Drysuit DIR?

[b1gcountry]

I recently ordered a new drysuit. I talked with my soon-to-be DIR-F instructor and he told me basically the same thing, that there are a lot of choices, and not to get too hung up on one specific brand/model/etc. Main concerns were the mobility in the suit, and avoiding suits with large buoyancy swings (uncompressed neoprene). As far as setting up the suit with pockets, etc, all that can be done with (almost) any suit. He didn't mention self-donning, or telescopic torso, but that may have been an oversight based on the suit options I was considering.

As an interesting side note, though I wound up getting a DUI TLS350 with the CLX450 style upper torso, in red tough duck...almost exactly what they mean by cave-cut. I decided on the TLS350 for other reasons, and the only changed my preference on the upper body style based on the reasoning in the DIR article.

My point is, choosing the TLS350 for my own personal reasons, it was nice to find that that the WKPP, with a lot different concerns also made a very similar choice. It tells me that I won't outgrow this suit in a few years.

 

[amascuba]

So you dont have to have a DUI drysuit to conform with DIR. So would the Bare Trilam HD tech work?

Bare makes some great suits for a good price and the Bare HD Tech isn't any different. My only suggestion would be to get the suit with the neoprene socks and use a pair of converse shoes or wetsuit boots over the socks instead of the vulcanized rubber boots that come with the suit. I hate those vulcanized rubber boots because they are HUGE and don't allow much ankle mobility.

For some perspective, I currently dive in a Mobbys Armor Shell with bellows pockets on each thigh, turbo soles (replaced the original boots), and a p-valve (my newest addition to my suit..lol).

 

[made4water]

Bare makes some great suits for a good price and the Bare HD Tech isn't any different. My only suggestion would be to get the suit with the neoprene socks and use a pair of converse shoes or wetsuit boots over the socks instead of the vulcanized rubber boots that come with the suit. I hate those vulcanized rubber boots because they are HUGE and don't allow much ankle mobility.

For some perspective, I currently dive in a Mobbys Armor Shell with bellows pockets on each thigh, turbo soles (replaced the original boots), and a p-valve (my newest addition to my suit..lol).

Very interesting, I will def. consider this, thank you for the advice.

 

[David C R]

Has anyone of you any experience with this guys????
for the price seems to be a nice option

Haloclina.com

 

[TSandM]

I don't know about their dry suits, but the price on the 400g Santi undergarment is amazing.

 

[b1gcountry]

What brand are we talking about now?

 

[RTodd]

While the answers that the features are what is most important are correct, unless one of the alternative manufacturers has recently made big improvements of which I am not aware, your best bet is the DUI TLS350. I own and have tried a few of the DUI attempts to create a more rugged suit with TLS like characteristics such as the CLX (I think that is the name) and they all fall short. Assuming the suit will get a fair amount of use and you are spending the type of money on gear that it takes to do anything other than fun open water dives, going with another manufacturer will probably leave you dissappointed.

Unless GUE has changed its position, crushed neoprene is not really DIR. It is too heavy, takes to long to dry, more restrictive, etc. i.e. the perceived benefits over the TLS are greatly outweighed by the negatives.

 

[jeckyll]

FWIW, my fundies instructor was mostly concerned with mobility within the suit. For that, he actually spent much time talking about suit cut and also underwear and underwear cut (which I haven't seen mentioned in this thread). A poorly cut suit / underwear will restrict movement, making it harder or potentially impossible to reach valves.

He also didn't like some of the "clip on pockets" one of the participants had (I think it was a whites suit, but don't hold me to that).

Having said all that, he did dive a DUI suit