Dream Drysuit...

[tkdgodess]

Cold water ladies....I am buying a new drysuit. I am an active instructor and am slowly proceding thru tech. What do you consider must haves for a drysuit? This will be my 4th drysuit purchase in 18 years.
Here's what I must have: warm. self entry. drycuffs/gloves. attached thigh pockets. neoprene neck seal. metal zipper. soft socks and trek boots.

My existing well loved drysuit in a 7mm custom highend neoprene (barely compresses at 130') dry gloves, thigh pockets, back entry and 2 thigh pockets, attached boots (they wear out fast!). It is warm, reliable, comfy, flexible. Bad is it's heavy, hard to get into, takes a few days to dry, boots wear out fast.

I got to go into a major manufactures factory last week for a fitting and was really surprised at the choices (lack) of for women and the direction they see womens drysuits going. Not even close to what I consider important features.

I have got to test dive 4 different suits in the last year, and what got me to finally pick the suit I did was I finally found undergarments that could perform in the same warm and cozy range as a neoprene suit and my existing layers. I had to find undergarments good enough to switch from neoprene.

LADIES, your thoughts?

p.s. 44F/6C water. recreational teaching and deco dives.

 

[TSandM]

Well, with the exception of the neoprene neck seal, I'd say the Fusion dry suit meets your criteria. I love the Fusion, because it doesn't have to fit. The unique construction of the suit means that, even if various parts of it are too large, they will not balloon and trap air.

You can put any seal-mounted dry glove system on the suit, or order it with the SiTech rings that will accept the SiTech dry glove systems.

It comes with socks, and Whites makes some very nice rock boots, although they do not fit my feet. I have found the Bare boots work beautifully.

I have about 550 dives on a Fusion now, and I will say that the suit is very difficult to damage. The Tech skin comes with thigh pockets, which are adequately accessible in dry gloves. And best of all, the suit is relatively inexpensive!

 

[Xaryo]

I have a Pinnacle evolution 2.

It was custom made and there is a lady model.

I'm doing cave, wreck, ice, scooter. I'm not careful with it (knees on the rock when at shore)

so far, no problem in a hundred+ dives.

 

[MrsBBC]

I get the impression that it is much more difficult for us to find exactly what we are after, M2M is the only way.

My dream drysuit has been made, but not yet dived because I am still stuck at work on a boat for another 4 weeks.
And when I say dream, it is as close to my dream as possible, but because of my build some sacrifices/compromises had to be made, and it doesn't come in my preferred waspish black and yellow colour scheme.

All its features and the reasons for their selection or omission were carefully discussed with two employees from the company, and I also had some great internet feedback from women of similar shape to me, who had gone for the same suit in front entry (or been talked out of it). I had to carefully decide my suit's priorities and then compromise from that point forward.

This reply is a bit lengthy, so feel free to only read the bold typeface

My priorities were:

Front entry
Diving is the only environment where up until now I have been unable to dress myself, and I highly value both independently putting my clothes on, and shoulder manueouverablity/ability to manipulate valves
Locally made
Local/convenient/reputable customer service, and theoretically a higher level of quality assurance.
A local suit meant that not only was it made to measure, but had a compulsary fitting. When constructed but without fixed seams/attached boots etc, it was given the once over by staff and readjusted. Inner leg had to be taken in considerably (following the online guide, my measurements here were a little off). Inflator valve, dump valve, pockets, boots etc were all pencil sketched on to the suit to ergonimically suit me. I was also given instructions in how to don/doff the suit, and how to best care for the zips/hang the suit etc.
High end compressed neoprene (membrane or compressed, membrane or compressed?)
As it is for cold water only, I like that I have some thermal insulation from the suit without noticeable depth compression <40m, or huge extra weight requirement.
The thermals I wear for diving most of the year round, can also be fine as thermals for my job as a surveyor.
Not having to wear several layers of undersuit, or puffy bear types.
Having dived membrane it is time for a change and snugger fit.
Considered a telescopic torso, and if I dived in warmer water near a reputable drysuit manufacturer then this option would be very tempting.
Suit that goddamn fits and reachable valves
(does this go without saying?)
Undersuit that goddamn fits
(does this go without saying?)
Even though I consider myself proportioned, the manufacturers of undersuits do not. The manufacturer of my new drysuit offered to make any necessary adjustments to their off the peg undies, free of charge

Other preferables:

2 reachable large bellow side pockets
*problem
The zip is long, it has to be long, it is a standard length, and if it is not long then there is not enough room to get in, or out. But that length has to go somewhere. The zip goes a little over my shoulder, and a little around my.. hip/thigh? Anyhoo, it goes where I want the right thigh pocket. It's not the zip part of the zip, but the accompanying material.
Due to the construction of the zip and thigh, it is not possible to place the pocket where I would prefer it. The options are to have the pocket considerably 1) toward the front, or 2) too low down, but make sure that everything is bungeed and pulloutable. I opted for option 3) Large left bellow pocket only, but a note on file saying that when I have dived the suit, if/when I decide that I would like a right pocket, it will be added free of charge.
Heavy duty zip
*Problem
I paid a lot for the privilege of a front entry zip, a good looking zip, but not a 'heavy duty'. Heavy duty is not offered as the medium has a bit more 'give' in it. The zip is likely to take a bit more of a straining than a shoulder entry, even with plenty of practise and careful donning and doffing.
Boots that fit currently purchased fins
This worked out remarkably well thanks to the M2M options
Brightly coloured braces
So that I can see them easily and remember to put them on immediately, a luxury that if I cared that much about I could probably do myself
Fabulous colour scheme
Nope, but several options, and further options if I wanted the neoprene without the tougher outer layer
Option to later fit a pee valve
No problem
Snug neopreney fit
Well, its a hell of a lot less baggy than my membrane, but a little extra had to be added around the groin because of my decision to go front entry. Compromise, fine, to be honest, it didn't really notice any extra material
Neoprene seals
It's M2M so this privilage is free
Easypeasy to don and doff
It's a little awkward, but this will come with practise and plenty of bees wax.

 

[Xaryo]

so, what did you get?

 

[MrsBBC]

so, what did you get?

Diving Dry Suit | Scuba Drysuits | Drysuit UK | Technical Diving Equipment | Deep Diving

The O'Three 2-100, made to measure. It's a sexy beast! Can't comment on its performance yet though.
They're based in Portland, UK, so I doubt the company is particularly useful for those based in the US.

One other 'must' have that I neglected to mention because it pretty much comes as standard now, is the low profile shoulder dump.

My old suit (second hand) had one of those tiny, permanently open cuff dumps, which used to continually waste my gas when I was comfortably trimmed out. The damn thing was pretty much on the top of my upper wrist, should have removed it immediately.

Nic

---------- Post added at 01:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:23 AM ----------

Wow!
That White's Fusion suit looks exciting. I've never seen anything like that before
Presumably help is required zipping up...

If they are ever at a diveshow near me then I will definitely try one on

Nic

 

[tkdgodess]

I still haven't decided....I am hoping to just get a stock medium and medium tall to try for sizing before I make my final decision. I really don't like the socks on the fusions, I wish they were more comfy. I like the look of them on a non-fat day!

The O three is sexy. I like the look and fit of the SB, but unless I get a promised test dive in the SB system doing a big-girl dive then I can't be convinced I could stay warm enough. Maybe "survivable" for a 30 min dive, but those days are long gone.