Dry Suits for Dummies

[KevinNM]

The person who measures you is key to getting a suit that will make you happy. If they screw up the measurements or don't know how or precisely where to measure you you might find a year later that wearing the midlayer you need to dive in cold water you can't reach your valves. (Yes, this has happened to me) It's worth traveling quite a ways to get to someone who fits a lot of happy divers with drysuits. Because even if they measure you perfectly mistakes still happen, and people who sell a lot of drysuits will know how to get them fixed for you. Hopefully this will be something you use for years.

If the factory is not terribly inconvenient to get to and they offer to fit you there I would go there. By terribly inconvenient I mean flying to San Diego from the UK, but getting to Poland or the O'Three plant from the UK doesn't seem that crazy to me.

 

[steady1570]

As mentioned, othree are great suits and very popular in the UK (I have an Ri1-100 myself and love it). Also worth checking out are Otter (Otter Drysuits, UK - the website isnt the best but give them a call, everyone is super friendly and helpful) or Santi (eg Dry Suits - I know Adam at DivemasterScuba has just received a load of sample suits so you can go and try them on easily, depending on where you are in the country of course). Predator drysuits are also very popular (Predator Custom Drysuits - Dennis will make you a custom fit suit for a reasonable price I believe, although I havent tried one myself).

You'll use your drysuit for 99% (or more) of UK diving I would suggest, so even spending a little more to get one that you are comfortable with is worth it in my opinion.

-Mark

 

[lexvil]

Seaskin is another local option and the price for a custom cut suit is very reasonable.

 

[tbone1004]

Are you saying it is still cheaper to go with USIA or O'Three even with the customizations?

by quite a bit. a USIA Techniflex *their premium suit* full out, is going to be under $2k. That is with pockets, custom fitting everywhere, P-valve etc.
Santi Enduro starts at $2300 for off the shelf sizing, not sure what their custom cut cost is.

O'Three will be under $2k as well and a comparable suit is the DUI CF200 which starts at $3k for off the peg, $3400 for custom.

 

[Favagineus]

definitely check out O3, they're really great, and if you can get down to portsmouth, they'll be able to get you custom fit in house

They're only an hour and a half from me so would be mad not to. Sounds like they're a great one to go with and customer service sounds awesome.

Cheers for the recommendation

 

[Favagineus]

As mentioned, othree are great suits and very popular in the UK (I have an Ri1-100 myself and love it). Also worth checking out are Otter (Otter Drysuits, UK - the website isnt the best but give them a call, everyone is super friendly and helpful) or Santi (eg Dry Suits - I know Adam at DivemasterScuba has just received a load of sample suits so you can go and try them on easily, depending on where you are in the country of course). Predator drysuits are also very popular (Predator Custom Drysuits - Dennis will make you a custom fit suit for a reasonable price I believe, although I havent tried one myself).

You'll use your drysuit for 99% (or more) of UK diving I would suggest, so even spending a little more to get one that you are comfortable with is worth it in my opinion.

-Mark

Cheers Mark. I'm based in Brighton so definitely sounds like it's worth a trip to Dorset to visit O three for a fitting. I had thought maybe it's the kind of thing I could get a good deal online but sounds like it's not worth it.

Just seen they include certain customisations in the cost too which is great, such as pockets which are a must for me

 

[TrimixToo]

Remember this is *sports equipment*. The probability of picking exactly the right suit, cut exactly the right way, with exactly the right accessories for your body and your diving the very first time are slim. Not zero, but slim. If stock suit sizes work for you, consider starting with a used suit. Figure out what you want to be different. Maybe do that again once or twice. I was lucky and hit a suit I was very happy with on the second try. I still have the first suit as a backup but have not used it in a few years now...were you 3,000 miles closer...

 

[buddhasummer]

Above post is good advice. I dropped a ton on a custom suit, my first DS, if I were to do it all again I'd go a different route. You don't know what you don't know until you do.

 

[WantSomeScuba?]

Above post is good advice. I dropped a ton on a custom suit, my first DS, if I were to do it all again I'd go a different route. You don't know what you don't know until you do.

@buddhasummer is a savant, Listen to the man/woman.

 

[rivers]

portsmouth,

Portland. Different sections of the south coast