my suit. It works really well, and most of the time, it's all I use. If it's really cold, I will put on a DUI fleece vest over it, and I'm usually roasty toasty, especially with argon.

I also have a set of the Diving Concepts undies, and they're really great, but not worth the cost. I have noted some unraveling as well. They'd be fine if they were like $200.