Drysuit Fabric Questions (Multiple)

[hi_alx]

Hi!

First some background:
I'm in the market for my first dry suit. This past year I was wearing a full 7mm wetsuit + 7mm outer vest with hood for my Ontario diving. With 14mm of neoprene on the torso I was diving a single AL80 with 17lbs of lead. I have dove down to 80-100ft at 40-45 degrees F and found it a little cool after about 15-30 minutes.

LDS's carry:
White's
Bare

Also available but less readily available...
DUI (very expensive in Canada)
Viking

I'm sort of leaning towards a crushed/compressed neoprene for my first drysuit. I would like warmth without too much increase in my weighting. I might also consider a hybrid suit (eg. Whites's Polar Flex - shell on upper torso, crushed neoprene for lower torso and legs).

Questions:
1. Do you wear thinner undergarments with neoprene suits? Even less with crushed / compressed suits?
2. When sizing neoprene suits how much allowance should one allow for space for undergarments and layering?
3. "neoprene suits take longer to dry" - does this refers to the exterior of the suit only?
4. I have a Seqquest Pro QD+ BCD with lots of room for adjustment still - will this style BCD be compatible with drysuit diving?
5. Bare's "hyper-compressed 2mm neoprene" is... equivalent to what in terms of standard neoprene?
6. White's "Densetek 2mm or 4mm - crushed / compressed neoprene" is... equivalent to what in terms of standard neoprene?
7. Neoprene seals: more comfortable and durable? More difficult to replace?

Thanks in advance.

Alex

 

[Hyper-limits]

A lot of manufacturers started using the word "compressed" so divers might think it is the same as crushed (i.e. DUI CF 200). Of course like you were saying the DUI here in Canada are very expensive. Abyss from Nova Scotia offers crushed neoprene and they are a lot cheaper that DUI.

I owned neoprene DS, vikings and now I have a catalyst from White's.

1. Depends how warm you want to be.
2. You don't want the suit to be too loose.
3. Yes, except if the suit is leaking then it will take as long to dry inside and out
4. Your BCD will be fine.
5 / 6. Are they really compressed/crushed ??
7. I find neoprene seal warmer but not as comfortable. I think they pretty much the
same to replace.

I have my Catalyst for only 2 years about 150 dives and so far so good. But of course this suit is not as warm as a neoprene dry suit you just need a very good underwear like an extreme weezle.

cheers

AL

 

[matt_unique]

Hi!

First some background:
I'm in the market for my first dry suit. This past year I was wearing a full 7mm wetsuit + 7mm outer vest with hood for my Ontario diving. With 14mm of neoprene on the torso I was diving a single AL80 with 17lbs of lead. I have dove down to 80-100ft at 40-45 degrees F and found it a little cool after about 15-30 minutes.

LDS's carry:
White's
Bare

Also available but less readily available...
DUI (very expensive in Canada)
Viking

I'm sort of leaning towards a crushed/compressed neoprene for my first drysuit. I would like warmth without too much increase in my weighting. I might also consider a hybrid suit (eg. Whites's Polar Flex - shell on upper torso, crushed neoprene for lower torso and legs).

Questions:
1. Do you wear thinner undergarments with neoprene suits? Even less with crushed / compressed suits?
2. When sizing neoprene suits how much allowance should one allow for space for undergarments and layering?
3. "neoprene suits take longer to dry" - does this refers to the exterior of the suit only?
4. I have a Seqquest Pro QD+ BCD with lots of room for adjustment still - will this style BCD be compatible with drysuit diving?
5. Bare's "hyper-compressed 2mm neoprene" is... equivalent to what in terms of standard neoprene?
6. White's "Densetek 2mm or 4mm - crushed / compressed neoprene" is... equivalent to what in terms of standard neoprene?
7. Neoprene seals: more comfortable and durable? More difficult to replace?

Thanks in advance.

Alex

Neoprene drysuits qill require the most lead (in general) because they are more buoyant than trilams. Of course many many factors are involved in proper weighting.

1.) Compared to trilam suits, you definitely wear thinner thermals in a neoprene suit. The neoprene material offers thermal protection so you don't need as much undergarment. I have only used a "regular" neoprene suit (O'Neill) so I can't comment on the thermals required for a crushed neoprene. One of my buddy's dives a crushed neoprene and we wear similar thermals.
2.) You definitely want to try drysuits with your coldest thermals on. I use a one piece thermal suit for dives warmer than 50 degrees F, thicker (second torso layer) thermals for dives below 50.
3.) Neoprene suits definitely take longer to dry compared to trilams. After diving and rinsing gear (including the inside of the suit) I turn my suit inside out right down to the boots and it dries in about 2 days. If you plan to be diving more than that be careful not to rinse the inside of your suit. I mostly dive on the weekends so suit drying time has never been an issue for me. If doing multiple days of diving don't rinse the inside of your suit until you have at least 2 days before your next dive. It does not matter if the outside of the suit is wet of course.
4.)Should be - bring your BC and throw it on when you are trying on your drysuit. Make sure the chest strap does not cover your suit inflator valve, etc. Should be fine though. I use a SeaQuest Balance BC when diving from shore with my drysuit.
5.) No idea
6.) No idea
7.) Neoprene seals are more durable. I have never used latex seals so I can't comment on the comfort in comparison to neoprene.

