Drysuit Opinions Needed

[tplyons]

Hi all,

Just completed my drysuit certification and am looking to purchase sooner or later. Sooner depending on what my tax return looks like this year.

Anyway, in my recent diving I've borrowed two drysuits. A crushed neoprene Northern Diver model that's been discontinued, and a Pinnacle Evolution. I've been wanting to try one of our shop's rental Whites Fusion suits but unfortunately my day job working at the chocolate factory has left me with a neck that's slightly too fat to comfortably wear one of their rentals without cutting down the neck seal.

I've made the following conclusions:

Regarding the crushed neoprene suit, I liked the initial insulation, but disliked that it didn't offer me much room underneath for additional. Not to mention the added buoyancy of the neoprene, I needed to carry a LOT of weight to counteract it. I didn't like this fact at all. I've also found they're more difficult to get in and out of.

Regarding the Pinnacle Evolution trilaminate, I thoroughly enjoyed this suit. I felt it was a little bulkier than I would like, and I didn't like the fact that it was rear entry. Nothing like having to pee and looking for someone to help you get out. But I felt it was easy to maneuver in, and only required 4-6 lbs. more than I carry with a 7mm neoprene wetsuit.

So where does this leave me? I'd like something a little trimmer than the Pinnacle Evolution, and know I definitely don't want a neoprene suit. I'd like more freedom of what to put on underneath. Therefore I've been looking at the White's Fusion Bullet. I like having thigh pockets without adding them and love that it's front entry. I liked the feel of the suit in the shop, but unfortunately due to my chocolate neck syndrome, I haven't been able to dive one.

I'm a fairly skinny guy, with a bit of a gut. At 5'7" I'm fairly compact and would like to feel a bit more fluid in the water than dragging a baggy drysuit.

I'm pretty confident that I'll be looking for user replaceable neck seals and wrist seals, perhaps dry gloves as well. It will be a new purchase, not looking to buy a drysuit used.

Anyway, any opinions on what else I should be looking at?

 

[TSandM]

I'd recommend the Fusion Tech, not the Bullet. I found the Bullet significantly restricted my mobility in the suit, made it heavier and slower to dry, and complicated rinsing. And the pockets still sag, and they're still floppy.

I really like the Fusions, especially with the user-replaceable seals. They're very hard suits to damage, and easy suits to dive.

 

[tplyons]

TSandM, thanks for your input. It looks like my questions are in the same places as everyone else's.

I don't intend to do much traveling, so drying speed isn't one of my top concerns. Most of the diving I plan on doing with it is wreck diving in the Atlantic, so durability is a big plus.

How much did it restrict your movement would you say? More than a 7mm wetsuit?

 

[TSandM]

I've never been in a 7 mil wetsuit, so I don't know. But it was certainly significantly more than the Sport or Tech skin, enough so my beautiful red Bullet skin hangs on the rack and I don't dive it.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

I'd recommend the Fusion Tech, not the Bullet. I found the Bullet significantly restricted my mobility in the suit, made it heavier and slower to dry, and complicated rinsing. And the pockets still sag, and they're still floppy.

I really like the Fusions, especially with the user-replaceable seals. They're very hard suits to damage, and easy suits to dive.

I agree 100%. The Bullet skin is just a dreadful thing to deal with.

 

[leeboy8500]

I've got about 10 dives in my new Fusion Bullet now and absolutely love it. Paired up with the Fusion undergarment and SiTech dry gloves I've never had warmer dives here in BC.

 

[tplyons]

Thanks for the input everyone! I'd like to get my hands on a Bullet before I buy. I'll have to call around a few dealers to see if anyone has one in stock. My LDS only stocks the sport skin, which I feel like it's a little to flimsy for wrecks.

 

[altaskier]

I bought a Fusion with both the Sport and Bullet skins, and started out diving in the Bullet skin on Lake Michigan wrecks (I don't do wreck penetration though). I then switched out to the Sport skin the first time I took the suit with me on a trip to California (less weight and quicker drying for airplane luggage), and haven't switched back to the Bullet since and also haven't seen any damage on the skin after 40 dives. You'll find people here like TSandM and fdog who do a lot more dives than that in the sport skin with good results. Having said that, I was happy with how the suit felt with the Bullet skin during my first dives though to be honest it was new enough in my drysuit experience that I can't say i had very finely tuned antennae for the suit at that point. What I found most annoying with the Bullet suit was how heavy it felt when wet AFTER the dive. Maybe this spring I'll bring both skins to my local quarry and do a back-to-back dive comparison.

 

[offroadr1]

I have a fusion tech and love it. I can don it quickly, by myself, and it fits great. my dive buddy dives an evolution 2 and looks like a marshmallow compared to me. the fusion is super sleek in the water and dives like a wetsuit. even with my heavier undergarments I don't need additional weight( I sidemount lp85 and lp95). bottom line is the fusion is great. Youwill love one if you decide on it.

 

[Divealpha]

I have the tech skin,and it,s easier donning my drysuit than my 5mm wetsuit(frontzip!)...

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