Drysuit questions

[grasstrimmer]

My Dive Team is in the market for a couple of new drysuits. The only problem is we dont have a lot of money to spend. Our main source of money is fundraisers. We are a Fire Dept. Dive Team but as we are relatively new we have a very little place in the budget. If anyone has a comment or idea to help us get where we need to be, it would be appreciated. My biggest question would be your opinion on which manufacture offers the most for the money.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

My Dive Team is in the market for a couple of new drysuits. The only problem is we dont have a lot of money to spend. Our main source of money is fundraisers. We are a Fire Dept. Dive Team but as we are relatively new we have a very little place in the budget. If anyone has a comment or idea to help us get where we need to be, it would be appreciated. My biggest question would be your opinion on which manufacture offers the most for the money.

Call me at the shop tomorrow with your drysuit needs. I take care of LEO / FD divers. 863-471-3483. I carry multiple lines, so we can find something to "suit" you, and be within your budget.

Safe Diving,

 

[bridgediver]

For PSD you should be looking at a vulcanized rubber suit. Viking is the big name because it is time tested and has proven itself for years but they do cost. They are some others out there that might be just as good. The rubber suits are going to cost more than some of the cheaper suits but they will last you a long time. Get a cheaper suit and you'll have to replace/repair it more often and it'll cost you more in the long run

Reasons you want a rubber suit:

Easier to clean
Easy to decon (non-rubber suits might not decon at all)
Easy to repair in the feild (non-rubber can't really do feild repairs)
Able to dry and store right away so they're ready for the next call - you don't need to hang them up to dry
Dry them off so they don't freeze in winter
More resistant to abrasions and punctures than most other sport diving suits

hope that helps

 

[BladesRobinson]

For PSD you should be looking at a vulcanized rubber suit. Viking is the big name because it is time tested and has proven itself for years but they do cost.

I agree with BRIDGEDIVER as it relates to using vulcanized rubber suits. Viking makes a good suit as does DUI.

Blades

 

[leam]

While I'd seldom disagree with Blades or bridgediver, you might settle with a lower cost shell suit while you're building the team and the dry-suit skills. Accept the fact that any hazmat exposure will probably make a non-vulcanized rubber suit impossible to fully decon. Of course, unless you're totally sealed you're going to get exposed anyway.

My suggestion would be to get what you can afford, prove your worth to the budget deities, and then have Mike ready with a quote on the Vikings.

Leam

 

[tc]

Take a look at the Whites Hazmat suit as well, we picked up 12 of them earlier this year and they are working out very well for us.

 

[grasstrimmer]

Thanks a lot for the input. I would like to hear some input on the last post. Basically our drysuit experience is with DUI trilaminate suits. I dont think we will be able to afford the best so what would you all recommend for some economy models. Or is this one of those situations where you are better off getting nothing and waiting till you have the money to get what you need?

 

[tc]

Actually the Whites or Viking probably won't much more, if any, than a good DUI suit.

Shop around- right now is a good time because there should be some good deals out there from DEMA, but the deals won't last long.

Getting a vulcanized or other type of material that is designed for chemical exposure and for ease of cleaning can make life a lot easier on the cleanup, but as long as you're not using them to go into chemical contamination almost any suit will be better than nothing, particularly if you are diving in cold water.

There are some very low priced shell suits out there but as with everything, you get what you pay for. Durability on those will not match what you can expect with the better suits.

The main consideration for your new suits will be the water you will be diving in, if you have water that is chemically contaminated you've got to have full encapsulation and suits that can be decontaminated (Vulcanized or similar). If you're only concerned with cold then almost any suit will work with sufficient undergarments.

Good luck with the selection!

 

[NudeDiver]

My Dive Team is in the market for a couple of new drysuits. The only problem is we dont have a lot of money to spend.

These issues seem incompatible.

Our main source of money is fundraisers. We are a Fire Dept. Dive Team but as we are relatively new we have a very little place in the budget. If anyone has a comment or idea to help us get where we need to be, it would be appreciated.

Look into FEMA/DHS grants for homeland security and emergency preparedness issues. That's an endless trough of money that might be able to help you. You will have to spend some time on some grant writing, but it can really pay off. My agency got over $1M, for some really unusual stuff. Generally speaking, the public trough can be your friend. Government is going to waste the money on something, you might as well get some of it.

My biggest question would be your opinion on which manufacture offers the most for the money.

I got my Bare XCD Tech Dry for $850. I rate it as an outstanding value.

 

[NEsilentDiver]

If you can get the funds, go with DUI, they have saftey diver suits that will fit your need (sell this aspect to your state funding office)
If you can't get the funds for DUI, next step is Diving Concepts.

just my $.02