Drysuit Recommendations

[rob.mwpropane]

Here is some bad news. A dry suit zipper has a lifespan typically measured by the number of pulls. After a few hundred pulls you'll have to replace the zipper. If you cave dive, you probably want a quality zipper replacement done by a top shop. That is a $400 job. Imagine spending that much on a suit that costs $1000. There is an argument in SeaSkin favor: buy it, beat the living crap out of the suit, then get a new one. However, I'd rather go another route. @Black Cat did not state the budget, so the default rule applies: buy the best you can afford.

For $400 I will learn to fix my drysuit.

Haven’t seen any recommendations on the fourth element argonaut, that’ll probably be my next suit.
Currently using a Hollis Btr 500, just had zipper replaced (second time) cost $650.00 to have DUI do it, was warrantied the first time.
It’s got a bad inflation valve now, (broken tounge)
Probably going to replace it with a si tech Vega or something, we’ll see.

For $400 $650 I will learn to fix your drysuit

 

[lexvil]

I had DRIS put a TiZip into my first Seaskin (pre plastic from Seaskin) and the total cost with shipping both ways was about $425, well worth it in my opinion to have someone with a lot of experience do it rather than me fight with it. $600 starts looking like it makes more sense to order a new suit.


I just emailed them to ask about current pricing.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I had DRIS put a TiZip into my first Seaskin (pre plastic from Seaskin) and the total cost with shipping both ways was about $425, well worth it in my opinion to have someone with a lot of experience do it rather than me fight with it. $600 starts looking like it makes more sense to order a new suit.


I just emailed them to ask about current pricing.

Not to mention, DRiS is pretty great when it comes to the DIY community. They sold me the glue and when I called to ask a question they patched me through to the service department so I could ask all the questions I wanted directly.

They could not have been more helpful on the phone.

Also, if anyone is thinking about gluing anything... it's not hard at all. If you screw up you can literally heat it up and take it back apart and start over. Plenty of videos online for guidance.

 

[lexvil]

Just checked, a TiZip replacement is $413 from DRIS parts and labor, with an additional cost of shipping which their discounted rate, $15 to $30 average

 

[FF / EMT]

You can replace the zipper yourself for ~$100, Seaskin sells them in both brass and plastic at whatever length you need. Or you can have a shop do it. Around here the LDS charge upwards of $600. There is a non-affiliated repair guy that does then for $300 including the zipper and has a 2 week turn around. If the bag is still good then $300 isn't a big investment in a made to measure suit.

For $400 I will learn to fix my drysuit.



For $400 $650 I will learn to fix your drysuit

I should add for clarification, my PS dive team purchased my drysuit and they have paid for all repairs, however, I do practice/ refine my skills in my PS drysuit because 1) it’s the only drysuit I currently have.
2) I don’t live under the motto of “I only dive when I get paid to dive” as some PS divers do

 

[TrimixToo]

FWIW, DRIS put a new zipper in one of my CF200s. DUI put a zipper in the other one a few years before that when I was part of their discount program. I could not tell the difference in workmanship. Both were excellently done, so well you can't tell they're not the original zippers. Without the DUI discount, though, DRIS is markedly less expensive.

 

[Chris H]

Regardless of which brand you choose, fit is the most important part of a drysuit. My last two suits have been custom, and it is nice. I know that some of the manufacturers, like Bare and DUI, have expanded their stock sizes to include short tall sizes. This gives a lot more opportunity to get a good fit without going custom. I was a Bare diver through and through, but their first generation X-Mission was a garbage and soured me on their products. It was a great suit until it wasn’t. Prior to the X-Mission I had a Bare Trilam HD. I think I got that suit in 2004 and I still have it. My current suit is a Seaskin Nova. It has been fine and I’d probably buy another one.