Drysuit divers need your help.

[Greybeard47]

I'm looking at three drysuits, Bare trilam HD tech dry, DUI CLX450 and Whites Fusion.
This suit will be for cold and even colder water(Great Lakes wrecks).
I would like the good and bad from owners of any of these suits? Money is
not an issue as they are very close in price. Also pros's and con's of going with a neoprene neck seal.

 

[mikeguerrero]

Greybeard,

I dive a DUI CLX450 and wouldn't trade it for nothing in my waters. I dive in Monterey, California where the waters are cold and the coast is rugged.

I wanted a suit that wears good against extreme conditions, and I wanted a suit that makes me feel secure when I enter these waters.

The suit has a robust feel with Cordura on the top and I like the huge bellow pockets that you can get with the suit, I stuff mine with; wetnotes, SMBw/reel, extra mask and I still have room for other stuff.

I also love the crushed neoprene that I added to the knees, crotch area and elbows. I have also a Halcyon Pee-valve that I added. The rock boots are my favorite, since they are like a pair of robust mountain shoes, and when you wear them out, when ever that comes, you put on your extra set, and save time from sending in your entire suit back for repairs.

The zipseals are awesome and I have replacement neck seals and wrist seals just in case I tear one on a trip. Also the warm neck collar works great with the DUI hood, the 3mm neoprene skirt tucks away and gives you that added comfort and warmth while under cold waters.

I use SI-tech dry gloves with the suit and it fits like part of the suit; literally meshes with the zipseals.

Let me tell you about yesterday's dive. I literally got caught in fishing line while at 43 feet and the hook went into my suit and the fisherman started trying to reel me in, he thought he had a huge catch.

I reached over to some kelp and hugged it dearly for safety while the fisherman continued to tug on me.

My buddy came within 15 secs, and unwrapped me and pulled out the large hook that went into the suit, the suit didn't even flinch, zero leaks and the hook apparently never made it through the tough material.

Does that sound impressive? It does for me, I was very impressed with the suits overall performance.

I've only had it leak once and that was my fault, I left the p-valve open and got a little trickle of water before I closed the valve.

It is a tough suit that while doesn't have the mobility of the Fusion, it draws plus points in all other categories, including an eye catcher to other divers, they call it the Tuxedo of the drysuits, it literally has a clean cut appearance that divers are drawn to.

Hope that helps out.

MG

 

[ucfdiver]

Why are Santi suits not in the running? I have a TLS350 and would without a doubt go with a Santi if I could afford it....

 

[luckydays]

I am with Mike, I have the DUI CLX 450. I like it because it is durable. Here in Lake Michigan you can scuff against the edge of a wreck or the zebra mussels all over the wrecks and its no big deal. Its a heavy suit though. Mine is black with the Cordura overlay on the top with big pockets on the thighs and kevlar knee pads. I have zip seals at the neck and wrists. I am replacing my Zip Dry Gloves with the SI tech dry gloves that Mike has as well. (Hey Mike, I ordered mine last week, I'll send you a pick of my pink gloves once I have them put together).

I am sending the suit in this week to get a pee-valve installed. Make sure what ever suit you get, have a pee-valve installed. You may not need it right away but it will be nice to have it installed when you decide that you need it. Long dives in cold water mean the urge can strike at the least opportune time and getting out of the suit and gear is not easy when the urge hits you.

Depending on the size shoe you need, get the socks installed instead of the turbo soles. Unless you have really big feet and will have a hard time finding a rock boot or a fin to put your boot in. I like having a hard shoe over my suit. Plus once the shoes wear out you can find other options for shoes like Converse All Stars (Comes in lots of colors besides black on black)

I tried the whites fusion and I really liked that I was able to wear an off the rack size but I did not like the look of the suit. I know that there are a lot of proponents of the suit on SB but I just did not like it all that much. It felt like a heavy duty garbage bag with a nylon stocking suit over it. It looked a little power ranger-ish to me. I have heard that it is very durable but compared to my DUI, I would disagree.

I have not tried any other brand suit to compare.

If money is not a concern go with the Cadillac and get the DUI CLX450. You wont regret it. Since I have had mine, my diving has grown exponentially. If the ice was gone, I would go diving now.

 

[luckydays]

Why are Santi suits not in the running? I have a TLS350 and would without a doubt go with a Santi if I could afford it....

Santi is a Polish company so I would guess that the OP does not know about them or even knows of a place that he could see one. I only heard about this brand from a European friend who has one. I think he got it when he was home a few years ago. I know he did not get it here in the US.

 

[keithdiver]

I am like Mike& luck days, i ordered the cls450 suit, what a great piece of equipement, also with pee valve, all the works, i think it is a sound piece of equipement, can not wait to recieve it...

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Which Fusion? Yes, some people look weird in certain models (sport and sometimes tech skin) but not in the LE or new bullet. The suit fits like a custom or cave cut, is light weight, easy to repair yourself, the new bullet is bullet proof with the gator skin, and in the water its a DREAM.

Easy bubble management, streamlined, most flexible suit with the tightest fit, and it leaves all other suits in its dust. No offense to anyone diving anything else, but you can't just knock a Fusion without stating which one...there are different models, and different price points. It all depends on which one you are talking about.

If you want, give me a call tomorrow, I can send one up in your size to try on and check out

The most important thing is getting what is comfortable TO YOU. As you can see from the responses, people will LOVE what they buy for the most part. You can also get permanent wrist rings installed on your Fusion so you can change out the wrist seals yourself ALOT easier than Zip seals....and the New Si - tech neck system makes changing neck seals a breeeze ( we have been playing with a pre-release model) and fits beautifully on a fusion.

Again, you can't go wrong, they all keep you dry, but in my opinion, the Fusion is years ahead of the other drysuits as far as technology and things divers want from a suit
- Flexibility
- Ease of Donning
- Streamlined
- Fairly Inexpensive
- User fixable - although not many people have issues
- streamlined
- much more....

All other suits are just that....another drysuit

 

[scubaflier]

any DUI! If Money is no problem Faith can get you a custom You can't go wrong with a DUI
I dive mine all the time hot cold work or play. self doning pockets pee valve zip seals never any down time

 

[keithdiver]

So Mike, you are telling me that DUI is garbage??? I really await to hear this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mikeguerrero]

We had a diver who rented the Fusion sport and went on Truth Aquatics for three fabulous days of diving off the Channel Islands. On his first dive, and this guy loves the fusion, at about 45 feet had current push him into some rocks that had some mussles, his suit was sliced right open like a peach to a blade, water rushed into his thigh and he made it to the boat safely.

They did a quick onboard patch, Mike is right about on sight fixes, repaired the suit and off and running he was finishing all his dives for the next three days, happy as can be in his Fusion.

I have heard so many great things about Fusion, but to the touch it appears fragile compared to a DUI CLX450, that is my opinion.

Think it out, and try on the different suits and see which one works for you before committing to any suit.

MG

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