Drysuit: Choosing between SFTech and Otter

[Jheard89]

I'm wanting to buy my first drysuit but currently torn between an SFTech and an Otter.

I've heard great things about both companies and their suits, so I'm wondering if the SFTech justifies the greater price?

I plan to use this suit for tech diving in the tropics where I'll be taking up to four bailout tanks and diving from cramped little fishing boats so it's likely to get bashed around a little bit, but it's not like I'm diving wrecks or caves. I'm therefore wondering if kevlar would be overkill, and I could get away with Otter's Travelight? Or is it better to go for something that is tougher than you think you might need?

I'm happy to hear other drysuit recommendations as well, but only if you have also dived using either of these two drysuits.

Cheers

 

[AustinV]

I have an Otter Atlantic HD. Fit is spot on. No complaints really, have had zero issues with it.

 

[lexvil]

Seaskin for “other” recommendation.

 

[beldridg]

I've got a SF Tech TNT and a Dive Rite 901. I like them both but use them for different purposes. The SF Tech is great for colder waters and caves/wreck penetration/etc. The Dive Rite is light, travels well and dries quickly and is better suited IMO for warmer waters.

My personal opinion is that the SF Tech suit is probably going to be overkill for tropical, open-ocean diving.

Also, given that this is going to be your first drysuit, I would probably not pay for a custom fit suit (unless you have to) and I _think_ that SF Tech doesn't have off-the-shelf suits.

- brett

 

[AJ]

SF-Tech is custom all thew way. Just received my SF-Tech TNT suit and I think it is worth every euro. Having dived Santi E-lite and Mares XR1 for the past seven years, which both were crap, I love my new suit. It has great fit and is very easy to dive.

Don't know Otter, but thin drysuits are prone to leaking in my experience. Can't say if the Otter suit will hold up. SF-Tech no problem.

 

[AustinV]

SF-Tech is custom all thew way. Just received my SF-Tech TNT suit and I think it is worth every euro. Having dived Santi E-lite and Mares XR1 for the past seven years, which both were crap, I love my new suit. It has great fit and is very easy to dive.

Don't know Otter, but thin drysuits are prone to leaking in my experience. Can't say if the Otter suit will hold up. SF-Tech no problem.

The Otter Atlantic I wouldn’t consider a thin suit. The regular Atlantic comes in their new standard ripstop material which is still pretty hearty, the Atlantic HD is made from the really thick material that the Otter Britannic was made from.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Otter now also makes a Kevlar version of the Atlantic. It's being used this week by the US distributor on the Lusitania. I have a Britannic 2 Telescoping and it is by no means a thin suit.

 

[Jheard89]

Thanks for your replies and suggestions.

Yea I'm in two minds about picking a top of the line suit as my first one. On one hand, it might be better to learn with a cheaper suit first in case I damage it. On the other, I've been told by a few people that bought cheap suits first because they didn't want to pay for the more expensive ones, ended up buying the expensive ones later because the cheaper ones leaked or had other issues.

AJ and beldridg, how you feel TNT compares to neoprene and trilam? Do you feel it truly offers the best of both?

So far it seems that everyone who has dived either of these only has positive things to say, which doesn't make deciding any easier. The only slight negative offered so far is that SFTech might be overkill for the tropics. I do travel with a lot of gear (rebreather, camera, research equipment, dive gear), so the Otter Travelight being only 4 kg is definitely a small plus, but I don't want to base my decision only a couple of kilos.

 

[AJ]

AJ and beldridg, how you feel TNT compares to neoprene and trilam? Do you feel it truly offers the best of both?

I can only compare it to trilam. Makes no difference, dives the same. One thing I noticed is that the TNT suit dives very easy. Deflating has never been so easy and it's really flexible. Did'nt expect that when i first looked at it.

 

[beldridg]

I guess the best indicator I could give is that I definitely prefer to dive my SF Tech suit.

It is heavier, more durable, and most importantly -- offers more insulation which is important for most of the diving I've been doing during Covid (Southern California, deep, bottom temps 48F-52F) and I don't have a lot "bio mass" so every bit helps -- especially on 90+ minute deco dives. I also feel like I can more easily vent gas from it vs. the Dive Rite it but I haven't figured out why. Maybe just because I have a lot more dives on it.

If you get a SF Tech suit, you will very likely love it. They are great suits. But, beware, the TNT is heavy and takes a long time to dry. For my local SoCal diving, that doesn't matter.