In the US you can get an O'Neill neoprene suit for $450 these days. When I bought mine some years ago they were $750 but a great value for the dollar in my opinion. I paid $325 for thermals. A buddy of mine who dives a $1500 Mobby's trilam suit borrowed my suit once and said it was warmer than his.

A drysuit is a beautiful thing. You will not believe how much more comfortable it is to dive dry. Tomorrow we will be in 35-37 degree F water here in Massachusetts. (Same temps we had last weekend). I would also suggest dry gloves - they are worth their weight in gold compared to wet gloves.

--Matt

 

[kazinvan]

Hi!


Questions:
1. Do you wear thinner undergarments with neoprene suits? Even less with crushed / compressed suits?

- Yes, neoprene offers thermal protection, a bag suit does not.

2. When sizing neoprene suits how much allowance should one allow for space for undergarments and layering?

- Enough so you can put a few layers in and still be comfortable.

3. "neoprene suits take longer to dry" - does this refers to the exterior of the suit only?

- One would assume that the inside of your "dry" suit isn't wet. Neoprene does take longer to dry, but it doesn't matter that much does it?

4. I have a Seqquest Pro QD+ BCD with lots of room for adjustment still - will this style BCD be compatible with drysuit diving?

- I don't see why not, but I can't comment on that specifc BCD. I don't think there are any dry suit specific BCDs, they should all work if you can get it on over top of the suit.

7. Neoprene seals: more comfortable and durable? More difficult to replace?

- More prone to leaks in my mind, I find the latex more comfortable. More durable, yes.

Alex

Hope that helps, Mike

 

[Uncle Pug]

I've had Viking, Gates, OSS Bilam, two DUI CF200, and currently two Andy's shell suits. I love the shell suits. Quick to dry inside and out and easy to repair. I like the neoprene neckseal. All of my suits have had latex and I've had to replace them regularly. Last year at this time I had a neoprene neck seal put on one of my Andy's suits and just today took the other one to KME to have the same thing done.

 

[Greg D.]

Alex,

Cant tell you how much you are gonna love diving dry, but lets put it this way after my first dry dive I was so psyked I almost drove home in it! Here is my 2 cents, Personally I went with a shell suit because It will give me a little more flexability in the water temps I can wear it in, around here the lakes and river can be from 36 to 75 degrees F. I used to dive a 7mil wetsuit but that is a little overkill in 70degree water. With the shell I can use alot on insulation or none at all. Nuff said there.

Also I would give Rick at Dive Tank a call or if you are close to Vancouver stop by and see him, he was loads of help when I was looking for my drysuit, not to mention he had awesome prices and a super warrenty on Bare Drysuits! Find more an www.divetank.com or call him at1-877-89-SCUBA (1-877-897-2822) If I remember right his ext is 1

Hope this helps

Hi!

First some background:
I'm in the market for my first dry suit. This past year I was wearing a full 7mm wetsuit + 7mm outer vest with hood for my Ontario diving. With 14mm of neoprene on the torso I was diving a single AL80 with 17lbs of lead. I have dove down to 80-100ft at 40-45 degrees F and found it a little cool after about 15-30 minutes.

LDS's carry:
White's
Bare

Also available but less readily available...
DUI (very expensive in Canada)
Viking

I'm sort of leaning towards a crushed/compressed neoprene for my first drysuit. I would like warmth without too much increase in my weighting. I might also consider a hybrid suit (eg. Whites's Polar Flex - shell on upper torso, crushed neoprene for lower torso and legs).

Questions:
1. Do you wear thinner undergarments with neoprene suits? Even less with crushed / compressed suits?
2. When sizing neoprene suits how much allowance should one allow for space for undergarments and layering?
3. "neoprene suits take longer to dry" - does this refers to the exterior of the suit only?
4. I have a Seqquest Pro QD+ BCD with lots of room for adjustment still - will this style BCD be compatible with drysuit diving?
5. Bare's "hyper-compressed 2mm neoprene" is... equivalent to what in terms of standard neoprene?
6. White's "Densetek 2mm or 4mm - crushed / compressed neoprene" is... equivalent to what in terms of standard neoprene?
7. Neoprene seals: more comfortable and durable? More difficult to replace?

Thanks in advance.

Alex