Drysuit basics - Help needed

[nunomix]

Hi fellow Divers,

I want to buy a dry suit but I am afraid I know nothing about it.

Anyone who could give me some guidance about what to buy and what kind of issues should I be aware.

For example, which brand/model would be better (I hear some are better dealing with pressure differences and buoyancy for example)? Is SCUBAPRO Spitzbergen a good suit? Other suggestions?

When I buy the suit, what should I bear in mind with regard to sizes?

Any other important things to check?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Nuno

 

[ae3753]

If you don't know much about drysuits, I would recommend taking a course. Good overview of drysuits, but more importantly instruction and practice on proper usage.

For an overview of the type of drysuits available, you can read the three separate dry suit comparisons that are available on ScubaDiving.com. Each review starts with a discussion of differences in drysuit types and what to look for.

The two most recommended drysuit types on the board are tri-laminate shell and crushed neoprene. DUI has a very strong following but has a price premium as well. Bare is probably the second most discussed brand.

With regards to size, you really need to try a dry suit, or get measured and fitted by someone who does a lot of drysuits. Even for DUI, their a small for the CLX450 does not fit the same as a small for TLS350. I was fortunate to fit a stock size, but many people prefer custom fit suits. Fit is very important in a drysuit.

Also, think about undergarmets. Lots of materials and choices there too.

What type of diving is this for? Temp, conditions, wrecks, etc?

 

[Diver0001]

Hi fellow Divers,

I want to buy a dry suit but I am afraid I know nothing about it.

Anyone who could give me some guidance about what to buy and what kind of issues should I be aware.

For example, which brand/model would be better (I hear some are better dealing with pressure differences and buoyancy for example)? Is SCUBAPRO Spitzbergen a good suit? Other suggestions?

When I buy the suit, what should I bear in mind with regard to sizes?

Any other important things to check?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Nuno

Have you considered asking for a drysuit specialty? Many shops will give you the specialty for next to nothing when you buy a suit.

There is quite a bit that can be said about drysuits. I would suggest first looking through some of the archive pages first (click here) and then see what kind of questions you still have after that.

R..

 

[moneysavr]

Take a dry suit course,and try suit on and find out the types of suits used in diving in the area or were you plan to dive
Brad

 

[ScubaJW]

I never took a drysuit course. I bought a DUI FLX 50/50 Signature Series, been diving with it ever since without any problems. But at first, I have to master the buoyany and control the amount of air in my drysuit. Now I do not have problems with that anymore. I am more of self-taught as well as my buddy. I would suggest you to research more on Scubaboard with all those valuable resources to learn. Good luck!

 

[scubadobadoo]

Buy "Dry Suit Diving" by Dick Long. A very comprehensive look at EVERYTHING dry suit. Covers types, skills, fixing, accessories, undies, and history. It will be a big help and worth the 20 or so bucks it will cost. Other than that, I also suggest the specialty course and reading more here. Good luck!

 

[Tristessa]

whatever suit you decide to buy make sure it fits properly! In my opinion that's the most important thing! As others have suggested a class would be great, it teaches you the basics and how to deal with problems! I've wore a DUI TLS350 through my entire diving career and wouldn't change it for the world! I've also never taken the course, the most difficult thing to master as someone stated earlier is buoyancy.
Good Luck

 

[JimC]

Cart Horse.

If you are buying a drysuit, you need to first think about your undergarment. The suit is just a bag of air. The undergarment is what keeps you warm.

It is better to spend $500 on the right undergarment that fits well with an $800 stock Nextgen that fits ok than camping clothes you had and a $3000 on a custom DUI. The undies will affect your drysuit experience far more than the actual suit. Unless your a mutant you should fit a stock size reasonably well.

Granted, if you have $4000 to blow, get the custom cut DUI and thinsulate from the get go.

 

[nunomix]

Thanks a lot for your answers.

I definetly want to have the dry suit specialty. My thing was that I would try to have it for free. Many shops offer the course when you buy the suit. And therefore, I would need to choose the suit before having the course.

The type of diving I will do with could be anything from wrecks to just looking around in waters with temperatures going from 6 to 0 degrees. (I would be diving at least in the Netherlands, as well as in Portugal with the suit.

And not being a pro, I would be willing to spend around 1000-1500 EUR in the suit.

 

[Diver0001]

Thanks a lot for your answers.

I definetly want to have the dry suit specialty. My thing was that I would try to have it for free. Many shops offer the course when you buy the suit. And therefore, I would need to choose the suit before having the course.

The type of diving I will do with could be anything from wrecks to just looking around in waters with temperatures going from 6 to 0 degrees. (I would be diving at least in the Netherlands, as well as in Portugal with the suit.

And not being a pro, I would be willing to spend around 1000-1500 EUR in the suit.

Where do you live? Maybe I can help you out personally.

R..