Amazing..everyone is an expert...
Drysuit ?
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We dive with these OS SYSTEMS - The Drysuit People not as well known as other brands but they wear well and with the advantage that it is easy to field repair them.
Last trip we managed to tear my neck seal - normally that would have ended the trip there and then. Fortunately one of the other divers had a spare neck seal with him. 30 minutes later (with the help of a hair dryer and a D size duracell battery (used as a roller) ) we replaced the neck seal and I was diving again.
Last trip we managed to tear my neck seal - normally that would have ended the trip there and then. Fortunately one of the other divers had a spare neck seal with him. 30 minutes later (with the help of a hair dryer and a D size duracell battery (used as a roller) ) we replaced the neck seal and I was diving again.
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I bought a DUI TLS350 a few months back and I love it. I havent dove any other drysuit so I cant compare but I will buy another DUI when its time to get a new suit.
ERP
Guest
I have a USIA suit I hate and a TLS350 Custom suit that I don't.
The reason I don't like the USIA suit is it doen't fit, the LDS owner talked me into the USIA suit when I had <10 OW dives. I bought the TLS350 when I knew better, Diving the two suits is like night and day. I did dive the USIA when the TLS was in having ZIP seals fitted, so I guess it was useful as a spare. I also have DC push on dry glove rings fitted to the ZIP seals so that can be done.
As several others here have said it'a first and foremost about fit.
The reason I don't like the USIA suit is it doen't fit, the LDS owner talked me into the USIA suit when I had <10 OW dives. I bought the TLS350 when I knew better, Diving the two suits is like night and day. I did dive the USIA when the TLS was in having ZIP seals fitted, so I guess it was useful as a spare. I also have DC push on dry glove rings fitted to the ZIP seals so that can be done.
As several others here have said it'a first and foremost about fit.
ok front or back entry. front is much better for me. ability to get in and out by your self. fit fit fit fit fit. Next undergarment tenperature bands. you need something to keep you warm and that increaseses your displacement and you will need more weight a bunch more. that leads back to fit fit fit . also discuss the undergarment's ability to wick moisture away from your body. polar tech power stretch is good at that. i have a tls 350 and power stretch undergarment i wore it for 6 hours in and out of the water with out over heating or sweating. the water temp 50 degrees. garments other than the power stretch cooked me when out of the water and did not keep me warm in hte water. power stretch is great stuff. unless you are on the canadian boarder the 400 stuff is way too much it is artic ware. seals zip or regular. i recommend zip seals. zips you can replace the regular requires sending back to sandiego for replacement. if your neck shrinks a size or two in the future you just relce the 150.00 neck seal. measurements are vital to getting a good fit do not buy one off the rack unless you have tried it with the undergarments you are going to use. air movement from head to tow is a problem if the fit is not right. feet or no feet in the suit. i recommentd having feet in it. if not you have 2 more seals to concern yourself with as far as leeak points a flooded suit is not fun and in 45 degree water even less. undergarment and suit affect the boot size once again dont buy rock boots without a full dress trial.off the rack you get a black suit. if you want color or visibility enhancing colors you need to go custom. go to a dui rally when you are ready to buy so you can get a discount cert to help with the cost. your lds profiet is about 100 percent so deal with the lds for price. you can get it for i guess 2k if you work at it and have the top of the line tls signature. you can see mine to the left. also you must not ignore the issue of a p valve.
hope this helps
good shopping
yosemite_sam
Registered
I have a Northern Diver Vortex membrane suit nothing wrong with them
waterpirate
Contributor
I would buy a first dry suit from a dealer that is local that offers good support for the brand, and is available to do your first fitting. I would also try to limit the $ expenditure as much as possible. If it is your first dry suit you have no idea what your likes and dislikes in regard to a suit are. Very rarely is your first suit the one you will continue on with.
I dive a typhoon bib front entry, with hard kneck ring and wrist rings, I absoulutely looooove the suit. Others haaaaate the suit. It is all personal prefrence in the end.
hope this helps
Eric
I dive a typhoon bib front entry, with hard kneck ring and wrist rings, I absoulutely looooove the suit. Others haaaaate the suit. It is all personal prefrence in the end.
hope this helps
Eric
My first drysuit was a Poseidon rubber suit. It was huge, bulky and difficult to move around in, but easily repaired and low maintenance. It flooded on my second dive, so I sold it and bought a DUI TLS350.
The DUI leaked on 90 out of 100 dives. I sent it back to DUI twice but they said they couldn't find a leak. I ran my light inside and found hundreds of tiny holes in the legs. I covered the inside with Aquaseal which helped, but I was never happy with the suit. I sold it and bought a USIA bi-laminate suit. I had better luck with this one. I remained dry for most of my dives until the suit began ripping on the rocks. Laminate suits are worthless for rocky entries and wreck penetration.
I'm now on my third Diving Concepts suit. The first two were crushed neoprene, which were comfortable and relatively dry. My newest suit is a Cordura suit that has been bullet proof as far as rocks are concerned. I removed the wrist seals and mounted the dryglove rings directly to the suit. I got tired of replacing seals every six months. I noticed Diving Concepts now offers suits without wrist seals. They stole my idea.
The DUI leaked on 90 out of 100 dives. I sent it back to DUI twice but they said they couldn't find a leak. I ran my light inside and found hundreds of tiny holes in the legs. I covered the inside with Aquaseal which helped, but I was never happy with the suit. I sold it and bought a USIA bi-laminate suit. I had better luck with this one. I remained dry for most of my dives until the suit began ripping on the rocks. Laminate suits are worthless for rocky entries and wreck penetration.
I'm now on my third Diving Concepts suit. The first two were crushed neoprene, which were comfortable and relatively dry. My newest suit is a Cordura suit that has been bullet proof as far as rocks are concerned. I removed the wrist seals and mounted the dryglove rings directly to the suit. I got tired of replacing seals every six months. I noticed Diving Concepts now offers suits without wrist seals. They stole my idea.
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